July 2nd
Today in America's Present Past
1679 | Explorer Daniel Greysolon de Du Luth is the first European to record finding the headwaters of the Mississippi.
1684 | Educator John Rogers died.
1776 | The Continental Congress resolves, "these United Colonies are and of right ought to be Free and Independent States.” This is the vote that declared Independence.
1798 | Entrepreneur John Fitch died.
1850 | Benjamin Lane patented the gas mask.
1861 Civil War: Battle of Hoke's Run, West Virginia.
1864 | Congress: Statuary Hall in the US Capitol is created.
1865 | Catherine and William Booth start what becomes the Salvation Army.
1881 | POTUS: Republican Garfield was shot (and later died).
1890 | POTUS: Republican President Harrison signs the Sherman Antitrust Act.
1898 | General Anthony McAuliffe was born.
1902 | America’s victory in the Philippine-American War.
1908 | SCOTUS: Justice Thurgood Marshall was born.
1917 | Civil Rights: St. Louis race riots.
1919 | Activist Hanna Howard Shaw died.
1925 | Activist Medgar Evers was born.
1932 | Entrepreneur Dave Thomas was born.
1937 | Race car pro Richard Petty was born.
1937 | The 24-hour honor guard is first posted at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
1937 | Aviator Amelia Earhart disappears over the Pacific Ocean.
1946 | Actor Ron Silver was born.
1947 | Actor Larry David was born.
1960 | Civil Rights: Newport, Rhode Island, jazz festival riot.
1961 | Novelist Ernest Hemingway died.
1962 | Entrepreneur Sam Walton opens the first Walmart.
1966 | Civil Rights: The Omaha, Nebraska, race riots start.
1968 | Civil Rights: Paterson, New Jersey riots.
1977 | Author Vladimir Nabokov died.
1978 | Fireman Strike riot in Memphis, Tennessee.
1981 | Activist Alex Koroknay-Palicz was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
1986 | Actress Lindsay Lohan was born.
1993 | Actor Fred Gwynne died.
1997 | Actor Jimmy Stewart died.
1999 | Author Mario Puzo died.
2002 | Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly solo around the world in a balloon.
2014 | WWII veteran and POW Louis Zamperini died.
2016 | Activist and writer Elie Wiesel died.