In 1776, the British hanged Nathan Hale as a spy. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, promising to free all slaves in seceding states as of January 1, 1863, if the southern rebellion did not end. In 1888, the National Geographic Society published the first issue of its namesake magazine. In 1980, Iraq invaded disputed territory in the Persian Gulf, officially beginning an eight-year war with Iran. In 1996, the Virginia Military Institute's board voted to admit women to the school.

Michael Faraday (1791-1867), scientist; Tommy Lasorda (1927- ), baseball player/manager; David Stern (1942- ), former NBA commissioner; Nick Cave (1957- ), musician; Andrea Bocelli (1958- ), opera singer; Neil Cavuto (1958- ), TV personality; Joan Jett (1958- ), singer; Bonnie Hunt (1961- ), actress; Mike Matheny (1970- ), baseball player/manager; Katie Lowes (1981- ), actress; Tatiana Maslany (1985- ), actress; Tom Felton (1987- ), actor

In 1969, San Francisco Giants centerfielder Willie Mays hit his 600th career home run in San Diego.

President Abraham Lincoln read the preliminary emancipation proclamation to his cabinet in July 1862; he did not want to make the pronouncement public until after a major Union battle victory.

"Nothing is too wonderful to be true if it be consistent with the laws of nature." – Michael Faraday