Major Events of July 1919: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from July 1919 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

Major Events of July 1919: Key Historical Moments from the Month

01 Jul 1919 Soviet Forces Recapture Perm in Russian Civil War: During the Russian Civil War, the Soviet Russia's 2nd and 3rd armies successfully recaptured the strategic city of Perm, marking a significant military victory for the Bolshevik forces in their ongoing conflict.
02 Jul 1919 First Transatlantic Dirigible Flight: The British airship R34 completed a historic aviation achievement on July 2, 1919, becoming the first dirigible to successfully cross the Atlantic Ocean. Departing from RAF East Fortune in Scotland, the airship landed in Mineola, New York, marking a groundbreaking moment in early aviation technology and demonstrating the potential of lighter-than-air craft for long-distance travel.
03 Jul 1919 First U.S. Army Cross-Continental Motor Convoy: The United States Army initiated a groundbreaking motor convoy across the continental United States, departing from Washington, D.C. This pioneering expedition aimed to evaluate the feasibility of troop and supply transportation via roadways, which would later inform critical military logistics and infrastructure development.
04 Jul 1919 Jack Dempsey Wins Heavyweight Championship: Jack Dempsey defeated Jess Willard in a historic boxing match, claiming the heavyweight championship title. The fight was a significant moment in boxing history, marking Dempsey's rise to prominence.
05 Jul 1919 Establishment of Hellenic Coast Guard: The Hellenic Coast Guard is officially established to protect and patrol the extensive coastlines of Greece, enhancing maritime security and national defense capabilities.
06 Jul 1919 First Transatlantic Airship Crossing: The British dirigible R34 successfully completed the first transatlantic crossing by an airship, landing in New York after an impressive 108-hour journey. This groundbreaking achievement marked a significant milestone in early aviation history, demonstrating the potential of lighter-than-air craft for long-distance travel.
07 Jul 1919 First U.S. Army Transcontinental Motor Vehicle Expedition: The U.S. Army launched a groundbreaking cross-country convoy from Washington, D.C., to assess the feasibility of transcontinental road travel. This arduous journey highlighted the primitive state of America's road infrastructure and was a crucial precursor to the development of the U.S. Highway System.
08 Jul 1919 Wilson Returns from Versailles Peace Conference: President Woodrow Wilson returned to New York City after concluding the critical Versailles Peace Conference, which formally ended World War I and established the Treaty of Versailles. This marked a significant moment in post-war diplomatic efforts and Wilson's attempt to reshape global geopolitics through his proposed League of Nations.
09 Jul 1919 Freikorps Deployment in Berlin: On July 9, 1919, German President Friedrich Ebert authorized the deployment of Freikorps (paramilitary volunteer units) in Berlin. This decision was part of the broader political and social unrest in post-World War I Germany, as the Freikorps were often used to suppress left-wing revolutionary movements and maintain political stability during the tumultuous Weimar Republic period.
10 Jul 1919 Wilson Delivers Treaty of Versailles to Senate: President Woodrow Wilson personally delivered the Treaty of Versailles to the United States Senate, a pivotal moment in post-World War I diplomatic negotiations that would reshape global geopolitics.
11 Jul 1919 Racial Tension Erupts in Chicago: A racially charged incident occurred in Chicago when a white gang approached Jones's house, resulting in a violent confrontation. The event highlights the intense racial tensions and potential for violence in early 20th-century urban America.
12 Jul 1919 Red Summer Race Riot of 1919: During the summer of 1919, a series of racially motivated violent conflicts erupted across multiple cities in the United States, known collectively as the 'Red Summer'. This particular riot on July 12th was part of a broader pattern of racial violence targeting African Americans, characterized by white mobs attacking Black communities in response to increased racial tensions, economic competition, and post-World War I social upheaval. These riots resulted in numerous deaths, injuries, and significant property destruction, highlighting the deep-seated racial tensions and systemic racism prevalent in early 20th-century America.
13 Jul 1919 First Round-Trip Transatlantic Airship Flight: The British airship R34 successfully completed the first round-trip journey across the Atlantic Ocean, landing in Norfolk, England after an impressive 182-hour flight. This groundbreaking achievement marked a significant milestone in early aviation history, demonstrating the potential of long-distance airship travel.
14 Jul 1919 Victory Parade in Paris after World War I: On July 14, 1919, the day after the signing of the Versailles Treaty, French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau organized a monumental Victory Parade. Known as the 'Father of Victory', Clemenceau selected the iconic Arc de Triomphe as the parade's centerpiece. The historic procession featured the entire French army and allied troops, notably including 1,000 war-wounded soldiers. The parade route stretched from Avenue de la Grande Armée to Place de la République, passing through the prestigious Champs-Élysées, symbolizing France's triumph and resilience after the devastating World War I.
15 Jul 1919 Death of Hermann Emil Fischer, Renowned German Chemist: Hermann Emil Fischer, a prominent German chemist and Nobel Prize laureate, passed away. Fischer was a groundbreaking scientist known for his significant contributions to organic chemistry, particularly in the study of sugars and purines. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1902 for his work on sugar and purine syntheses.
16 Jul 1919 Five Great Powers Meeting in Paris: A diplomatic conference was held at the Quai d'Orsay in Paris, where heads of delegations from the United States, British Empire, France, Italy, and Japan convened to negotiate and discuss the territorial occupation zones in Asia Minor, specifically focusing on the delimitation of Italian and Greek spheres of influence.
