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Famous Birthdays on July 2


  • 419 Valentinian III, Roman emperor (425-55), born in Ravenna (d. 455)
  • 1029 Al-Mustanṣir, 8th Fāṭimid Caliph of Cairo, born in Cairo, Egypt (d. 1094)

Duke of Brittany (1305-12), born in Château de l’Isle, La Roche-Bernard, Brittany

  • 1363 Maria, Queen of Sicily and Duchess of Athens & Neopatria, born in Catania, Kingdom of Sicily (d. 1401)
  • 1489 Thomas Cranmer, England reformer, Archbishop of Canterbury (1533-55), martyr, born in Aslockton, England (d. 1556)
  • 1492 Elizabeth Tudor, English princess, second daughter and fourth child of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, born in Richmond Palace, Surrey, England (d. 1495)
  • 1581 Johann Staden, German baroque organist and composer, baptized in Free Imperial City of Nuremberg, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1634)
  • 1589 Guillaume Messaus, Flemish composer, born in Antwerp, Dutch Republic (d. 1640)
  • 1636 Daniel Speer, German composer, born in Breslau, Habsburg Empire (d. 1707)
  • 1644 Abraham a Santa Clara [Johann Ulrich Megerle], German Augustinian friar and preacher, born in Kreenheinstetten, Germany (d. 1709)
  • 1647 Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, English Tory statesman, born in London (d. 1730)
  • 1652 Guillielmus “Willem” Kerricx, Flemish sculptor (Rozenkrans), born in Dendermonde, East Flanders (d. 1719)
  • 1665 Samuel Penhallow, English-born American colonist and historian, born in St Mabon, Cornwall, England (d. 1726)
  • 1667 Pietro Ottoboni, Italian cardinal and grandnephew of Pope Alexander VIII, born in Venice (d. 1740)
  • 1698 Francesco III d’Este, Duke of Modena & Reggio, born in Modena, Duchy of Modena and Reggio (now Italy) (d. 1780)
  • 1714 Christoph Willibald Gluck, Austrian composer (Il re pastore), born in Weidenwang, Electoral Palatinate, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1787)
  • 1724 Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, German poet (Der Messias), born in Quedlinburg, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1803)
  • 1737 François Léonard Rouwyzer, Dutch composer, born in Maastricht, Dutch Rebublic (d. 1827)
  • 1746 Hardenack Otto Conrad Zinck, Danish flautist, composer, choral director, and music educator (Blaagaard Seminarium, 1791-1811), born in Husum, Duchy of Schleswig (now Germany) (d. 1832)
  • 1756 Christian Gottfried Körner, German lawyer, born in Leipzig (d. 1831)
  • 1763 Peter Ritter, German cellist and composer, born in Mannheim, Electorate of the Palatinate, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1846)
  • 1793 Antoine Prumier, French harpist and composer, born in Paris (d. 1868)
  • 1810 Robert Toombs, American lawyer and 1st Confederate States Secretary of State, born in Washington, Georgia (d. 1885)
  • 1814 Thérèse Wartel, French pianist and composer, born in Paris (d. 1865)
  • 1819 Charles-Louis Hanon, French composer and piano pedagogue (The Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises), born in Renescure, France (d. 1900)
  • 1819 Thomas Anderson, Scottish chemist (discovered pyridine), born in Leith, Scotland (d. 1874)
  • 1820 George Law Curry, American newspaper publisher and Governor of Oregon, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1878)
  • 1822 Douglas Strutt Galton, English engineer (rails/trains), born in Hadzor House, Worcestershire, England (d. 1899)
  • 1830 John Bordenave Villepigue, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Camden, South Carolina (d. 1862)
  • 1834 Hendrick Peter Godfried Quack, Dutch lawyer, economist (Bank of the Netherlands) and historian, born in Zetten, Netherlands (d. 1917)
  • 1836 Henry Eugene Davies, American writer, public official, lawyer, and Major General (Union Army), born in New York City (d. 1894)
  • 1847 Marcel Bertrand, French geologist and mine engineer (tectonic geology), born in Paris (d. 1907)
  • 1849 Maria Theresa of Austria-Este, Queen of Bavaria, born in Brno, Austrian Empire (d. 1919)
  • 1857 Francesco Spetrino, Italian conductor and composer, born in Palermo, Italy (d. 1948)
  • 1862 William Henry Bragg, English physicist (Nobel Prize for Physics, 1915 – crystalline structure analysis by means of X-rays), born in Westward, Cumberland, England (d. 1942) [1]
  • 1865 Lily Braun [Amalie von Kretschmann], German feminist writer (Im Schatten Titanen), and socialist politician, born in Halberstadt, Saxony, Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1916)
  • 1867 Herbert Prior, British actor (Caught Short, Slave of Desire), born in Oxfordshire, England (d. 1954)
  • 1876 Wilhelm Cuno, German Reich’s chancellor (1922-23) and businessman, born in Suhl, German Empire (d. 1933)

