On this day: 2 July

Selected events and births on 2 July, from Wikipedia’s “On this day”.

Events

• 706 – The bodies of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu Zetian were interred in the Qianling Mausoleum. Read more: Emperor Gaozong of Tang Wu Zetian Qianling Mausoleum
• 1724 – On the Feast of the Visitation, Bach led the first performance of his Meine Seel erhebt den Herren, BWV 10, based on the German Magnificat. Read more: Visitation (Christianity) Johann Sebastian Bach Meine Seel erhebt den Herren, BWV 10
• 1816 – The French frigate Méduse ran aground off the coast of present-day Mauritania, with the survivors escaping on a makeshift raft, depicted in Théodore Géricault's painting The Raft of the Medusa. Read more: French frigate Méduse (1810) Théodore Géricault The Raft of the Medusa
• 1964 – The Civil Rights Act was signed into law, outlawing segregation in schools, at the workplace, and other facilities that served the general public in the United States. Read more: Civil Rights Act of 1964 Racial segregation in the United States
• 1990 – Singing Revolution: The Soviet economic blockade of Lithuania was lifted when the Lithuanian parliament agreed to suspend the effects of their act to re-establish Lithuania as a state. Read more: Singing Revolution Soviet economic blockade of Lithuania Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania
• 1998 – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling, the second novel of the Harry Potter series, was published. Read more: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets J. K. Rowling Harry Potter
• 2013 – The International Astronomical Union announced that the fourth and fifth moons of Pluto to be discovered would be named Kerberos and Styx, respectively. Read more: International Astronomical Union Moons of Pluto Kerberos (moon)

Born on this day

• 1927 – James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern, Scottish lawyer and politician, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain Read more: James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern Lord Chancellor
• 1938 – David Owen, English physician and politician, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Read more: David Owen Foreign Secretary (United Kingdom)
• 1939 – John H. Sununu, American engineer and politician, 14th White House Chief of Staff Read more: John H. Sununu White House Chief of Staff
• 1940 – Kenneth Clarke, English politician, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain Read more: Kenneth Clarke Lord Chancellor
• 1942 – Vicente Fox, Mexican businessman and politician, 35th President of Mexico Read more: Vicente Fox President of Mexico
• 1946 – Richard Axel, American neuroscientist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate Read more: Richard Axel Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• 1947 – Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton, English politician, Minister for International Security Strategy Read more: Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton Minister for International Security Strategy
• 1954 – Chris Huhne, English journalist and politician, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Read more: Chris Huhne Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
• 1955 – Kim Carr, Australian educator and politician, 31st Australian Minister for Human Services Read more: Kim Carr Minister for Government Services
• 1978 – Jüri Ratas, Estonian politician, 42nd Mayor of Tallinn Read more: Jüri Ratas List of mayors of Tallinn
• 1995 – Ryan Murphy, American swimmer Read more: Ryan Murphy (swimmer)
• 1996 – Julia Grabher, Austrian tennis player Read more: Julia Grabher

Text from Wikipedia: Selected anniversaries / July 2 and the linked articles, via the Wikimedia “On this day” feed, under CC BY-SA 4.0. We leave out entries about wars, violence and disasters to keep this page family-friendly.