Major Events of July 1928: 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 1928 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

Major Events of July 1928: Key Historical Moments from the Month

01 Jul 1928 Uneventful Day in 1928: While no specific significant historical events were documented for July 1, 1928, this day represents a moment in the interwar period between World War I and World War II. The world was experiencing relative peace and the early stages of economic recovery following the global conflicts of the previous decade.
02 Jul 1928 British Women Gain Voting Rights: The British Parliament passed the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act, granting women over 21 years old the same voting rights as men, marking a significant milestone in gender equality.
03 Jul 1928 First Color Television Transmission by John Logie Baird: Scottish inventor John Logie Baird demonstrates the world's first color television transmission in Glasgow, marking a groundbreaking moment in telecommunications and visual media technology.
04 Jul 1928 Mysterious Death of Alfred Loewenstein: Wealthy Belgian financier Alfred Loewenstein died under suspicious circumstances after falling from his private airplane during a flight between London and Paris. The circumstances surrounding his death were highly unusual and sparked significant speculation about whether it was an accident or a deliberate act. Loewenstein, a prominent international financier known for his substantial business dealings, plummeted from the aircraft mid-flight, with no clear explanation for how or why he left the plane.
05 Jul 1928 UK Equal Franchise Act Grants Women Full Voting Rights: The Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928 became law in the United Kingdom, marking a pivotal moment in women's suffrage. This landmark legislation lowered the voting age for women from 30 to 21, effectively granting women equal voting rights with men and representing a significant milestone in the fight for gender equality in British democratic processes.
06 Jul 1928 First All-Talking Motion Picture Debuts: On July 6, 1928, a groundbreaking moment in cinema history occurred with the premiere of 'Lights of New York', the first full-length all-talking motion picture shown in New York City. This film marked a significant technological leap in the entertainment industry, transitioning from silent films to talkies.
07 Jul 1928 First Sliced Bread Sold in America: The Chillicothe Baking Company of Chillicothe, Missouri, introduced sliced bread to the market, revolutionizing bread consumption and convenience. This innovation occurred on the inventor's 48th birthday, marking a significant milestone in food production and consumer convenience.
08 Jul 1928 Birth of Balakh Sher Mazari: Balakh Sher Mazari, a notable Pakistani politician who would later serve as caretaker prime minister, was born. He lived until 2022 and made significant contributions to Pakistani political landscape.
09 Jul 1928 Birth of Federico Bahamontes, Cycling Legend: Federico Bahamontes, renowned Spanish road racing cyclist, was born in Santo Domingo-Caudilla. Known as the 'Eagle of Toledo', Bahamontes would become one of the most celebrated climbers in cycling history, particularly famous for his exceptional mountain stage performances in the Tour de France.
10 Jul 1928 Theodoros Pangalos Released from Prison: Theodoros Pangalos, the deposed Greek dictator, was released from prison, marking a significant moment in Greek political history and potentially signaling potential political shifts.
11 Jul 1928 Birth of Greville Janner: Greville Janner, a prominent Welsh Labour MP and lawyer, was born in Cardiff, who would later become an influential political figure in British parliamentary history.
12 Jul 1928 Nobel Prize Chemist Born: Elias James Corey, a distinguished American chemist who would later become a Nobel Prize laureate, was born on this date. Corey is renowned for his groundbreaking work in organic synthesis and would make significant contributions to the field of chemistry.
13 Jul 1928 Chile and Peru Restore Diplomatic Relations: In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Chile and Peru officially agreed to restore diplomatic relations, marking the end of a long-standing tension that originated from the War of the Pacific. This reconciliation represented a crucial step towards regional stability and healing historical wounds between the two South American nations.
14 Jul 1928 Berlin Court Ruling on Business Attire: On July 14, 1928, a Berlin court made a landmark ruling that challenged contemporary professional dress norms. The court determined that it was not considered immoral for businessmen to work in shirt sleeves, effectively relaxing strict dress codes of the early 20th century. This decision reflected changing attitudes towards workplace comfort and professional appearance during the Weimar Republic era.
15 Jul 1928 Severe Heat Wave Strikes Britain and France: A severe heat wave swept across Britain and France, causing significant discomfort and five heat-related deaths in Britain. Temperatures soared to 92 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade in Britain, while Paris experienced even more extreme heat with temperatures reaching 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The Rue de la Paix in Paris was notably deserted as residents sought refuge from the intense summer heat.
16 Jul 1928 Birth of Jim Rathmann, Indianapolis 500 Champion: Jim Rathmann was an accomplished American race car driver born on July 16, 1928, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was best known for his remarkable achievements in motorsports, particularly his victory at the prestigious Indianapolis 500 in 1960, where he defeated legendary driver A.J. Foyt in a thrilling race. Rathmann was a prominent figure in the golden era of American auto racing, competing in multiple Indianapolis 500 events and establishing himself as a skilled and respected driver of his time.