German-Swiss novelist and poet (Steppenwolf, Nobel Prize for Literature 1946), born in Calw, Württemberg, Germany

  • 1880 Albert Szirmai, Hungarian operetta composer, born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 1967)
  • 1881 Royal H. Weller, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York), born in Manhattan, New York (d. 1929)
  • 1882 Edgar Mayne, Australian cricketer (Australian batsman, prolific for Victoria), born in Jamestown, South Australia (d. 1961)
  • 1884 Alfons Maria Jakob, German neurologist, born in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria (d. 1931)
  • 1887 Marcel Tabuteau, French-American oboist (Philadelphia Orch 1915-54), born in Compiègne, Oise, France (d. 1966)
  • 1888 Selman Waksman, Ukrainian-American microbiologist (Nobel 1951-ingenious, systematic and successful studies of the soil microbes that led to the discovery of streptomycin), born in Nova Pryluka, Kiev Governorate, Russian Empire (d. 1973) [1]
  • 1889 Cor Hermus, Dutch actor, director, and writer (Bleeke Bet; William of Orange; De Jantjes; A Mother), born in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands (d. 1953)
  • 1890 Earl Roy Curry, American religious thinker and Kirtland Temple overseer, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 1980)
  • 1891 Gus Dorais, American College Football Hall of Fame quarterback (Notre Dame), coach (Gonzaga, Detroit Lions), born in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin (d. 1954)
  • 1892 Jack Hylton, English orchestra leader and impresario (Crazy Passage Show), born in Great Lever, Lancashire, England (d. 1965)
  • 1893 Ralph Hancock, Welsh garden designer (Rockefeller Center), born in Cardiff, Wales (d. 1950)
  • 1896 Lydia Mei, Estonian artist who specialized in watercolors and still lifes, born in Hiiumaa, Estonia (d. 1965)
  • 1898 Anthony McAuliffe, American general and commander of the 101st Airborne Division celebrated for his reply of “Nuts!” to a German surrender ultimatum, born in Washington, D.C. (d. 1975)
  • 1900 Tyrone Guthrie, British actor, producer, writer and director, born in Tunbridge Wells, England (d. 1971)
  • 1901 Rex Alston, English sports broadcaster and author (BBC radio), born in Faringdon, Berkshire (d. 1994)
  • 1903 Olav V, King of Norway (1957-91), born in Appleton House, Sandringham, Norfolk (d. 1991)
  • 1904 Carl Weinrich, American organist, choral conductor, Baroque revivalist, and educator, born in Paterson, New Jersey (d. 1981)
  • 1904 Gerarda Rueter, Dutch sculptor, born in Amsterdam (d. 1993)

French tennis player (7 Grand Slam titles, Lacoste clothing), born in Paris, France

  • 1906 Alan Webb, British stage and screen character actor (King Lear; Taming of Shrew; Challenge of Lassie), born in York, England (d. 1982)
  • 1906 Hans Bethe, German-American quantum physicist (Nobel 1967), born in Strassburg, Germany (d. 2005)
  • 1906 Robert Levine Sanders, American composer, and organist, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1974)
  • 1907 Eppo Doeve, Dutch cartoonist and painter, born in Bandung, Indonesia (d. 1981)
  • 1907 Leo O’Brien, Australian cricket batsman (5 Tests; Victoria), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 1997)
  • 1908 Jean Sinclair, South African campaigner, founder member and first president of the Black Sash in 1955, born in Germiston, South Africa (d. 1996)

1st African American Supreme Court justice (1967-91), born in Baltimore, Maryland

