1649
Law
First recorded charge in the Norman-Hammon case
1649: Sarah White Norman and Mary Vincent Hammon were charged with lewd behavior on July 4 in Plymouth Colony.
View detailsThis Day
04July
23 indexed achievements across recorded history.
1844
Arts
Birth in Greenbush, New York (claimed date)
Edmonia Lewis claims July 4, 1844, as her birthdate in Greenbush, NY.
View details1845
Arts
Birth of Edmonia Lewis
Edmonia Lewis was born near Albany, New York, to an African American father and a mother of Mississauga Ojibwe and Haitian descent.
View details1853
Science
First Woman to Deliver an Independence Day Address at South Butler
Brown became the first woman to deliver a Fourth of July address in South Butler, New York, breaking a significant public-speaking barrier for women.
View details1856
Activism
First women's rights and anti-slavery speech by a woman in Viroqua, Wisconsin
Lucy Stone delivers the first women's rights and anti-slavery speech by a woman in Viroqua, Wisconsin.
View details1857
Activism
Birth of Jessie Ackermann
Jessie Ackermann was born on July 4, 1857, in Frankfort, Illinois.
View details1868
Science
Birth of Henrietta Swan Leavitt
Henrietta Swan Leavitt was born in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA.
View details1871
Science
Granted U.S. Patent No. 116,585 for Corset Improvement
Griswold received U.S. Patent No. 116,585 for a further improvement in corset design, reflecting her continued innovation in apparel technology.
View details1880
Aviation
First solo balloon flight; first U.S. woman to pilot her own aircraft
On July 4, 1880, Mary Myers debuted as “Carlotta, the Lady Aeronaut” at Little Falls, NY, becoming the first American woman to fly solo and to pilot her own aircraft.
View details1915
Activism
Leads National Suffrage Demonstrations as NAWSA President
As president of NAWSA, Shaw led major national suffrage rallies and Independence Day demonstrations advocating for women's voting rights.
View details1916
Science
Birth of Iva Toguri D'Aquino
Iva Ikuko Toguri was born in Los Angeles, California, to Japanese immigrant parents.
View details1925
Science
Marriage to John Marsh
Margaret Mitchell married John Marsh, her steady and supportive second husband, on July 4, 1925, in Atlanta.
View details1928
Activism
Issuance of U.S. "Molly Pitcher" commemorative stamp
The U.S. issued a "Molly Pitcher" overprint to honor 150th Battle of Monmouth, symbolizing Revolutionary War heroism.
View details1934
Science
Death of Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Marie Curie died on July 4, 1934, in Passy, France, from complications related to radioactivity exposure.
View details1938
Sports
Death of Suzanne Lenglen
Suzanne Lenglen passed away on July 4, 1938, in Paris from pernicious anaemia.
View details1940
Arts
Awarded first prize for sculpture
Catlett’s sculpture "Mother and Child" won first prize.
View details1974
Literature
Death of Georgette Heyer
Georgette Heyer passed away on July 4, 1974, in London, marking the end of a literary era.
View details1977
Politics
Participation in LBJ Library permanent exhibits opening
Lady Bird Johnson attended the opening of the LBJ Library and Museum's permanent exhibits, continuing to support its educational mission.
View details1977
Sports
Firecracker 400 with three women competitors
Guthrie raced in the Firecracker 400, featuring three women.
View details2000
Science
Pulsed-ultrasound cataract patent granted
US Patent 6,083,192 granted, extending Bath's cataract-removal innovations from laser technology to pulsed ultrasound methods.
View details2012
Science
Contribution to Higgs boson discovery at CERN
Wu contributed to the Higgs boson discovery announced at CERN in 2012.
View details2016
Science
Grant of U.S. Patent 9,695,105 on complex oligomeric structures
US Patent 9,695,105 granted for the preparation of complex oligomeric structures, naming Catia Bastioli among the inventors.
View details2024
Politics
Tenth consecutive parliamentary election victory
On 4 July 2024, Diane Abbott won her tenth consecutive election as MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington.
View details