South Sudan became the world's newest country after gaining independence from Sudan
MajorAfter decades of civil war and a 2011 referendum where 98.83% voted for independence, South Sudan became the 193rd UN member state. Independence Day c...
July 9 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
2011
2006
Italy won the FIFA World Cup in one of the tournament's most dramatic finals
Italy defeated France in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw that featured Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt of Marco Materazzi. Zidane was sent off...
1991
The International Olympic Committee lifted South Africa's 21-year sporting ban
South Africa was welcomed back into international sport after the country began dismantling apartheid. The ban had kept South African athletes out of...
1986
The film "Aliens" premiered, launching Sigourney Weaver into action hero stardom
James Cameron's sci-fi thriller transformed Ellen Ripley from a survivor into an iconic warrior, earning Weaver a Best Actress Oscar nomination—rare f...
1979
A spacecraft flew by Jupiter and discovered the planet has rings
NASA's Voyager 2 probe discovered that Jupiter has a faint ring system, surprising scientists who thought only Saturn had rings. The discovery was mad...
1962
Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans paintings were first exhibited in Los Angeles
The debut of Warhol's 32 soup can paintings at the Ferus Gallery scandalized the art world and launched the Pop Art movement. A nearby gallery mocking...
1958
A massive tsunami wave over 1,700 feet tall struck Alaska's Lituya Bay
An earthquake triggered a landslide that created the tallest tsunami wave ever recorded—taller than the Empire State Building. The wave destroyed tree...
1955
Bill Haley & His Comets' "Rock Around the Clock" hit #1 on the Billboard charts
The song became the first rock and roll single to reach the top of the charts, staying there for eight weeks. Its use in the film "Blackboard Jungle"...
1937
The silent radio broadcast prank shocked BBC listeners
BBC Radio's Broadcasting House played several minutes of dead air on July 9th as an experimental broadcasting test. Listeners flooded the BBC with con...
1922
Johnny Weissmuller broke the one-minute barrier for swimming 100 meters freestyle
Weissmuller swam 100 meters in 58.6 seconds, becoming the first person to break the minute barrier. He would go on to win five Olympic gold medals bef...
1896
William Jennings Bryan delivered his famous "Cross of Gold" speech
At the Democratic National Convention, Bryan's passionate speech defending the gold standard captivated the audience with its biblical imagery and pop...
1893
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed one of the first successful open-heart surgeries
MajorWithout modern surgical tools or antibiotics, Dr. Williams successfully repaired a stab wound to a patient's pericardium at Provident Hospital in Chic...
1877
The first Wimbledon Championship tennis tournament began in London
MajorThe inaugural Wimbledon tournament featured only one event: Gentleman's Singles, with 22 competitors. Spencer Gore won the first championship by beati...
1850
Zachary Taylor became the second U.S. president to die in office
President Taylor died suddenly after consuming large quantities of cold milk and cherries during a Fourth of July celebration. His death sparked consp...
1816
Argentina declared independence from Spain
MajorThe Congress of Tucumán formally declared Argentine independence, ending three centuries of Spanish colonial rule. The declaration came after years of...