  • 1909 Hermann Bengtson, German historian (Greeks Ancient Times), born in Ratzeburg, Germany (d. 1989)
  • 1910 Earl Robinson, American composer (Ballad for Americans; Preamble to Peace), and folk music singer-songwriter (“Joe Hill”‘; “Black and White”), born in Seattle, Washington (d. 1991)
  • 1910 H. G. Adler, Czech-English writer (The Journey; Theresienstadt 1941-1945), Holocaust survivor. and poet, born in Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary (d. 1988)
  • 1910 William Douglas Denny, American composer, born in Seattle, Washington (d. 1980)
  • 1911 Diego Fabbri, Italian playwright and leader (Vatican movie bureau), born in Forli, Italy (d. 1980)
  • 1913 Edith Heerdegen, German actress (Serpent’s Egg, Monpti), born in Dresden, Germany (d. 1982)
  • 1914 Frederick Fennell, American conductor (Time & Winds), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 2004)
  • 1914 Mário Schenberg, Brazilian physicist and electrical engineer, born in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil (d. 1990)
  • 1915 Bert Decorte, Flemish poet, born in Retie, Flanders, Belgium (d. 2009)
  • 1916 Barry Gray [Bernard Yaroslaw], American radio personality and interviewer (started call-in radio), born in Red Lion, New Jersey (d. 1996)
  • 1916 Hans-Ulrich Rudel, German Luftwaffe fighter pilot, the highest-decorated German soldier of WWII, founder of South American Nazi relief organization, and military consultant, born in Konradswaldau, German Empire (d. 1982)
  • 1916 Ken Curtis, American actor (Ripcord, Festus – Gunsmoke), born in Lamar, Colorado (d. 1991)
  • 1917 Pierre H. Dubois, Dutch literary and critic, born in Amsterdam (d. 1999)
  • 1918 “Sheikh” Imam [Eissa], Egyptian folk and protest singer-songwriter, born in Giza (d. 1995)
  • 1918 WiBo [Willem Boost], Dutch cartoonist, born in Breda, Netherlands (d. 2005)
  • 1919 Jean Craighead George, American writer (Julie of the Wolves), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 2012)
  • 1920 Eliseo Diego, Cuban poet, born in Havana, Cuba (d. 1994)
  • 1921 Maria Britneva, Russian actress (A Room with a View, Maurice), born in Petrograd, Russia (d. 1994)
  • 1922 Genrikh Matusovich Vagner, Belarusian composer, born in Żyrardów, Poland (d. 2000)
  • 1922 Pierre Cardin, Italian-French fashion designer, born in San Biagio di Callalta, Italy (d. 2020)
  • 1923 Wislawa Szymborska, Polish poet referred to as the ‘Mozart of Poetry’ (Nobel Prize for Literature 1996), born in Bnin, Poland (d. 2012)
  • 1924 Rick Besoyan, American singer, actor, playwright, composer and director (Little Mary Sunshine), born in Reedley, California (d. 1970)
  • 1925 Marvin Rainwater, American country singer (Ozark Jubilee), born in Wichita, Kansas (d. 2013)

Congolese politician and independence leader who was the 1st Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1960), born in Onalua, Belgian Congo

  • 1926 Billy Usselton, American big band jazz saxophonist (Les Brown and His Band of Renown), born in New Castle, Pennsylvania (d. 1994)
  • 1926 Lee Allen, American tenor sax player (Walkin’ With Mr Lee), born in Pittsburg, Kansas (d. 1994)
  • 1926 Octavian Paler, Romanian writer and journalist who criticized the Communist regime, born in Lisa, Romania (d. 2007)
  • 1927 Brock Peters [George Fisher], American actor and singer (Carmen Jones, To Kill a Mockingbird), born in New York City (d. 2005)
  • 1927 Charlie White American professional baseball catcher (Philadelphia Stars; Milwaukee Braves), born in Kinston, North Carolina (d. 1998)
  • 1927 Ruth Berghaus, German choreographer and opera director, born in Dresden, Germany (d. 1996)
  • 1928 Estelita Rodriguez, Cuban actress (Rio Bravo, Cuban Fireball, Havana Rose), born in Guanajay, Cuba (d. 1966)
  • 1928 Line Renaud [Jacqueline Ente], French pop and cabaret singer, actress, and AIDS activist, born in Pont-de-Nieppe, France

1929 Filipino politician and First Lady of the Philippines (1965-86) who famously collected over 1,000 pairs of shoes, born in Manila, Philippines

