July 8 in history — What Happened Today in History
Curious what July 8 in history holds? From 2025 back through the centuries, our timeline gathers everything that happened on July 8 — events, birthdays and deaths on one cozy page.
On this page, July 8 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about July 8 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on July 8 in History 40
- 2025
Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, causing 44 deaths, over 2.7 residents without power, and $28 billion to $32 billion dollars worth of damage.
- 2022
Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe is shot and killed with an improvised firearm due to resentment against the Unification Church.
- 2014
Israel launches an offensive on Gaza amid rising tensions following the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers.
- 2011
Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched in the final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program.
- 2003
Sudan Airways Flight 139 crashes near Port Sudan Airport during an emergency landing attempt, killing 116 of the 117 people on board.
- 1994
Kim Jong Il begins to assume supreme leadership of North Korea upon the death of his father, Kim Il Sung.
- 1994
Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on an international science mission.
- 1990
West Germany win the FIFA World Cup final against defending champions Argentina, with Andreas Brehme scoring the game's only goal.
- 1988
The Island Express train travelling from Bangalore to Kanyakumari derails on the Peruman bridge and falls into Ashtamudi Lake, Kerala in India killing 105 passengers and injuring over 200 more.
- 1982
A failed assassination attempt against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein results in the Dujail Massacre over the next several months.
- 1980
The inaugural 1980 State of Origin game is won by Queensland who defeat New South Wales 20–10 at Lang Park.
- 1980
Aeroflot Flight 4225 crashes near Almaty International Airport in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (present day Kazakhstan), killing all 166 people on board.
All entries for July 8（+28）
- 1972
Israeli Mossad assassinate Palestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani.
- 1970
Richard Nixon delivers a special congressional message enunciating Native American self-determination as official US Indian policy, leading to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975.
- 1966
King Mwambutsa IV Bangiriceng of Burundi is deposed by his son Prince Charles Ndizi.
- 1965
Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 21 is destroyed by a bomb near 100 Mile House, Canada, killing 52.
- 1962
Ne Win besieges and blows up the Rangoon University Student Union building to crush the Student Movement.
- 1960
Francis Gary Powers is charged with espionage resulting from his flight over the Soviet Union.
- 1948
The United States Air Force accepts its first female recruits into a program called the Women's Air Force (WAF).
- 1947
Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident.
- 1937
Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan sign the Treaty of Saadabad.
- 1932
The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches its lowest level of the Great Depression, closing at 41.22.
- 1912
Henrique Mitchell de Paiva Couceiro leads an unsuccessful royalist attack against the First Portuguese Republic in Chaves.
- 1892
St. John's, Newfoundland is devastated in the Great Fire of 1892.
- 1889
The first issue of The Wall Street Journal is published.
- 1879
Sailing ship USS Jeannette departs San Francisco carrying an ill-fated expedition to the North Pole.
- 1876
The Hamburg massacre prior to the 1876 United States presidential election results in the deaths of six African-Americans of the Republican Party, along with one white assailant.
- 1874
The Mounties begin their March West.
- 1864
Ikedaya Incident: The Choshu Han shishis planned Shinsengumi sabotage on Kyoto, Japan at Ikedaya.
- 1859
King Charles XV & IV accedes to the throne of Sweden–Norway.
- 1853
The Perry Expedition arrives in Edo Bay with a treaty requesting trade.
- 1832
An Egyptian army under Ibrahim Pascha defeats an Ottoman army under Mehmed Pascha in the battle of Hims.
- 1822
Chippewas turn over a huge tract of land in Ontario to the United Kingdom.
- 1776
John Nixon delivers the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence of the United States.
- 1775
The Olive Branch Petition is signed by the Continental Congress of the Thirteen Colonies of North America.
- 1760
British forces defeat French forces in the last naval battle in New France.
- 1758
French forces hold Fort Carillon against the British at Ticonderoga, New York.
- 1741
Reverend Jonathan Edwards preaches to his congregation in Enfield, Connecticut his most famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"; an influence for the First Great Awakening.
- 1730
An estimated magnitude 8.7 earthquake causes a tsunami that damages more than 1,000 km (620 mi) of Chile's coastline.
