Today in Labor History July 12, 2026

 

Deportation at Bisbee, Arizona

Members of the shoemakers’ union went on trial in New York City for striking to win a raise. They were fined $1 each. – 1810

Oscar W. Neebe, founder of the Beer Wagon Drivers Union (later the Teamsters Union) was born. Neebe was one of Haymarket martyrs, executed for his “role in the Haymarket bombing”, despite the fact that he was not in Haymarket Square at the time. – 1850

The state militia moved in to break a 12-day strike against Carnegie Steel in Homestead, Pennsylvania. The guardsmen were there primarily to protect scabs and remained in Homestead until October.  Strikers were protesting wage cuts of 18-26% and suffered seven deaths in attacks on them by Pinkerton (“Pinks”) detectives. On July 23, Alexander Berkman, anarchist friend of Emma Goldman, tried to kill Henry Clay Frick, chairman of the board at Carnegie, in an attentat (propaganda by the deed), an action many anarchists of the day believed would inspire the working class to rise up in revolt against the ruling class. – 1892

Today was the final day of the vigilante deportation of striking mineworkers at Bisbee, Arizona. The company illegally kidnapped and deported about 1300 strike mine workers, their supporters, and citizen bystanders. The action was orchestrated by Phelps Dodge, the major mining company in the area, which provided a list of workers and others who were to be arrested. The arrested were first held at a local baseball park before being loaded onto cattle cars and deported 200 miles to Tres Hermanas in New Mexico. The 16-hour journey took place through the desert without food or water. Once unloaded, the deportees, most without money or transportation, were warned against returning to Bisbee. During the Bisbee mine strike, company-hired vigilantes attempted to kidnap and deport Jim Brew, a miner and IWW member. Brew fought back and was shot and killed. Brew was a veteran of the West Virginia Cripple Creek strike of 1903-4. – 1917

The Screen Actors Guild held its first meeting. Among those attending: future horror movie star (Frankenstein’s Monster) and union activist Boris Karloff. – 1933

Congress passed first minimum wage law (40 cents per hour). – 1933

Important Events From This day in History July 12

 

 

1962 The Rolling Stones

1962 : The Rolling Stones give their first public performance at the Marquee Club in London, the original band included singer Mick Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards and Brian Jones, bassist Dick Taylor, and drummer Mick Avory.

1967 U.S.A. Newark Race Riots

1967 : Race Riots began in Newark, New Jersey, after a black cab driver was arrested and beaten by police. At the end of the rampage by rioters there were 24 deaths, 1,100 wounded, 1,300 arrested and property loss of more than $5 million, the problems were believed to be caused a combination of factors including rumor's that the Cab Driver was dead and charges that cops dealing with problems were racist and brutal together with poor leadership by the local mayor.

1924 U.S.A. Air Mail

1924 : The Post Office has announced it will now accept air mail letters for countries where the domestic later rate applies.

1924 Round The World Flight

1924 : The three American Army Planes together with the three crews set off from Constantinople on the next leg of their round the world trip to Bucharest in Romania. They had begun their attempt on the world's first round the world flight setting off from departed Seattle, Wash., on April 6, in Four Douglas World Cruiser airplanes. Two of the aircraft completed the full round the world trip on September 28th, 1924.

1963 England Moors Murderers

1963 : The infamous moors murderers begin their killing spree when 16 yr old Pauline Reade is abducted by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, the so-called "Moors Murderers," launching a series of cruel murders lasting over two years.

1967 U.S.A. Airline Strike

1967 : The strike by workers in the airline industry continues to effect 5 major airlines with little hope seen of an early settlement and some airlines are now laying workers off including Eastern Airlines.

1986 Northern Ireland Continued Violence

1986 : Portadown, County Armagh: The Orange Parade by Orangemen have caused problems to flare up in Portadown, County Armagh. Catholic Nationalist and Protestant Loyalist youths are fighting on the streets throwing bottles, darts and bricks at each other and the security forces. There are also a number of looting of shops and businesses in the area and the army has been using baton charges and plastic bullets to bring peace back to the area. Ballymoney, Northern Ireland: A loyalist attack on a Catholic family has left three children dead after an arson attack on the home in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland.

1987 New York Land Prices

1987 : As more and more areas of land are sold for development of new out of town shopping Malls many can not believe how much the price of land has changed in Syracuse New York, just 10 years ago an acre of land was a mere $2,000 per acre and now it commands up to $100,000 per acre.

1987 England Church Criticized

1987 : The Church of England has been criticized for it's investments in South Africa due to the countries Apartheid Policies , but they have refused to stop investing in South African companies and land.

1990 Russia Mikhail Gorbachev

1990 : After the election of Mikhail Gorbachev as head of the Soviet Communist Party, Boris Yeltsin, president of the Republic of Russia, announces his resignation from the Soviet Communist Party. This was a blow to Gorbachev who was hoping to keep all parts and factions of the Communist party working together.

1993 Japan Tsunami Okushiri

1993 : Following an earthquake estimated at 7.8 which generated giant waves a tsunami left roughly 200 people dead on the island of Okushiri in Japan.