  • 1930 Ahmad Jamal [Frederick Jones], American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and educator, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2023) [1]
  • 1930 Carlos Menem, Argentine politician, President of Argentina (1989-99), born in Anillaco, Argentina (d. 2021)
  • 1931 Frank Williams, English actor (Dad’s Army – “Reverend Farthing”), born in Edgware, Middlesex, England (d. 2022)
  • 1931 Robert Ito, Canadian-born actor (Quincy, ME – “Sam”), born in Vancouver, British Columbia
  • 1932 Dave Thomas, American businessman who founded Wendy’s Restaurants, born in Atlantic City, New Jersey (d. 2002)
  • 1932 Kenneth McMillan, American actor (Malone, Concrete Beat), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1989)
  • 1933 David Lewin, American composer, born in New York City (d. 2003)
  • 1933 Kalim Siddiqui, Pakistani-British writer and Islamic activist, born in Dondi Lohara, British India (d. 1996)
  • 1934 Ivan Madray, West Indian cricket leg-spin all rounder, 2 Tests 3 runs 0-108), born in Port Mourant, Guyana (d. 2009)
  • 1935 Ed Bullins, American playwright (The Taking of Miss Janie), and civil rights activists (Black Panthers), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2021)
  • 1935 Gilbert Kalish, American pianist and professor (SUNY Stony Brook), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1936 Omar Suleiman, Egyptian general and head of Egyptian intelligence under Mubarak, born in Qena, Egypt (d. 2012)
  • 1937 Dee [David] Palmer, English keyboard player and composer (Jethro Tull, 1972-80), born in Hendon, London
  • 1937 Dick Berardino, American baseball player, coach and scout, born in Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • 1937 Polly Holliday, American actress known for her catchphrase “Kiss my grits!” (Alice – “Flo”, Flo -“Flo”), born in Jasper, Alabama

1937 American auto racer (7 x NASCAR Championship, 7 x Daytona 500), born in Level Cross, North Carolina

  • 1938 John McDonnell, American track, cross country coach (University of Arkansas 1972–2008; 40 x NCAA C’ships; 8 x NCAA Triple Crown; 30 x NCAA coach of the year), born in County Mayo, Ireland (d. 2021)
  • 1939 Alexandros Panagoulis, Greek politician and poet who fought the military junta in Greece, born in Athens, Greece (d. 1976)
  • 1939 John H. Sununu, US Secretary of State (R, 1989-91), Governor of New Hampshire (1983-89), born in Havana, Cuba
  • 1939 M. A. Foster, American sci-fi author, (Gameplayers of Zan), born in North Carolina (d. 2020)
  • 1939 Michael N. Castle, (Rep-R-Delaware 1993-2011, Governor of Delaware 1985-92), born in Wilmington, Delaware
  • 1939 Paul Williams, American baritone singer and choreographer (The Temptations – Cloud Nine), born in Birmingham, Alabama (d. 1973)
  • 1940 Ken Clarke [Kenneth Harry Clarke], British Conservative politician, born in Nottinghamshire, England
  • 1941 Stéphane Venne, French Canadian songwriter and film score composer, born in Verdun, Quebec
  • 1942 Georgi Ivanov, Bulgarian cosmonaut (Soyuz 33), born in Lovech, Kingdom of Bulgaria
  • 1942 Vicente Fox, Mexican businessman and 62nd President of Mexico (2000-06), born in Mexico City
  • 1943 Walter Godefroot, Belgian cyclist (Olympic bronze, 1964), born in Ghent, Belgium
  • 1945 James Fulkerson, American composer of theatrical and electro-acoustic music, and trombonist, born in Streator, Illinois
  • 1946 Richard Axel, American scientist, 2004 Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology for odorant receptor discoveries, born in New York City
  • 1946 Ron Silver, American actor (Reversal of Fortune, Timecop) and political activist, born in New York City (d. 2009)
  • 1947 Elizabeth Anionwu, English-Nigerian nurse and lecturer (pioneer in sickle cell treatment), born in Birmingham, England
  • 1947 Ervin Hall, 100m hurdler (Olympic silver 1968), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1947 American actor, comedian and screenwriter (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm), born in Brooklyn, New York