- 1716
The Battle of Dynekilen forces Sweden to abandon its invasion of Norway.
Famous Birthdays on July 8 in History 25
- 1999
İpek Öz, Turkish tennis player
- 1998
Maya Hawke, American actress
- 1998
Jaden Smith, American actor and rapper
- 1996
Marlon Humphrey, American football player
- 1993
David Corenswet, American actor
- 1992
Ariel Camacho, Mexican singer-songwriter (died 2015)
- 1992
Son Heung-min, Korean footballer
- 1991
Virgil van Dijk, Dutch footballer
- 1990
Kevin Trapp, German footballer
- 1989
Yarden Gerbi, Israeli Judo champion
- 1989
Tor Marius Gromstad, Norwegian footballer (died 2012)
- 1988
Miki Roqué, Spanish footballer (died 2012)
All entries for July 8（+13）
- 1988
Jesse Sergent, New Zealand cyclist
- 1987
Josh Harrison, American baseball player
- 1986
Renata Costa, Brazilian footballer
- 1983
Rich Peverley, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1982
Shonette Azore-Bruce, Barbadian netball player
- 1982
Sophia Bush, American actress and director
- 1982
Alicia Vela-Bailey, American stunt performer, stunt double, actress, dancer, and choreographer
- 1982
Hakim Warrick, American basketball player
- 1981
Anastasia Myskina, Russian tennis player
- 1980
Eric Chouinard, American-Canadian ice hockey player
- 1980
Robbie Keane, Irish footballer
- 1978
Urmas Rooba, Estonian footballer
- 1977
Christian Abbiati, Italian footballer
Notable Deaths on July 8 in History 25
- 2026
Bonnie Tyler, Welsh singer (born 1951)
- 2025
Edward D. DiPrete, American politician, 70th Governor of Rhode Island
- 2025
Paulette Jiles, American writer (born 1943)
- 2022
Shinzo Abe, Japanese politician (born 1954)
- 2022
Larry Storch, American actor and comedian (born 1923)
- 2022
Luis Echeverría, Mexican lawyer and politician (born 1922)
- 2022
Tony Sirico, American actor (born 1942)
- 2020
Naya Rivera, American actress, model and singer (born 1987)
- 2020
Alex Pullin, Australian snowboarder (born 1987)
- 2018
Tab Hunter, American actor, pop singer, film producer and author (born 1931)
- 2016
Abdul Sattar Edhi, Pakistani philanthropist (born 1928)
- 2014
Plínio de Arruda Sampaio, Brazilian lawyer and politician (born 1930)
All entries for July 8（+13）
- 2014
John V. Evans, American soldier and politician, 27th Governor of Idaho (born 1925)
- 2014
Ben Pangelinan, Guamanian businessman and politician (born 1956)
- 2014
Howard Siler, American bobsledder and coach (born 1945)
- 2013
Edmund Morgan, American historian and author (born 1916)
- 2013
Claudiney Ramos, Brazilian footballer (born 1980)
- 2013
Sundri Uttamchandani, Indian author (born 1924)
- 2012
Muhammed bin Saud Al Saud, Saudi Arabian politician (born 1934)
- 2012
Ernest Borgnine, American actor (born 1917)
- 2012
Gyang Dalyop Datong, Nigerian physician and politician (born 1959)
- 2011
Roberts Blossom, American actor and poet (born 1924)
- 2011
Betty Ford, 38th First Lady of the United States (born 1918)
- 2008
John Templeton, American-born British businessman and philanthropist (born 1912)
- 2007
Chandra Shekhar, Indian lawyer and politician, 9th Prime Minister of India (born 1927)
That is the story of July 8 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on July 8 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on July 8 in history?
The biggest event on July 8 in history is: 2025 — Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, causing 44 deaths, over 2.7 residents without power, and $28 billion to $32 billion dollars worth of damage.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on July 8?
25 famous people were born on July 8 in history, the best known being 1999 — İpek Öz, Turkish tennis player.
Who died on July 8?
25 notable people died on July 8 in history, including 2026 — Bonnie Tyler, Welsh singer (born 1951).
Why should I read about July 8 in history?
Exploring July 8 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
Take a random trip through time
What happened on your birthday?
Enter your date of birth and travel back to the day you were born.