1995 Heat Wave Wisconsin and Illinois kills 1,000

1995 : A heat wave that effects Illinois and Wisconsin starts when a heat advisory is issued in Chicago, Illinois, warning of an impending record-breaking heat wave. By the time the heat wave ends one week later, nearly 2,000 people are dead in Illinois and Wisconsin with temperatures being recorded in Chicago up to 106 degrees Fahrenheit.

1999 Europe Beef Import Ban

1999 : Following a ban by the European Union on all Beef Imports from the US over the widespread use of growth hormones which the EU believes could cause increased cancer, nerve disorders and other health problems. The US has placed trade sanctions worth $116m on EU Goods. All European Union farmers are banned from giving hormones to cattle because of health fears. Many believe this could spread to an all trade war between Europe and America as GM crop imports are also restricted due to concerns over possible health issues. As of 2008 the European Union still has a ban on beef raised with the use of hormones, which bars most U.S. beef imports. They also now have a ban on US pork produced with a growth hormone and poultry treated with chlorine and other chemicals. Europe is still also refusing to accept imports of any unauthorized GM crops which again effects imports / exports between the EU and the US.

2006 South Korea / US Trade Talks

2006 : Nearly 30,000 protesters rioted in Seoul as the United States and South Korea held the third day of talks with the purpose of reducing trade barriers between the two countries. Despite some clashes between police and protesters no one was arrested or injured during the demonstration.

2007 U.S.A. Lady Bird Johnson Dies

2007 : Former First Lady, Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson, better known as Lady Bird Johnson passed away at the age of 94 on this day. Best known for her environmentalism, Johnson was also a strong supporter of civil rights and combating poverty.

2008 Iran / Israel Missile Testing

2008 : The Tension between Iran and Israel is increasing as Iran shows the strength of it's resolve both in words and saber rattling this week as Iran tests more missiles and tells the world if Israel attacks it will strike Tel Aviv and US Military bases . Meanwhile Israel is committed to stopping Iran gaining Nuclear weapons capability in any way and any how with the Israel defense minister talking about Israel's readiness to strike Iran. The possibility of a win by presidential nominee Barack Obama who has pledged to pursue diplomacy routes rather than confrontation with Iran and who may not provide Israel with US backing for an attack on Iran leaves many including Iran concerned that the window of opportunity for Israel to attack Iran with US backing is slipping away as it is thought the current Bush administration would provide the backing Israel needs.

2008 U.S.A. IndyMac Bank Collapse

2008 : The IndyMac Bank, based in California, failed on this day. The bank became the fifth to fail in the United States in 2008, and became one of the largest financial institutions to fail in United States history.

2011 Funeral Held for Former First Lady Betty Ford

2011 : The funeral for former first lady Betty Ford was held after her death at the age of ninety-three. In attendance were current first lady Michelle Obama, former first ladies Nancy Reagan and Rosalynn Carter, former president George W. Bush, and Secretary of State and former first lady Hilary Clinton. Betty Ford had been known for her outspoken and honest manner on issues such as women's rights, as well as work on drug and alcohol treatment.

2012 Saudi Arabia to Send Two Female Athletes to Olympics

2012 : The International Olympic Committee has confirmed that Saudi Arabia would send two female athletes, Sarah Attar for the women's 800m and Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani for judo, to the London 2012 Summer Games. The inclusion of Saudi women in the games would mark the first time in the history of the games that there would be a female athlete from every competing country. Female athletes from Brunei and Qatar would also be entering the games for the first time.

2013 Ireland Approves Abortion

2013 : Ireland's lower house in parliament voted in favor of legalizing abortion in cases where it would save the life of the mother. This is the first time the Irish government has voted in favor of any type of abortion.

Friday Morning in the Blogosphere

 My first Los Angeles Times ID

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Generative AI was useful; agentic AI is game-changing - E&P Magazine

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Pulitzer Prize recipients peel back the curtain, revealing the work behind the win - E&P Magazine

Today in Labor History July 10, 2026

 Mary Jane McLeod Bethune

Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was born. Bethune was an American educator, stateswoman, philanthropist, humanitarian, and civil right activist best known for starting a private school for African-American students in Daytona Beach, Florida. She attracted donations of time and money, and developed the academic school as a college. It later continued to develop as Bethune-Cookman University. She was appointed as a national adviser to President Roosevelt as part of what was known as his Black Cabinet. She was known as “The First Lady of the Struggle” because of her commitment to gain better lives for African Americans. – 1875

14,000 federal and state troops finally succeed in putting down the strike against the Pullman Palace Car Company The strike had been peaceful until July 5, when federal troops intervened in Chicago, against the repeated protests of the Governor and Chicago’s mayor. Some 34 American Railway Union members were killed by troops over the course of the strike. – 1894

A powerful gas and dust explosion occurred in the Rolling Mill Mine in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. At approximately 11 a.m., the explosion occurred in the Klondike section of the mine, and ultimately 112 miners, 84 of whom were immigrants from England, Poland, and Slovakia, lost their lives. Killed immediately were those miners working in the Klondike section. Many other miners, as well as the vast majority of the mine animals, were killed by an asphyxiating gall called afterdam that spread through the mine as they fled to the Millcreek Portal, several miles away, the only other exit from the mine. The Rolling Mill Mine Disaster still ranks as one the most deadly mining accidents in American history. – 1902

The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce held a mass meeting of more than 2,000 merchants to organize what was to become a frontal assault on union strength and the closed shop. The failure of wages to keep up with inflation after the 1906 earthquake had spurred multiple strikes in the city. – 1916

Sidney Hillman died at age 59. Head of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, he was a key figure in the founding of the Congress of Industrial Organization and in marshaling labor’s support for Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Democratic Party. – 1946

Important Events From This day in History July 10

 

1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial Begins

1925 : John T. Scopes, a science teacher in Tennessee, was charged with violating the state's Butler Act, which made it illegal to teach evolution in Tennessee schools. The trial was based on the charge he did unlawfully and willfully teach in Tennessee schools certain theories that deny the story of the divine creation of man as told in the Bible. He was found guilty on July 21st and received a $100 fine.