  • 1947 Luci Baines Johnson, American businesswoman, daughter of President LBJ, born in Washington D.C.
  • 1948 Saul Rubinek, Canadian actor (Warehouse 13) and director, born in Föhrenwald Camp, Germany
  • 1949 Hanno Pöschl, Austrian actor (“Exit…But No Panic”; “Tales from the Vienna Woods”), born in Vienna, Austria
  • 1949 Joe English, American musician and drummer (Wings; Sea Level), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1949 Roy Bittan, American rock piano and accordion player (E Street Band), sometimes referred to as “The Professor”, born in Queens, New York
  • 1951 Anne Garrels, American broadcast journalist (ABC; NBC; NPR), born in Springfield, Massachusetts (d. 2022)
  • 1951 Joe Puerta, American rock bassist (Ambrosia; The Range), born in Lomita, California [1]
  • 1951 Michele Santoro, Italian TV journalist and European MP, born in Salerno, Italy
  • 1951 Sylvia Rivera, American gay liberation and transgender activist and drag queen, born in New York City (d. 2002)
  • 1952 Johnny Colla, American musician (Huey Lewis and the News), born in Sacramento, California
  • 1952 Linda M Godwin, American PhD, and NASA astronaut (STS 37, 59, 76), born in , Cape Girardeau, Missouri
  • 1952 Miklós Sugár, Hungarian conductor, classical and electro-acoustic composer, and music educator, born in Budapest Hungary
  • 1952 Wayne Haner, American rock bassist (Axe, 1980-84 – “Heat in the Street”), born in the USA
  • 1954 Wendy Schaal, American actress (It’s a Living, Julie-Fantasy Is), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • 1955 Andrew Divoff, Venezuelan actor, know for “The Blacklist”, born in San Tomé, Venezuela
  • 1955 Kevin Michael Grace, Canadian journalist, born in Toronto, Ontario
  • 1956 Jeffrey Cooper, American R&B and funk guitarist (Midnight Star – “No Parking On The Dance Floor”; “Operator”), born in the USA
  • 1956 Jerry Hall, American model and actress, married to Mick Jagger and Rupert Murdoch (Batman, Freejack), born in Mesquite, Texas
  • 1957 Brett “the Hitman” Hart, Canadian WWF champion, born in Alberta
  • 1957 Mick Anker, British rock bass guitarist (Blow Monkeys – “Wicked Ways”), born in the UK
  • 1958 Cindy Kiro, New Zealand academic and educator (1st Maori woman Governor General of New Zealand 2021-), born in Whangārei, New Zealand
  • 1958 Thomas Bickerton, American Methodist bishop, born in Glen Dale, West Virginia
  • 1959 Wendy B Lawrence, astronaut (STS 67, 86, sk:91), born in Jacksonville, Florida
  • 1960 Julia Montgomery, American actress (One Life to Live, Revenge of the Nerds), born in Kansas City, Missouri
  • 1960 Terry Rossio, American screenwriter (Shrek, Pirates of the Caribbean series), born in Kalamazoo, Michigan
  • 1961 Alba Parietti, Italian TV presenter and actress (Galagoal, Abbronzatissima), born in Torino Italy
  • 1961 James McNichol, American actor (Fitzpatricks, California Fever), born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1962 Brandel Chamblee, American golfer, broadcaster (Golf Channel, 1 PGA Tour title), born in St Louis, Missouri
  • 1963 Mark Kermode, English film critic, radio and TV presenter, born in London, England
  • 1963 Martin Phillipps, New Zealand new wave singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Chills – “Heavenly Pop Hit”, “Pink Frost”), born in New Zealand (d. 2024)
  • 1964 Charles Robinson, American wrestling referee for WWE, born in Mooresville, North Carolina
  • 1964 Dave Parsons, British rock bassist (Bush, 1992-2002 – “Swallowed”; Transvision Vamp), born in Hillingdon, England
  • 1964 Doug Benson, American comedian (The LEGO Batman Movie), born in San Diego, California
  • 1964 Joe Magrane, American baseball player nicknamed “Maddog” (St. Louis Cardinals), born in Des Moines, Iowa

1964 Cuban-American MLB outfielder and designated hitter (AL MVP 1988), born in Havana, Cuba

  • 1967 Debee Ashby, English topless model (There’s Girl in My Soup), born in Coventry, England
  • 1968 Mark Tewksbury, Canadian swimmer (Olympic gold 100m backstroke 1992), born in Calgary, Alberta

