Birth of Henry Knox
Henry Knox was born on July 25, 1750, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was George Washington’s right-hand man during the American Revolution and participated in most of the war’s major battles.
This Day in History
-
-
Birth of Simón Bolívar
Military and political leader Simón Bolívar was born on July 24, 1783, in Caracas, New Granada (present-day Venezuela). He led a campaign that freed Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia from Spanish rule, earning him the nickname El Libertador (The Liberator). His birthday is also a national holiday in Venezuela.
-
Chandra X-Ray Observatory
On July 23, 1999, NASA launched the Chandra X-Ray Observatory to observe x-rays from outside the Earth’s radiation field. The mission was originally intended to last just five years, but Chandra is still orbiting the Earth and making discoveries today, more than 20 years after launch.
-
Catapult Mail
On July 22, 1929, catapult mail was successfully launched from a German ship to New York. Catapult mail cut down on transatlantic delivery times until advances in aviation enabled planes to make the entire journey even faster.
-
First Battle of Bull Run
On July 21, 1861, Confederate forces won the First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the Battle of First Manassas. It was the first major land battle of the Civil War and the grisly fighting led both sides to realize that the war wouldn’t be won quickly.
-
“V” for Victory Campaign
On July 19, 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill officially established the “V” for Victory campaign. The letter “V” became a rallying cry for people in occupied nations as well as Germans who opposed the Nazis.
-
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
On July 18, 1947, the United Nations established the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) to be administered by the United States. The TTPI was founded to help these small islands recover in the wake of World War II.
-
First U.S.-Morocco Joint Issue
On July 17, 1987, the USPS issued its first joint issue with Morocco, commemorating 200 years of diplomatic relations.
-
Birth of Ida B. Wells
Ida Bell Wells was born July 16, 1862, in Holly Springs, Mississippi, just before President Abraham Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation. Wells was an early leader in the Civil Rights and Women’s Suffrage movements, as well as a founder of the NAACP.