More about the Scopes Monkey Trial

1985 Rainbow Warrior is Sunk

1985 : The Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior is sunk when French agents plant a bomb on the hull of the boat while docked in Auckland harbor, New Zealand. The Rainbow Warrior had been preparing for a protest voyage to the French nuclear test site in the South Pacific.

1924 Brazil Rebels

1924 : With each day the rebellion by well armed rebels and guerrillas is gaining new converts in cities other than San Paulo with each day and many warn government forces are losing control of more areas.

1938 Aviator Howard Hughes

1938 : Aviator Howard Hughes makes a record flight around the world. He completed the trip in just 91 hours, breaking the previous record by more than four days. Taking off from New York City in a Lockheed Super Electra he continued to Paris, Moscow, Omsk, Yakutsk, Anchorage, Minneapolis, ending back at New York City.

1940 Great Britain Luftwaffe Bombing

1940 : The Germans Luftwaffe begin bombing raids against Great Britain, signaling the start of the Battle of Britain, the bombing continued over major Ports and cities across the UK for 3 months and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Spitfires and Hurricanes try to combat German Bf 109E while also trying to stop German Bombers (Junkers Ju 87) reaching their destinations to drop their bombs, the new introduction of Radar along the English coast provided much needed intelligence for UK fighter pilots. Winston Churchill made many memorable speeches in World War II but one of the sentences that is his famous speech where he used the words "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few", referring to the allied pilots who fought against the German pilots in the Battle of Britain.

1941 Poland World War II

1941 : 1,600 Jews are forced into a barn in Jedwabne, Poland by the local villagers and burned to death.

1943 Sicily Operation Husky

1943 : Allies begin their invasion of Axis controlled Europe with landings on the island of Sicily "Operation Husky."

1958 U.S.A. Alaska Earthquake

1958 : An earthquake hit north of Juneau in Alaska causing a tidal wave that completely covered a small island and 3 people were drowned on the island while picking wild strawberries.

1962 U.S.A. Telstar Launched

1962 : Telstar, the world's first communications satellite a privately sponsored space launch was launched into orbit . The Telstar communications satellite relays the first live transatlantic television signal and the worlds telephone call transmitted through space on July 23rd.

1964 Beatles "A Hard Day's Night" Released

1964 : The Beatles release the "A Hard Day's Night" album as the soundtrack to their first film of the same name. The album included well known tracks which enter the charts as single's including: "A Hard Day's Night," "Tell Me Why," "Can't Buy Me Love," "And I Love Her."

1965 Rolling Stones First Number One Hit

1965 : The Rolling Stones have their first number 1 single on the US Billboard charts "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" from the album "Out of Our Heads."

1973 Bahamas Independence

1973 : The Bahamas gains independence from Great Britain after 300 years of British of British Rule, the Bahamas remain a part of the British Commonwealth. The new prime minister will be Lyndon Pindling whose Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) won the elections in September 1972.

1987 Persian Gulf Iranians Attack Super Tanker

1987 : An attack by an Iranian Gunboat on a US super tanker in the Persian Gulf has caused a big jump in oil prices to jump to $21.23 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

1987 Canada / United States Trade

1987 : Negotiations between the worlds biggest two nation trading partnership has reached a point where neither believe they can change policy and the free trade agreement between them could break down completely.

1991 Soviet Union Boris N. Yeltsin

1991 : Boris N. Yeltsin takes office as the first elected president of the Russian republic.

1998 U.S.A. Diocese of Dallas

1998 : The Diocese of Dallas agreed to pay $23.4 million to nine former altar boys who said they were molested by 52-year-old Rudolph 'Rudy' Kos, who is now serving a life sentence in prison.

1999 US Women's Soccer Team Wins World Cup

1999 : The U.S. women's soccer team wins the final between the U.S. and China beating the Chinese team in a penalty shootout at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif making them the FIFA Women's World Cup champions.

2000 Worldwide Internet Users

2000 : UK 1 in 4 (25%) now use the internet at home up from 1 in 10 (10%) just 2 years ago.

U.S.A. 1 in 3 (33%) now use the Internet up from 1 in 5 (20%) just 2 years ago.

Figures for estimate of 2008 Internet usage: UK 2 in 3 (66%) now use the internet at home, U.S.A. 3 in 4 (73%) now use the Internet at home.

2002 Nevada Yucca Mountain Nuclear Dump Site

2002 : The United States Senate gives final approval to bury all of the country's nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain, Nevada about 80 miles from Las Vegas. The plans include storing 70,000 metric tons of radioactive material from America's 103 nuclear power plants deep inside the mountain for about 10,000 years. As of 2008 the project is still not accepting Nuclear waste due to legal challenges, funding, the transport of nuclear waste issues, and ongoing political pressure. Currently there are 130 separate nuclear waste sites scattered around the US.