Mexican-American singer-songwriter (Jenni, 2008), born in Long Beach, California

  • 1969 Kevin Hearn, Canadian keyboardist, guitarist, and accordion player (Barenaked Ladies; Thin Buckle), born in Grimsby, Ontario
  • 1969 Matthew Cox, American convicted felon for mortgage fraud, born in Florida
  • 1970 Colin Edwin, Australian progressive rock bassist, and guimbri player (Porcupine Tree), born in Melbourne, Australia
  • 1970 Derrick Adkins, American athlete (Olympic gold 400m hurdles 1996; World C’ship gold 1995), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1970 Monie Love [Simone Gooden Johnson], English rapper (“It’s a Shame (My Sister)”) and US radio personality, born in Battersea, England
  • 1971 Evelyn Lau, Canadian poet and author (Runaway: Diary of a Street Kid), born in Vancouver, British Columbia
  • 1971 Jared Palmer, American tennis star, born in New York City
  • 1971 John Brenkus, American television personality and co-creator of “Sport Science”, born in Washington, District of Columbia [1]
  • 1971 Troy Brown, American NFL player and coach (NE Patriots), born in Barnwell, South Carolina
  • 1972 Darren Shan, Irish children’s author who writers under pseudonym Darren Shan, born in London, England
  • 1973 Peter Kay, British comedian, actor and writer ( Peter Kay’s Car Share), born in Farnworth, England
  • 1974 Moon So-ri, South Korean actress, director and screenwriter (Oasis), born in Busan, South Korea
  • 1974 Rocky Gray, American rock drummer (Evanescence, 2003–27), and guitarist, born in Jacksonville, Arkansas
  • 1975 Daniel Kowalski, Australian swimmer (Olympics-bronze/silver-96), born in Singapore
  • 1975 Éric Dazé, Canadian NHL left wing (Chicago Blackhawks; NHL All Star MVP 2002), born in Montreal, Quebec
  • 1975 Erik Ohlsson, Swedish punk rock guitarist (Millencolin), and graphic artist, born in Orebro, Sweden
  • 1976 Krisztián Lisztes, Hungarian footballer, born in Budapest, Hungary
  • 1976 Tomáš Vokoun, Czech hockey player (Nashville Predators), born in Karlovy Vary, Czechoslovakia
  • 1978 Jüri Ratas, Estonian politician, Prime Minister of Estonia (20162021), born in Tallinn, Estonia
  • 1978 Owain Yeoman, Welsh actor (The Mentalist, 2008-13 – “Agent Rigsby”), born in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales
  • 1979 Diana Gurtskaya, Georgian-Russian pop singer, born in Sukhumi, Abkhaz, Georgian SSR, USSR

1979 Canadian NHL center, (#1 draft pick Boston Bruins 1997; San Jose Sharks; Olympic gold 2010), born in St. Thomas, Ontario

  • 1981 Alex Koroknay-Palicz, American youth rights activist, born in Kalamazoo, Michigan
  • 1983 Michelle Branch, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (“All You Wanted”; The Wreckers), born in Sedona, Arizona
  • 1983 Sammy J [Samuel McMillan ], Australian comedian (Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane), born in Mornington, Victoria
  • 1984 Elise Stefanik, American politician (Rep-R-NY 2021-), born in Albany, New York
  • 1984 Johnny Weir, American figure skater (World Junior C’ships gold men’s singles 2001; World C’ship bronze 2008) and broadcaster (NBC), born in Coatesville, Pennsylvania
  • 1984 Maarten Martens, Belgian footballer and coach (AZ Alkmaar), born in Eeklo, Belgium
  • 1984 Vanessa Lee Chester, American actress, known for “The Lost World: Jurassic Park”, born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1985 Vincenzo Maltempo, Italian classical pianist (works of Charles-Valentin Alkan), and teacher, born in Benevento, Italy

1986 American actress (Another World; Freaky Friday; Mean Girls), born in New York City

  • 1987 Ruslana Korshunova, Kazakhstani model who died in unexplained circumstances, born in Almaty, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union (d. 2008)

1989 American soccer player (Orlando Pride) and co-captain of the US women’s national soccer team, born in San Dimas, California

