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National days, ongoing national weeks and months, and global observances for July 8, 2026. Plus historical events and birthdays.
These observances run for a full week; this calendar day falls inside the week.
These observances last the full month; this date is part of that month-long celebration.
Showing the first 12 on this date; there are more month-long observances. See the full months list for July.
Events that occurred on July 8 throughout history
Church bells ring John Nixon delivers the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. It's believed the Liberty Bell (though not yet named) was rang along with other bells.
The State Department issues the first U.S. passport. The passports were intended to American merchant ships from Barbary pirates. At the time, the documents did not have photographs and were large (11” x 17”).
Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse gives the first cowpox vaccination to his 5 year old son to prevent smallpox. Dr. Waterhouse wanted to prove the vaccine as a safe alternative. Luckily, he was right.
The first issue of The Wall Street Journal is published. The four-page newspaper sold for two cents.
Alfred Gilbert receives a patent for "Toy Construction-Blocks." The blocks later became known as the iconic Erector Set.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches its lowest level of the Great Depression, closing at 41.22.
Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico. The U.S. Air Force intelligence recovered the debris and kept the debris until 1994, when they released the report saying the debris belonged to "Project Mogul," a top-secret high-altitude balloon project designed to detect Soviet nuclear tests.
The U.S. Air Force accepts its first female recruits into a program called the Women's Air Force (WAF). Sergeant Esther Blake was the first woman to enlist. However, the program restricted women to clerical and medical support roles, prohibiting them from flying.
President Richard Nixon delivers a congressional message enunciating Native American self-determination as official U.S. Indian Policy. The Policy ended "termination" of Native American tribes in the U.S. It also lay the foundation towards the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975.
People born on July 8
Country music musician with hits like Should've Been a Cowboy and Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue.
Actress recognized for her roles in One Tree Hill and Chicago P.D.
The 41st Vice President of the U.S. from 1974-1977 under President Gerald Ford.
Multi-award winning film and television actor with lead roles in Footloose, Tremors, The Following.
Chemist and pharmacist who invented Coca-Cola.
Businessman and philanthropist who founded the Standard Oil Company.
Chemist and businessman who founded the pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly and Company. Lilly's first innovation was gelatine-coated pills and capsules. Many of his innovations and guidelines developed at the company were used to create the Food and Drug Administration.