Today in Labor History July 9, 2026

 

The Charleston Five

Federal troops raided the IWW hall in Yakima, Washington. – 1917

The worst rail accident in U.S history occurred when two passenger trains operated by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway (“NC&StL”) collided head-on at Dutchman’s curve in west Nashville, Tennessee. 101 people died, and another 171 were injured. – 1918

New England Telephone “girls” went on strike for a seven-hour workday, $27 weekly pay after four years’ service. – 1923

New York City subway system managers in the Bronx attempted to make cleaning crews on the IRT line work faster by forcing the use of a 14-inch squeegee instead of the customary 10-inch tool. Six workers were fired for insubordination; a two-day walkout by the Transport Workers Union won a reversal of the directive and the workers’ reinstatement. – 1935

The first U.S. mine safety law was enacted to prevent mine disasters. – 1952

United Packinghouse, Food & Allied Workers merged with Amalgamated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workmen. – 1968

Five thousand demonstrators rallied at the state capitol in Columbia, South Carolina in support of the “Charleston Five,” labor activists. The Five were longshoremen and union members of Local 1422 of the International Longshoremen’s Association. The were peacefully protesting a Danish freight company’s use of non-union workers on the Charleston docks when a fight broke out between picketing workers and the police force. The Charleston Five were arrested along with four others and were held on felony charges which could have carried a prison sentence of up to 10 years. They were finally freed of all charges in November 2001 after a one-year trial, throughout which they were kept under house arrest. – 2001

Important Events From This day in History July 9

 

 

1984 Wing of York Minster Gutted By Fire

1984 : A 760-year-old wing of York Minster, the largest medieval cathedral in Britain, was gutted by a fierce fire started by lightning. A rescue party save most of the historic and valuable artifacts from the burning cathedral including tapestries and silver candlesticks. These Bells are still rung by hand and the sound is stunning [ the heaviest bell (Great Peter) weighs 10.8 tons ].

1941 UK Enigma Code Broken

1941 : British cryptologists break the secret code (Enigma) used by the German army to direct ground-to-air operations on the Eastern front.

1932 U.S.A. Beer Bill Rejected Again

1932 : A bill to legalize beer containing 3.2 percent alcohol was presented to the senate but was again rejected keeping the country dry for a further period.

1947 UK Princess Elizabeth

1947 : Princess Elizabeth the future Queen of England announces her engagement to Lt. Philip Mountbatten.

1982 Michael Fagan Breaks Into Queen's Bedroom

1982 : 30-year-old Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace morning and spent 10 minutes talking with Queen Elizabeth II in her bedroom before being arrested inside the palace at 3 a.m. Major questions were asked on how he evaded 43 soldiers, 24 police, 350 palace staff members, dog patrols, surveillance cameras, electronic listening devices and other equipment.

1991 South Africa Admitted To Olympics

1991 : South Africa is readmitted into the Olympics after 20 years, they were expelled from the IOC in 1970 because of apartheid policies of racial segregation.

1995 U.S.A. Grateful Dead

1995 : The Grateful Dead played their last concert including the lead guitarist Jerry Garcia, at Soldier Field in Chicago.

1960 U.S.A. Cuba Concerns Castro

1960 : With the continuing cold war and the new communist revolutionary Fidel Castro taking control of Cuba which then became the focus of arguments between President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev due to Americas concern over having a communist controlled country within striking distance of the United States.

1966 U.S.A. Prison Riot

1966 : Prisoners at Maryland Penitentiary rioted setting fire to a number of buildings, the riot was stopped in the end by authorities using tear gas on the 1200 inmates.

1975 U.S.A. Earthquake Minnesota

1975 : In Morris, Minnesota, an earthquake of with a magnitude of almost five strikes the area.

1996 UK Michael Stone

1996 : A family is attacked in the small English village of Nonington by a man wielding a hammer on their way home, he then bludgeoned them one by one. One daughter Josie 9 years old was the sole survivor of the vicious assault. Michael Stone was arrested 12 months later and charged with the murder of Dr. Lin Russell and her daughter Megan.

1998 Azores Earthquake

1998 : A magnitude 5.9 Earthquake strikes the Portuguese Azores killing at least 10 with many more still missing in the rubble. The Portuguese government has reacted quickly sending medical supplies, portable generators, rescue workers with sniffer dogs, and 100's of tents for temporary sleeping accommodation.

2000 UK Pete Sampras Wimbledon

2000 : Pete Sampras wins his seventh and final Wimbledon singles title, tying the record with William Renshaw for men at the All England Club. He had won on 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

2003 Bangladesh Ferry Disaster

2003 : The ferry "MV Nasrin-1" travelling from Dhaka, to Lalmohan hits strong winds and high seas causing the ferry to overturn (it is also believed the ferry was overloaded with passengers and cargo) making it more unstable. At least 500 are believed to have drowned in the strong currents and 200 are rescued.

2004 Iraq War Justification Believed False

2004 : A Senate Intelligence Committee report concluded the CIA had provided unfounded assessments of the threat posed by Iraq which the Bush administration used to justify for invasion of Iraq.

