On July 21, 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty was ratified by the US Senate. Learn more about the history of NATO.
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On July 21, 1954, the Geneva Accords concluded the Geneva Conference with the division of Vietnam into two countries along the 17th parallel of latitude with elections scheduled for 1956. However, the two countries were not reunited until the fall of Saigon in 1975.
On July 20, 1990, Justice William J. Brennan retired from the US Supreme Court after 34 years of service. Learn more about Justice Brennan from Oyez.
On July 20, 1987, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 598, which condemned the Iran-Iraq War. The resolution further called on both parties to move for an immediate cease-fire and a return to the borders that existed before the conflict.
On July 19, 1911, Pennsylvania became the first state in the US to approve laws allowing censorship of movies. After numerous other states followed Pennsylvania’s lead, the US Supreme Court eventually upheld film censorship in 1915.
On July 19, 1553, Lady Jane Grey was deposed as ruler of England and replaced by Queen Mary, ending the shortest reign in English history. Learn more about Lady Jane Grey.
On July 18, 1956, the Narcotic Control Act of 1956 became law. The act increased still further the penalties for violation of the existing laws and proliferating the scope of federal control over the use, possession and sale of narcotic drugs and marijuana. Learn more about the Narcotic Control Act of 1956.
On July 18, 1906, Nelson Mandela was born in Mvezo, South Africa. Mandela became a symbol of the anti-Apartheid movement, spending 27 years in prison for his efforts to topple the country’s segregation system. In 1990, Mandela was released from prison and Apartheid was soon dismantled. Mandela was elected the first black President of South [...]
On July 17, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Second Confiscation Act, which among other things allowed for the confiscation of private property in rebel territory, without due process or any opportunity for defense. Learn more about the Confiscation Act of 1862.
On July 17, 1945, a conference attended by US President Harry Truman, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and USSR leader Joseph Stalin opened in Postdam, Germany. Along with the Yalta Conference a few months prior, Potsdam created the post-World War II world order. Learn more about the Postdam Conference from the Harry S. Truman Library [...]