17 Jul 1919 Finland Establishes Constitutional Republic: On July 17, 1919, Finland officially confirmed its form of government by adopting a new constitution, marking a significant milestone in the country's path to democratic governance. This pivotal moment is commemorated annually as the Day of Democracy (Kansanvallan päivä), symbolizing the nation's commitment to democratic principles and self-determination following its independence from Russia.
18 Jul 1919 Lack of Documented Historical Events - July 18, 1919: While no specific historical events were found for this date, July 18, 1919, was a period shortly after the end of World War I, during the Paris Peace Conference. This era was marked by significant geopolitical restructuring and the drafting of the Treaty of Versailles, which formally ended the war between Germany and the Allied Powers.
19 Jul 1919 Washington D.C. Race Riot of 1919: On July 19, 1919, a violent racial conflict erupted in Washington, D.C. after false rumors circulated about a sexual assault. A white mob systematically targeted Black residents, brutally attacking individuals like Charles Ralls and 55-year-old George Montgomery. The mob, composed of civilians and military service members, moved through Black neighborhoods, beating and terrorizing residents over several days. This event was part of the broader 'Red Summer' of racial violence across the United States.
20 Jul 1919 Edmund Hillary's Birth: Edmund Hillary was born in Auckland, New Zealand, who would later become famous as one of the first two men to successfully scale Mount Everest. His groundbreaking mountaineering achievement would occur decades later, and he would pass away in 2008, leaving a lasting legacy in exploration.
21 Jul 1919 Wingfoot Air Express Disaster in Chicago: On July 21, 1919, a tragic aviation accident occurred when the dirigible Wingfoot Air Express crashed through the skylight of the Illinois Trust and Savings Building in downtown Chicago. The catastrophic incident resulted in the deaths of 13 people, marking one of the earliest and most devastating airship accidents in United States history. The crash highlighted the significant risks associated with early aviation technology and raised serious questions about the safety of dirigible transportation.
22 Jul 1919 Uneventful Day in 1919: While no major historical events were specifically documented for July 22, 1919, this period was part of the post-World War I era, characterized by significant global political and social transformations. The world was recovering from the devastating conflict, with the Treaty of Versailles having been signed just a month earlier on June 28, 1919, which formally ended World War I and reshaped international geopolitics.
23 Jul 1919 Washington Race Riot of 1919: A violent racial conflict in Washington D.C. was effectively halted by a heavy summer rainstorm on July 23, 1919. The riot was part of the broader 'Red Summer' of racial tensions and violence across the United States.
24 Jul 1919 Washington DC Race Riot of 1919: A violent racial conflict erupted in Washington, DC, resulting in significant casualties and highlighting the intense racial tensions of the post-World War I era. The riot involved white mobs systematically attacking Black Americans, leaving 6 people dead and over 100 wounded. This event was part of the broader 'Red Summer', a period of widespread racial violence across the United States characterized by white supremacist attacks on Black communities.
25 Jul 1919 Egyptian Revolution of 1919 Concludes: The Egyptian Revolution of 1919, a significant nationalist uprising against British colonial rule, officially concluded on July 25, 1919. This pivotal moment marked the culmination of widespread protests and resistance by Egyptians seeking independence from British imperial control. The revolution, led by prominent nationalist figures like Saad Zaghlul, represented a critical turning point in Egypt's struggle for self-determination and sovereignty.
26 Jul 1919 Birth of James Lovelock, Renowned Scientist and Environmentalist: James Lovelock, a pioneering English scientist, environmentalist, and futurist, was born on July 26, 1919, in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, England. Best known for developing the Gaia hypothesis, which proposes that the Earth functions as a self-regulating, complex system, Lovelock made significant contributions to environmental science, atmospheric chemistry, and our understanding of global ecological systems. Throughout his career, he worked as an independent scientist and inventor, developing sensitive scientific instruments and offering groundbreaking insights into planetary ecology and climate change.
27 Jul 1919 Chicago Race Riot of 1919: A devastating racial conflict erupted in Chicago, resulting in significant loss of life and widespread violence. Over five days, racial tensions boiled over, leading to 38 fatalities and 537 injuries, primarily between white and Black communities. The riot began with a racially motivated incident at a Lake Michigan beach and quickly escalated into widespread urban violence.
28 Jul 1919 Arkansas Senate Supports Women's Suffrage: In a landmark legislative moment, the Arkansas Senate voted overwhelmingly 29-2 in favor of women's suffrage, marking a critical step towards women's voting rights in the United States.
29 Jul 1919 Establishment of Daegu Metropolitan Jungang Library: On July 29, 1919, the Daegu Metropolitan Jungang Library was established in Daegu, Korea, marking an important milestone in the city's cultural and educational infrastructure during the early 20th century.
30 Jul 1919 Chicago Race Riots of 1919: On July 30, 1919, the Chicago Race Riots reached a critical point of violence and social upheaval. The riots erupted after a white group stoned an African-American teenager, Eugene Williams, causing him to drown in Lake Michigan. This tragic incident sparked widespread racial tensions and violent confrontations across the city. By July 30, the riots had resulted in 27 deaths and 244 injuries, representing a significant moment of racial conflict in early 20th-century American urban history. The riots exposed deep-seated racial tensions, systemic racism, and the brutal consequences of racial segregation and discrimination in Chicago.
31 Jul 1919 Germany Adopts Weimar Constitution: The German National Assembly formally accepts the Weimar Constitution, marking a pivotal moment in Germany's transition to a democratic republic following World War I. This constitution established a parliamentary democracy, introduced proportional representation, and guaranteed fundamental civil rights.