2006 Venezuela New Oil and Gas Pipeline

2006 : Construction on a gas and oil pipeline began in Venezuela. The project, with a cost of $200 Million is supposed to extend Venezuelan gas and oil to parts of Central America, including Colombia and Panama. The pipeline would not only provide gas and oil to Central America, but would speed up exportation of the products to East Asia by extending this pipeline to the Pacific Ocean.

2007 U.S.A. Boeing 787 Dreamliner

2007 : The plane manufacturer Boeing showed its plans for its new environmentally friendly airplane the 787 Dreamliner, on this day. This marks the first newly designed jet from the company for twelve years. The plane was said to be composed of more carbon fiber than aluminum and would produce twenty percent less carbon dioxide than other planes.

2008 Turkey Terrorist Attack US Consulate

2008 : In an attack on the United States consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, a total of six people were killed on this day. The attacks were linked to an Islamic fundamentalist group by the name of the Great Eastern Islamic Raiders.

2011 South Sudan Holds Independence Ceremony

2011 : Tens of thousands of people gathered in Juba to witness the raising of the flag of the newly formed South Sudan at an independence ceremony. The new president of the new nation, Salva Kiir, signed the constitution and took his oath of office at the ceremony. South Sudan's formation follows decades of conflict with its Northern neighbor Sudan, which became the first country to recognize its independence in an official manner. Sudan's president and the UN chief were among onlookers at the ceremony.

Today in Labor History – July 7, 2026

 Mother Jones

Striking New York longshoremen met to discuss ways to keep new immigrants from scabbing. They were successful, at least for a time. On July 14, 500 newly arrived Jews marched straight from their ship to the union hall. On July 15, 250 Italian immigrants stopped scabbing on the railroad and joined the union. – 1882

The March of the Mill Children, the three-week trek from Philadelphia to President Roosevelt’s home on Long Island by striking child and adult textile workers, was launched by Mary Harris “Mother” Jones. The march turned public attention on the scourge of child labor and energized efforts to end it by law. – 1903

Cloakmakers began what was to be a two-month strike against New York City sweatshops. – 1910

Workers began construction on the Boulder Dam (now known as Hoover Dam) on the Colorado River, during the Great Depression. Wages and conditions were horrible—16 workers and work camp residents died of the heat over just a single 30-day period—and two strikes over the four years of construction led to only nominal improvements in pay and conditions. – 1931

The Puerto Rican general strike of 1998 began as a strike of the Puerto Rico Telephone Company (PRTC) workers protested a government privatization plan. Three weeks later, 500,000 people joined a two-day general strike, bringing commerce and travel to a standstill. The strike failed to stop the privatization plan, and in July a consortium led by GTE bought the PRTC for $1.9 billion. – 1998

Important Events From This day in History July 7

 

  

2007 Seven Wonders of the Modern World

2007 : An official declaration of the new Seven Wonders of the Modern World was made determined from a worldwide poll organized by the New7Wonders Foundation. The New Wonders of the World are:

1. The Great Wall of China (It is the largest man made monument ever to have been built and is visible from space.)

2. Petra, Jordan (Petra On the edge of the Desert, was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV)

3. Christ Redeemer Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro)

4. Machu Picchu, Peru (Ancient Inca City built by the Incan Emperor Pachacútec halfway up the Andes Plateau, and deep in the Amazon jungle)

5. Pyramid at Chichén Itzá, Mexico (the most famous Mayan temple city, served as the political and economic center of the Mayan civilization)

6. The Roman Colosseum, Italy (This great amphitheater in the center of Rome to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire)

7. The Taj Mahal, India (This immense mausoleum by the fifth Muslim Mogul emperor, to honor the memory of his beloved late wife)

The original 7 wonders of the world were:

1. Great Pyramid of Giza Egypt (Built as the tomb of Fourth dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu) still standing

2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Multi-leveled gardens reaching 22 meters (75 feet) high) destroyed by earthquake

3. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (took 120 years to build Dedicated to the Greek goddess Artemis) destroyed by Arson

4. Statue of Zeus at Olympia Greece (40 feet tall) destroyed by fire or earthquake.

5. Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus (Stood approximately 45 meters (135 feet) tall with each of the four sides adorned with sculptural reliefs) disassembled by European Crusaders

6. Colossus of Rhodes (giant statue of the Greek god Helios roughly) Destroyed by Earthquake

7. Lighthouse of Alexandria (between 383 - 440 ft tall it was among the tallest man-made structures on Earth for many centuries) Destroyed By Earthquake

1924 U.S.A. President Coolidge

1924 : President Coolidge's 16 year old son Calvin has died due to blood poisoning caused by a blister on his foot becoming infected.

1930 U.S.A. Hoover Dam

1930 : Construction begins on the Hoover Dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada. As there was no town near the dam construction site workers and their families were housed in temporary camps. The original project was called the Boulder Dam but was dedicated later as the Hoover Dam in honor of President Hoover.

1942 Poland Auschwitz Concentration Camp

1942 : Heinrich Himmler, together with a physician, begins experimenting on women in the Auschwitz concentration camps.

1947 U.S.A. Roswell Timeline

1947 : William Brazel notices strange debris while working on the Foster ranch, where he was foreman, some 70 miles (110 km) north of Roswell.

