July 8th
Today in America's Present Past
1693 | New York City authorized the first police uniforms in the American colonies.
1731 | Cleric Jonathan Edwards preaches his sermon "God Glorified in Man's Dependence" in Boston, Massachusetts.
1741 | Cleric Jonathan Edwards preaches his famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” at Enfield, Connecticut, part of the Great Awakening.
1755 | Indian Wars: Draper’s Meadow massacre.
1776 | War of Independence: Colonel John Nixon gives the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1777 | Independent Vermont introduced a new constitution, prohibiting slavery.
1778 | War of Independence: General George Washington established his headquarters at West Point for the Continental Army.
1796 | The U.S. State Department issues the first national passport.
1797 | Congress: The first impeached Senator (William Blount of Tennessee) is expelled.
1831 | Entrepreneur John Pemberton was born.
1835 | The Liberty Bell cracks again for the second time.
1839 | Entrepreneur John D. Rockefeller was born.
1853 | Commodore Matthew C. Perry sails the frigate Susquehanna into Tokyo Bay, opening Japan to Western influence and trade.
1862 | POTUS: Republican President Lincoln signs the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act.
1869 | Poet William Vaughn Moody was born.
1870 | Congress: Authorizes registration of trademarks.
1876 | Civil Rights: South Carolina Race Riots start.
1889 | The Wall Street Journal begins publishing.
1891 | POTUS: President Warren Harding wed Florence Kling.
1892 | The American Psychological Association was formed.
1896 | Orator William Jennings Bryan's “Cross of Gold" speech at the Democratic convention in Chicago.
1898 | U.S. battle fleet under Admiral George Dewey occupies Isla Grande at Manila, Philippines.
1898 | POTUS: Republican President McKinley signs the Newlands Resolution, acquiring Hawaii.
1905 | Musician Walter Kittredge died.
1907 | Politician George W. Romney was born.
1908 | Politician Nelson Rockefeller was born.
1913 | Entrepreneur Alfred Carlton Gilbert’s patent for the Erector Set.
1919 | Civil Rights: “Red Summer race riots” in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.
1923 | POTUS: Republican President Harding becomes the first sitting President to visit Alaska.
1941 | SCOTUS: Justice James Baynes is sworn in.
1950 | Korean War: General MacArthur named commander-in-chief of UN forces.
1951 | Actress Anjelica Huston was born.
1957 | First-Lady Grace Goodhue Coolidge died.
1959 | Vietnam War: Soldiers Dale Buis and Chester Ovnand were the first American casualties in the war.
1961 | Singer Toby Keith was born.
1963 | The US bans all monetary transactions with Cuba.
1967 | Actress Vivien Leigh died.
1977 | Actor Milo Ventimiglia was born.
1986 | Admiral Hyman G. Rickover died.
1988 | Entertainer Stevie Wonder announces he will run for mayor of Detroit, Michigan, in 1992.
1998 | Entertainer Jaden Smith was born.
2011 | First Lady Betty Ford died.
2012 | Actor Ernest Borgnine died.
2015 | Poet James Tate died.
2022 | Actor Tony Sirico died.