17 Jul 1928 Assassination of Mexican President-elect Álvaro Obregón: On July 17, 1928, José de León Toral, a religious fanatic, assassinated Mexican President-elect Álvaro Obregón during a banquet at La Bombilla restaurant in San Ángel, Mexico City. The assassination occurred shortly after Obregón had been elected to a second presidential term, marking a significant moment of political violence in Mexican history.
18 Jul 1928 British Columbia General Election of 1928: A pivotal provincial election was held in British Columbia, marking a significant political transition. The incumbent Liberal Party, led by Premier John Duncan MacLean, was decisively defeated by the Conservative Party under Simon Fraser Tolmie. This election represented a shift in the province's political landscape, with voters choosing a new direction for British Columbia's governance.
19 Jul 1928 Kuomintang Challenges Unequal Treaties: The Kuomintang government of China took a bold diplomatic stance by unilaterally annulling all 'unequal treaties' previously imposed by Western powers, marking a significant moment in China's struggle for sovereignty and national dignity.
20 Jul 1928 Oscar Slater Wrongful Conviction Overturned: Oscar Slater, a German-born man, was finally freed by a Scottish appeals court after enduring 19 years of imprisonment for a murder he did not commit. His exoneration highlighted significant flaws in the criminal justice system and the potential for grave miscarriages of justice.
21 Jul 1928 First Woman Olympic Gold Medalist in Track and Field: Halina Konopacka of Poland made history by becoming the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the discus throw event at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Her achievement was groundbreaking for women's sports and represented a significant milestone in gender equality in athletic competition.
22 Jul 1928 First Aerial Circumnavigation of the Globe: On July 22, 1928, American pilots John Henry Mears and Charles B.D. Collyer completed a groundbreaking aerial circumnavigation of the globe, achieving this remarkable feat in an impressive 23 days, 15 hours, 21 minutes, and 3 seconds. Their journey represented a significant milestone in aviation history and demonstrated the rapidly advancing capabilities of aircraft in the early 20th century.
23 Jul 1928 Italia Airship Disaster Investigation: Benito Mussolini announced to the Council of Ministers that a comprehensive investigation would be conducted into the *Italia* airship disaster, a significant incident in early 20th-century aviation history.
24 Jul 1928 Calendar Information for July 24: July 24 is the 205th day of the Gregorian calendar, with 160 days remaining in the year. This date falls in the middle of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
25 Jul 1928 Publication of 'The Well of Loneliness': Radclyffe Hall's groundbreaking novel 'The Well of Loneliness' was published, a pioneering work that explored lesbian relationships and LGBTQ+ themes during a socially conservative era.
26 Jul 1928 Stanley Kubrick's Birth: Stanley Kubrick, the legendary American film director, producer, screenwriter, and cinematographer, was born. He would go on to create groundbreaking films like '2001: A Space Odyssey', 'A Clockwork Orange', and 'The Shining', revolutionizing cinema.
27 Jul 1928 Cosmo Lang Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury: An official announcement was made that Cosmo Lang, previously the Anglican Archbishop of York, would succeed Randall Davidson as the Archbishop of Canterbury, signaling an important leadership transition in the Church of England.
28 Jul 1928 1928 Amsterdam Olympics Opening Ceremony: The opening ceremony of the IX Summer Olympics in Amsterdam was a momentous event. With 45,000 spectators in attendance, the ceremony was marked by diplomatic tensions and historical significance. France boycotted the ceremony due to a dispute with the Dutch staff, while Germany received the most enthusiastic welcome, as this was their first Olympic appearance since 1912, having been excluded from the 1920 and 1924 Games.
29 Jul 1928 1928 Summer Olympic Games in Amsterdam: The IX Olympiad opened in Amsterdam, Netherlands, marking a significant milestone in Olympic history. This Games was groundbreaking for two key reasons: it featured the first live radio broadcast of the Olympics and introduced female athletes in track and field events, expanding gender representation in international sports.
30 Jul 1928 George Eastman Demonstrates First Color Motion Pictures: George Eastman, founder of Kodak, showcased the groundbreaking first color motion pictures, marking a significant milestone in film technology. This demonstration represented a revolutionary advancement in visual recording and home entertainment, allowing people to capture and view colorful moving images for the first time.
31 Jul 1928 Umberto Nobile's Heroic Return to Rome: Umberto Nobile and the surviving crew members of the ill-fated *Italia* airship expedition arrived in Rome, receiving a triumphant welcome that celebrated their survival after a harrowing Arctic expedition and disaster.