Jul. 7th: Roswell Army Air Field. Major Jesse Marcel collects debris 75 miles northwest of Roswell, New Mexico, scattered over an area 300 years wide and ¾ of a mile long. This led to rumors of an alien crash.

July 8th: The Roswell Army Air Field (RAAF) issue a press release stating that personnel had recovered a crashed "flying disc" from a ranch near Roswell, sparking intense media interest, later that day the press release is amended to say a "weather balloon" had been recovered.

1978: All goes quiet for 30 years until 1978 when Stanton T. Friedman interviews Major Jesse Marcel, who was involved with the original recovery of the debris in 1947 who expressed his belief that the military had covered up the recovery of an alien spacecraft.

February 1980: The National Enquirer interviews with Major Jesse Marcel bringing national and worldwide attention for the Roswell incident.

1989: Former mortician Glenn Dennis gives a detailed personal account claiming that alien autopsies were carried out at the Roswell base.

Since then Government reports have been released explaining the incident as likely debris from a secret government program called Project Mogul. Was Roswell a cover up or just a series of unexplained events with rational explanations will depend on who you believe and the number of "eye witness accounts" that were given for publicity or the governments explanation of a secret project. In differing books on the subject timelines appear to have changed.

1958 U.S.A. Alaska Statehood Act

1958 : The Alaska Statehood Act is signed by President Dwight Eisenhower. This will make Alaska the 49th State in January of the following year.

1969 Vietnam U.S. Troop Withdrawal

1969 : The initial withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Vietnam begins with the withdrawal of the U.S. 9th Infantry Division, the first of 25,000 troops that were withdrawn in the first stage of the U.S. disengagement from the Vietnam war.

1969 Brian Jones Former Rolling Stones Guitarist

1969 : The inquest into the death of rock and roll star Brian Jones the former Rolling Stones Guitarist has recorded a verdict of death by misadventure, when he had drowned after taking a cocktail of drink and drugs.

1976 U.S.A. West Point

1976 : Women are enrolled into the United States Military Academy at West Point for the first time in history.

1981 U.S.A. Sandra Day O'Connor

1981 : Arizona Judge Sandra Day O'Connor is nominated by President Ronald Reagan to become the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

1983 U.S.A. Samantha Smith

1983 : Samantha Smith, an 11 year old after Earlier in the year sending a letter to Soviet President Yuri V. Andropov asking why the Soviet Union wants to conquer the world. She was invited to Russia to meet the Soviet President and set off on her visit as the youngest Ambassador in US History on a two week trip to the Soviet Union.

1985 England Boris Becker Wins Wimbledon

1985 : Boris Becker wins the men's Wimbledon championships breaking multiple records in the process.

1. The youngest ever player to win the men's title at the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

2. The first German ever to win the men's title.

3. The first unseeded player to ever win the championship.

1987 Germany Petrol Tanker Accident

1987 : A petrol tanker truck crashes into an ice cream parlor in Herborn, Germany causing a massive explosion and fire which caused the death of 50 people who were trapped in the ice cream parlor.

1998 Nigeria Riots Lagos

1998 : Riots have broken out in Lagos, Nigeria following the death of the opposition leader "Chief Moshood Abiola". The riots continued for 4 days leaving over 50 dead.

Monday Morning in the Blogosphere

 The Los Angeles Times building

A quiet shift in how Americans perceive local news - Nieman Lab

Five ways newsrooms can offer better work experience - Journalism UK

Local newspapers’ AI lawsuit is a righteous battle - Seattle Times Free Press

The Canary halts daily print edition after two weeks as it is ‘debanked’ - Press Gazette

Beyond news deserts: How Village Media is proving local journalism can still grow - E&P Reports

Today in Labor History July 6th

 

Bloody Thursday

Thousands of United States Marshals and some 12,000 United States Army troops, commanded by Brigadier General Nelson Miles, interfered with a peaceful labor strike led by Eugene Debs against the Pullman Palace Car Company, which had drastically cut wages. President Cleveland wanted the trains moving again and based the action on his constitutional responsibility for the mail. His lawyers argued that the boycott violated the Sherman Antitrust Act and represented a threat to the public safety. Federal troops killed 34 American Railway Union members in the Chicago area and buildings constructed for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago’s Jackson Park were set ablaze, reducing seven to ashes. Debs and others were imprisoned for violating injunctions. – 1894

Two strikers were shot and killed and more than 100 were injured by San Francisco police in what came to be known as “Bloody Thursday,” leading to one of the last General Strikes in U.S. that effectively shut down both San Francisco and Oakland. The governor called in the National Guard to suppress the strike in what one paper called “War In San Francisco!”  Police and National Guard violence led to 43 injuries due to clubbing and gas, and 30 more from bullet wounds. Two chemical companies used the unrest as an opportunity to test and sell their wares.  Joseph Roush, from Federal Laboratories, shot a long-range tear gas shell at the strikers. He then told his company, “I might mention that during one of the riots, I shot a long-range projectile into a group, a shell hitting one man and causing a fracture of the skull, from which he has since died. As he was a Communist, I have had no feeling in the matter and I am sorry that I did not get more.” – 1934