1990 Australian actress and producer (The Wolf of Wall Street, Focus), born in Dalby, Queensland

  • 1991 Burna Boy [Damini Ogulu], Nigerian singer-songwriter (African Giant), born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
  • 1992 Nana Takagi, Japanese speed skater (Olympic gold mass start, team pursuit 2018), born in Makubetsu, Japan
  • 1993 Saweetie [Diamonté Harper], American rapper (My Type), born in Santa Clara, California
  • 1994 Fallon Sherrock, English professional darts player (1st woman to reach last 16 in a major tournament), born in Milton Keynes, England

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Historical Events on July 2


The Raft of the Medusa

1816 French frigate “La Méduse” runs aground under incompetent leadership of Viscount of Chaumareys, 400 passengers evacuated. 150 men, 1 woman are left on “la Machine,” a poorly provisioned raft. 13 days later only 15 survivors remain, inspires Théodore Géricault‘s painting “The Raft of the Medusa”



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What Happened on July 2


Major Events

  • 626 Incident at Xuanwu Gate: Prince Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rivals, the brothers Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng, sons of Emperor Gaozu; he then forces the emperor to name him as successor to the throne
  • 1776 Continental Congress resolves “these United Colonies are and of right ought to be Free and Independent States”
  • 1823 Bahia Independence Day: End of Portuguese rule in Brazil, with the final defeat of the Portuguese crown loyalists in the province of Bahia

Jul 2 in Film & TV

  • 1928 The Jenkins Television Corporation (owned by Charles Jenkins) goes on air with W3XK, the first television broadcasting station in the USA

Jul 2 in Music

  • 2005 10 Live 8 concerts held around the world organised by Bob Geldof to raise awareness of poverty

Jul 2 in Sport

  • 1989 American jockey Steve Cauthen wins Irish Derby on Old Vic to become the first rider in history to sweep the world’s 4 major Derbies (Kentucky, Epsom, French, Irish)

Did You Know?

Slaves aboard a Spanish schooner La Amistad revolt to secure their freedom while being transported from one Cuban port to another

July 2, 1839


Fun Fact About July 2

An alligator falls from sky during a thunderstorm in Charleston, South Carolina

July 2, 1843

Articles, Photos and Quiz

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Physicists Unlock New Path to Weighing the Universe’s “Ghost Particle”



Neutrino ConceptSilver-110’s decay reveals a promising path to measure antineutrino mass. New data could reshape future neutrino studies. Neutrinos and antineutrinos are fundamental particles that possess mass, although their exact value remains unknown. Recent high-precision atomic mass measurements carried out at the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä in Finland suggest that the beta decay […]



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Quantum Computers Just Reached the Holy Grail – No Assumptions, No Limits



Golden Quantum Computer Machine AngleResearchers from USC and Johns Hopkins used two IBM Eagle quantum processors to pull off an unconditional, exponential speedup on a classic “guess-the-pattern” puzzle, proving—without assumptions—that quantum machines can now outpace the best classical computers. By squeezing extra performance from hardware with shorter circuits, transpilation, dynamical decoupling, and error-mitigation, the team finally crossed a milestone […]



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AI Maps the Mood of Your City – And It’s Surprisingly Accurate



Sunny Urban Street City Crosswalk CrowdWhat if a city’s mood could be mapped like weather? Researchers at the University of Missouri are using AI to do exactly that—by analyzing geotagged Instagram posts and pairing them with Google Street View images, they’re building emotional maps of urban spaces. These “sentiment maps” reveal how people feel in specific locations, helping city planners […]



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Mysteries Of Lake Llyn Y Dywarchen: A Portal To Fairyland


Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com – The world is full of wonderful, beautiful, and mysterious places. One of them is a lake called Llyn Y Dywarchen. Located in Gwynedd,  at the top of a valley in Snowdonia, Northern Wales, the lake is shrouded in myth and legend.

It has long been said that Llyn Y Dywarchen,’ the lake of the Turf Island,’ is home to a floating island.

Mysteries Of Lake Llyn Y Dywarchen: A Portal To Fairyland

Llyn Y Dywarchen’s floating island is not the only thing that makes the lake unique. The beautiful and mysterious lake is also associated with interesting legends and myths. Many say peculiar beings have been spotted in this area.

Many stories from Wales tell of fairies that live near lakes, and Llyn Y Dywarchen is believed to be a portal to the fairyland.

