1938⚡ Event
Essential Commodities Reserves Act
The Essential Commodities Reserves Act, allowing the British government to build up reserves in anticipation of war, received royal assent.
politicslawwar
July 29 – August 4 in History
DayFacts Week 31 · 7 days
This recurring calendar span contains 103 historical entries in the DayFacts collection. The sections below preview entries from these 7 days; use the date links to open each date collection.
Selected Anniversaries
25th Anniversary
Scottie Barnes
25th Anniversary
Park Si-eun
25th Anniversary
Ben Trbojevic
Explore the Date Pages
Historical Events (July 29 – August 4)(20)
1939⚡ Event
Einstein-Szilard letter
Leo Szilard penned a letter, signed by Albert Einstein and addressed to President Roosevelt, warning of Germany's potential development of atomic bombs.
sciencepoliticstechnology
1947⚡ Event
Star Dust crash
The BSAA airliner Star Dust crashed into Mount Tupungato in the Argentine Andes, with its wreckage undiscovered until 1998.
disasterexploration
1954⚡ Event
Publication of The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring, the first part of J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings, was published.
literatureentertainment
1971⚡ Event
The Who's Who's Next released
The English rock band The Who released their album Who's Next, which became their only album to top the UK charts.
musicarts
1975⚡ Event
Plane Crash Near Agadir, Morocco
A privately chartered Boeing 707 crashed near Agadir, Morocco, killing 188 people.
disastertechnology
1977⚡ Event
Tandy Corporation Announces TRS-80
Tandy Corporation announced the TRS-80, one of the world's first mass-produced personal computers.
technologyeconomics
1981⚡ Event
Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
An estimated 750 million people worldwide watched the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral in London.
entertainment
1984⚡ Event
Discovery of Lindow Man
Commercial peat cutters discovered a preserved bog body, now known as Lindow Man, at Lindow Moss in Cheshire, England.
1990⚡ Event
Assassination of Ian Gow
British Conservative MP Ian Gow was killed outside his home in a car bombing by the Provisional Irish Republican Army.
politicswar
1991⚡ Event
George H. W. Bush warns Ukraine against independence
U.S. president George H. W. Bush delivered a speech in the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev warning against independence from the Soviet Union.
politics
1997⚡ Event
Sky Tower Opens in Auckland
The Sky Tower, then the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere, opened in Auckland, New Zealand.
technology
2000⚡ Event
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery Reopens
Three years after being hit by a mudslide, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Hong Kong fully reopened. The monastery had been significantly damaged by the natural disaster.
disasterreligion
2002⚡ Event
Jerusalem University Bombing
Hamas detonated a bomb at the Mount Scopus campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The attack killed nine students and injured about 100 more.
war
2004⚡ Event
Supermarket fire in Asunción, Paraguay
Nearly 400 people died in a supermarket fire in Asunción, Paraguay, when exits were locked to prevent people from stealing merchandise.
disaster
2006⚡ Event
Mutur Massacre
Seventeen employees of the French NGO ACF International were massacred in Mutur during the Sri Lankan civil war.
war
2006⚡ Event
Israeli airstrike in Qana
The Israeli Air Force attacked a building near Qana, Lebanon, killing at least 28 civilians, including 16 children during the Lebanon War.
war
2006⚡ Event
Fidel Castro Transfers Power
Following intestinal surgery, Fidel Castro provisionally transferred the duties of the Cuban presidency to his brother Raúl. This marked a significant shift in Cuban leadership.
politics
2007⚡ Event
Buenos Aires Airport Scandal
An airport police officer discovered US$800,000 in a suitcase at Jorge Newbery Airfield, sparking an international scandal.
lawpolitics
2012⚡ Event
Train fire on Tamil Nadu Express
A train fire killed 32 passengers and injured 27 on the Tamil Nadu Express in Andhra Pradesh, India.
disaster
Births (July 29 – August 4)(15)
1993🎂 Birth
Nicole Melichar
Nicole Melichar is an American professional tennis player.
sports
1994🎂 Birth
Liam O'Brien
Liam O'Brien is a Canadian professional ice hockey player.
sports
1998🎂 Birth
Mirjam Björklund
Mirjam Björklund, Swedish tennis player, was born.
sports
2000🎂 Birth
Kim Sae-ron
Kim Sae-ron is a South Korean actress. She is noted to have died in 2025.
entertainment
Deaths (July 29 – August 4)(15)
1997🕊️ Death
Death of Jeanne Calment
French supercentenarian Jeanne Calment died at 122 years, 164 days, holding the record for the longest confirmed human lifespan.
2014🕊️ Death
Death of Julieka Ivanna Dhu
Julieka Ivanna Dhu, an Aboriginal Australian woman, died in police custody after her condition was ignored.
2015🕊️ Death
Antony Holland
Antony Holland was an English-Canadian actor, director, and playwright.
entertainmentarts
2015🕊️ Death
Peter O'Sullevan
Peter O'Sullevan was an Anglo-Irish sportscaster.
sportsentertainment
2018🕊️ Death
Oliver Dragojević
Oliver Dragojević was a Croatian recording artist.
musicentertainment
2020🕊️ Death
Wilford Brimley
Wilford Brimley, an American actor and singer, died. He was born in 1934.
entertainment
2020🕊️ Death
Rickey Dixon
Rickey Dixon, an American professional football player, died. He was born in 1966.
sports
2022🕊️ Death
Pat Carroll
Pat Carroll, an American actress and comedian, has died. She was born in 1927.
entertainment
2022🕊️ Death
Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel V. Ramos was the 12th President of the Philippines. He was born in 1928.
politics
2022🕊️ Death
Jackie Walorski
American politician Jackie Walorski died. She was born in 1963.
politics
2022🕊️ Death
Bill Russell
Bill Russell was an NBA Hall of Fame player and coach. He was born in 1934.
sports
2023🕊️ Death
Paul Reubens
Paul Reubens, an American actor and comedian, has died. He was born in 1952.
entertainment
2023🕊️ Death
Mark Margolis
American actor Mark Margolis died. He was born in 1939.
entertainment