The National Labor Relations Act, also known as the Wagner Act, was signed by President Roosevelt. This statute guarantees the basic right of private sector employees to organize into trade unions, engage in collective bargaining for better terms and conditions at work, and to take collective action including striking when necessary. The act also created the National Labor Relations Board, which conducts elections that can require employers to engage in collective bargaining with labor unions. The Act does not apply to workers who are covered by the Railway Labor Act, agricultural employees, domestic employees, supervisors, federal, state, or local government workers, independent contractors and some close relatives to individual employers. – 1935

Eleven firefighters and one railway employee were killed in an explosion in Kingman, Arizona., as propane was being transferred from a railroad car to a storage tank. – 1973

Rebel Longshoreman, writer and Wobbly Gilbert Mers (1908-1998) died. Mers wrote the book “Working the Waterfront: The Ups and Downs of a Rebel Longshoreman” in which he exposed the Texas Rangers of the 1930s and 1940s as legalized strike-breaking bullies. – 1998

Important Events From This day in History July 6

 

 

1942 Holland Anne Frank

1942 : Anne Frank and her family take refuge in a secret sealed-off area of an Amsterdam warehouse to escape being sent to Nazi concentration camps. In 1944 the Nazi Gestapo discovered the hiding place and the family was shipped off to a concentration camp, Anne Frank died in 1945 at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany of typhus.

1972 Women Admitted as Officer Cadets

1972 : The United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland where it educates and commissions officers admits women for the first time in its history with the induction of 81 female midshipmen (officer cadets).

1924 U.S.A. Meteor Shower

1924 : A large Meteor Shower lands on Johnstown, Colorado with the largest weighing approximately 14 pounds.

1944 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

1944 : A fire breaks out under the big top of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, killing 167 people and injuring 682 in Hartford, Connecticut.

1952 End of the Line for Trams in London

1952 : The last of the trams in London ends it's journey ending nearly 100 years of trams in London . After the last of these electric trams goes the rails will be pulled up and some of the tunnels will be converted ready for the increased London car traffic.

2000 Price of a Barrel of Oil drops below $30.00

2000 : Saudi Arabia has announced it may well break from OPEC and make a unilateral decision to increase it's oil production by 500,000 barrels a day to ease oil prices. This will be in addition to the OPEC announcement to increase production by 708,000 barrels a day. The price of crude oil has tripled in just 18 months from $10.00 a barrel to $30.00 a barrel causing concerns over a world wide recession due to inflation pressures.

1953 East Germany Russian Firing Squads

1953 : Russian firing squads have executed 46 East German police for taking part in the workers revolt in East Germany against communist rule last month.

1955 U.S.A. Air Pollution Control Act

1955 : The Federal Air Pollution Control Act was implemented for research into causal analysis and control of car-emission pollution. The killer fog in London that had left over 4,000 dead created concern around the world over the effects of emissions pollution and the act made the funds available for analysis and control of car-emission pollution.

1967 Biafra War With Nigeria

1967 : After Biafra gains independence from Nigeria forces war breaks out between Nigeria and Biafra but Nigerian forces capture the provincial capital of Owerri and Biafra is forced to surrender.

1978 UK Train Fire Kills 11

1978 : A fire on the Penzance to Paddington sleeper leaves 11 dead who had been in sleeping compartments and many more injured.

1988 UK Piper Alpha Oil Rig Fire

1988 : An explosion on the Piper Alpha oil rig 120 miles off the north east coast of Scotland in the North Sea caused a fireball 350 feet high and engulfed the platform killing 167 workers.

1992 France Truck Driver Protest

1992 : Following lorry driver disruption on French roads over the last week the police and army have been ordered by the government to remove trucks blocking roads. At the worst area the on the A1 motorway south of Lille towards Paris 500 riot squad officers, supported by helicopters, took four hours to disperse the 150 vehicles jamming the road.

United States of America's 250th birthday

 

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Today in Labor History July 3, 2026

 

Hard rock miner in Telluride, Colorado

2000 workers, many of whom are children, from 20 textile mills in Paterson, NJ, went on strike. They demanded 11 hour days (down from 13.5 hours). Employers refused to negotiate and broke the strike by declaring a reduction in work hours to twelve hours daily during the week and nine hours on Saturdays. – 1835

Feminist Charlotte Perkins Gilman was born in Hartford, Connecticut. She was a prominent feminist, sociologist, novelist, writer of short stories, poetry and nonfiction, and a lecturer for social reform. Her best-remembered work today is her semi-autobiographical short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” which she wrote after a severe bout of postpartum psychosis. – 1860

A gun battle ensued when striking hard rock miners in Telluride, Colorado confronted scabs at the mine. Three died and six were injured. Later that day, the striking miners rounded up the scabs and ordered them to leave the country. The strike was settled three days later when owners agreed to the miners’ demands for $3/day and an either -hour day. – 1901

Important Events From This day in History July 3

 

 

1998 UK Rolls Royce Sold To Volkswagen

1998 : After many months of negotiations, together with a bidding war with BMW and high court battles Rolls Royce is sold to Volkswagen for £479m. Volkswagen has stated that the manufacture of Rolls Royce cars will continue at Rolls-Royce's Crewe headquarters in England. The Saga of who owned the rights to produce cars with the famous Rolls Royce emblem continued for the next few years as unknown to Volkswagen they had not bought the rights to use the RR Logo. Over the next few years BMW and Volkswagen did come to an arrangement where Volkswagen own and build Bentleys with Volkswagen Engines at the old Rolls Royce factory in Crewe in England and BMW own and produce Rolls Royce Cars with BMW engines at Goodwood in England.