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See also: 

Legend: Strange Encounter With The Fairies In The Land Of The Light

Mysterious World Of Ancient Dwarves

Unexplained Ancient Case Of Missing Time And Mysterious Disappearance Into An Underground World

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Before Columbus: A 4,000-Year-Old Skeleton Reveals a Rare Leprosy Strain in the Americas



Skeleton M. lepromatosis GenomeScientists have decoded the genetic blueprints of a rare leprosy bacterium preserved in 4,000-year-old Chilean skeletons, opening a surprising new chapter in the story of Hansen’s disease. Researchers reconstructed two complete genomes of Mycobacterium lepromatosis, an uncommon cousin of the main leprosy germ. The discovery pushes the timeline of Hansen’s disease in the Americas back […]



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New Insight Into The Intriguing Megalithic Carnac Stone Alignment


Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – The stone alignments in the Carnac region of Brittany, France, are renowned as some of Europe’s most famous megalithic monuments, comparable to Stonehenge, Menga, and the megalithic temples of Malta. Recently, researchers have achieved a significant breakthrough by dating parts of these alignments with greater precision for the first time.

New Insight Into The Intriguing Megalithic Carnac Stone Alignment

Carnac stones. Credit: Pinpin – CC BY-SA 3.0

This advancement has provided new insights into their function. The progress is a result of a collaborative effort between French and Swedish teams under the NEOSEA research project. The University of Gothenburg leads this initiative in collaboration with Archeodunum, a French excavation company, and the University of Nantes.

“The alignments in the Carnac region now appear to be among the earliest megalithic monuments in Europe, with this section constructed between 4600 and 4300 cal BC. We have also confirmed the Bay of Morbihan as the earliest megalithic region in Europe,” says archaeologist Bettina Schulz Paulsson at the University of Gothenburg, who leads the NEOSEA project and is one of the researchers behind the new study published in Antiquity.

In the region stretching from Carnac/La Trinité-sur-Mer to Erdeven, over 3,000 standing stones span more than 10 kilometers, creating a remarkable concentration of megalithic alignments within a coastal landscape. Archaeologists have recently uncovered a previously unknown area known as Le Plasker, located near Carnac. This discovery enabled them to conduct advanced analyses on the materials found there, including radiocarbon dating and statistical evaluations of extensive radiocarbon date series, as well as sediment and charcoal analyses.

The rescue excavation at Le Plasker is situated in the heart of Plouharnel and was carried out by Archeodunum under the guidance of Audrey Blanchard, who serves as both excavation director and researcher for the NEOSEA project at the University of Gothenburg. This work was conducted in preparation for developing a 7,000 m² business park. The use of improved modern excavation techniques alongside systematic sampling has led to the identification of numerous archaeological features.

“Thanks to nearly 50 radiocarbon dates and the application of Bayesian statistical modeling, we were able to reconstruct the site’s history with unprecedented chronological precision,” says Schulz Paulsson.

New Insight Into The Intriguing Megalithic Carnac Stone Alignment

Audrey Blanchard (Archeodonum) and Jean Noel Guyodo, University of Nantes during the excavation of Le Plasker. Credit: Bettina Schulz Paulsson

The acidic soils of the Morbihan region pose a significant challenge for archaeological studies, as they typically hinder the preservation of organic materials, such as bone. This limitation has historically restricted the use of radiocarbon dating in the area. Additionally, establishing a direct link between dated charcoal samples and the construction of standing stones is often unfeasible. Alternative methods, such as optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, often yield results that lack the precision necessary to draw definitive conclusions.

“However, with a sufficiently large dataset and Bayesian modeling, this challenge was overcome,” Schulz Paulsson explains.

Several alignments of standing stones have been dated to between 4600 and 4300 cal BC. Although the stones themselves have been removed, either in historical times or prehistory, their foundation pits still exist. These pits were positioned alongside hearths or cooking pits, indicating that the stone lines might have been constructed in conjunction with fire-related features. The specific purpose of these hearths—whether for lighting, cooking, or feasting during the erection of the stones—remains uncertain. Ongoing analyses of sediments and stone fragments aim to provide further insights.

See also: More Archaeology News

Additionally, the site uncovered a monumental early tomb dating back to around 4700 cal BC. This tomb was constructed directly above the remains of a Mesolithic hunter-gatherer hut, providing valuable insights into the site’s historical significance and usage over time.

The study was published in Antiquity

Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer





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