1968 Vietnam Heavy U.S. Casualties

1968 : Figures released show that more Americans were killed during the first six months of 1968 than in all of 1967 and were a direct result of the communist Tet Offensive. Combined with heavy U.S. casualties and disillusionment with President Johnson's conduct of the Vietnam war his popularity with the people continued to decrease causing him to decide he would neither seek nor accept the nomination of his party for re-election.

1922 U.S.A. Forest Fires Olympia and Seattle

1922 : Forest fires in the state of Washington blaze through cities like Olympia and Seattle. The lumber companies throughout the state were in danger of significant losses to their industry unless heavy rains became a part of the forecast.

1939 Japan China Conflict

1939 : Dispatches report that Japanese and Soviet sponsored Outer Mongolian troops clash in the Manchoukuoan territory. Reports also disclosed that the Japanese offensive was in an effort to drive out Outer Mongolian troops back past the Khalka River.

1940 British Destroy French Fleet

1940 : Following the German invasion and occupation of France, French warships fled to the port of Mers-el-Kebir in Algeria. Britain gave the french Vichy government the options of the following for it's French Navy.

1. Join British naval forces in the fight against Germany

2. Hand the ships over to British crews

3. Disarm the French Navy Ships

4. Scuttle the ships

The French refused, so Britain fearing the French Ships would be used by the Germans to help with an invasion of England circled the port with British Warships and opened fire on the French fleet, killing 1,250 French sailors, damaging the battleship Dunkerque and destroying the Bretagne and the Provence.

1957 Nikita Khrushchev Purges Opposition

1957 : Nikita Khrushchev takes control in the Soviet Union by purging his most serious opponents from positions of authority in government.

1958 U.S.A. Hurricanes Connie and Diane

1958 : Following deadly floods caused by Hurricanes Connie and Diane in August 1955 President Eisenhower signs the Rivers and Harbors Flood Control Bill, allocating funds for improvement of flood-control and water-storage systems including specific provisions for hurricane flood protection.

1962 Algeria Independence

1962 : Following a referendum for independence on July 1st with a nearly unanimous decision. President De Gaulle of France pronounced Algeria an independent country on 3rd July (but the official date for celebration of independence is 5th July).

1966 England Vietnam Anti War Protests

1966 : The Vietnam Anti-War Protesters demonstration outside the US Embassy turns violent and 30 protesters are arrested.

1970 Spain Plane Crash

1970 : A British Dan Air charter flight heading for Spain's Costa Brava resort crashed into a mountain near Barcelona, Spain, killing 112 people.

1971 France Jim Morrison

1971 : The lead singer of "The Doors" Jim Morrison is found dead in a bathtub in his apartment in Paris with heart failure aggravated by excessive drinking.

1986 U.S.A. Statue of Liberty

1986 : After appointing a commission to save, restore and preserve the 150 feet tall Statue of Liberty in 1984, President Ronald Reagan led ceremonies to unveil the newly restored Statue of Liberty.

1987 France Butcher of Lyon

1987 : The Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie / Butcher of Lyon and the former head of Gestapo who was extradited from Bolivia to face charges is found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life imprisonment.

1988 US Shoots Down Iranian Passenger Jet

1988 : The U.S. Navy cruiser Vincennes shoots down an Iranian passenger jet that it mistakes for a hostile Iranian fighter aircraft in the Persian Gulf.

2000 UK Ken Livingstone

2000 : Ken Livingstone has taken up full powers as London's first directly elected mayor and told his supporters "The first duty of the mayor is to London."

2006 Mexico Elections

2006 : As results came in from Mexico’s federal elections conducted on July 2nd, the winner was unclear, with both the National Action Party and the Democratic Revolution Party claiming a win in the presidency. By September of 2006 the election results were confirmed with Felipe Calderon, the National Action Party’s candidate, as the new president of Mexico. This election also marked the first time the Institutional Revolutionary Party was third place in Congressional elections, the party was the ruling party for 71 years.

2006 Spain Valencia Train Crash

2006 : An underground train in Valencia, Spain crashed killing 41 people. The train derailed just as it approached Jesus Station. The crash is believed to have been caused by a broken wheel and excess speeds.

2008 U.S.A. Latest Jobless Figures

2008 : The latest US employment figures show US companies have cut workers for the sixth month in a row (June 62,000 jobs cut) fueling fears that the world's largest economy is heading towards a recession.

2008 U.S.A. Man Gives Birth

2008 : Thomas Beatie has given birth to a baby girl on this day. Beatie, born a female, was legally a male when he became pregnant. Despite going through the gender reassignment process, Beatie chose to keep his female reproductive organs in order to still be able to give birth to children.

2009 Sarah Palin Resigns as Governor of Alaska

2009 : Sarah Palin, former running-mate for John McCain, announced that she will resign from her office of governor of Alaska. The announcement was unexpected and it was suspected that the announcement came in time for Palin to prepare herself to run in the 2012 presidential election.