previous year1969
1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
1980next year

Major Events of July 1977: 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 1977 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of July 1977: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Jul 1977 U.S. and Cuba Restore Diplomatic Relations: The U.S. Department of State announced plans to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba, with ten diplomats to be stationed in each country's capital, signaling a potential thaw in Cold War tensions.
  • 02 Jul 1977 Death of Vladimir Nabokov: Renowned Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov, famous for his controversial masterpiece 'Lolita' and significant contributions to 20th-century literature, passed away on July 2, 1977, in Montreux, Switzerland.
  • 03 Jul 1977 First Human MRI Scan: A groundbreaking medical technology milestone occurred with the first magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of a human being, revolutionizing medical diagnostics.
  • 04 Jul 1977 Independence Day Storm of 1977: A severe thunderstorm complex devastated northern Wisconsin, causing extensive damage across Sawyer, Price, and Oneida counties. The storm produced catastrophic winds reaching 115 mph, resulting in over $24 million in property damage, one fatality, 35 injuries, and the destruction of over 1 million acres of forest.
  • 05 Jul 1977 The Pakistan Armed Forces under Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq seize power in Operation Fair Play and begin 11 years of martial law. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the first elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, is overthrown.
  • 06 Jul 1977 Military Coup in Pakistan: General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq led a military coup d'état, overthrowing Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan's first democratically elected Prime Minister. This event marked a significant turning point in Pakistan's political history, leading to years of military rule and profound changes in the country's governance structure.
  • 07 Jul 1977 Chinese Pilot Defects to Taiwan: Fan Yuanye, a pilot of China's People's Liberation Army Air Force, dramatically defected to Taiwan while flying a Shenyang J-6 fighter. He brought critical secret documents with him and was promised a substantial reward of 5,000 ounces of gold, valued at US$698,400 at the time. This was a significant intelligence coup, being the first Chinese pilot defection since 1965, with six more similar defections occurring on J-6 aircraft between 1979 and 1990.
  • 08 Jul 1977 Chinese Military Pilot Defects to Taiwan with Fighter Jet: Fan Yuanye, a pilot of China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), dramatically defected to Taiwan by flying a Shenyang J-6 fighter jet off course after taking off from Jinjiang. He became the first pilot to deliver a Communist Chinese fighter aircraft to the West, bringing critical secret documents with him. As the third PLAAF pilot to defect to Taiwan since 1965, Fan was promised a substantial reward of 5,000 ounces of gold, valued at approximately US$698,400 at the time.
  • 09 Jul 1977 Neutron Bomb Funding Narrowly Survives Senate Vote: In a razor-thin vote, the U.S. Senate narrowly defeated a proposal to end funding for the neutron bomb development. The vote was extremely close, with 42 votes against the proposal and 43 votes supporting continued funding, highlighting the intense political debate surrounding nuclear weapons technology during the Cold War era.
  • 10 Jul 1977 Pat Bradley Wins LPGA Golf Tournament: Professional golfer Pat Bradley secured victory at the LPGA Bankers Trust Golf Classic, marking a significant achievement in her competitive golf career.
  • 11 Jul 1977 Martin Luther King Jr. Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom: On July 11, 1977, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. This recognition honored his extraordinary contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, his nonviolent approach to social change, and his profound impact on American society in the struggle for racial equality and justice.
  • 12 Jul 1977 Space Shuttle Enterprise First Free Flight Test: NASA conducted the first free flight test of the Space Shuttle Enterprise, a critical milestone in the development of reusable spacecraft technology. This test was part of the Space Shuttle program's approach and landing tests, which validated the shuttle's ability to glide and land like an aircraft.
  • 13 Jul 1977 New York City Blackout of 1977: An electricity blackout affected most of New York City on July 13–14, 1977. The blackout was caused by a series of lightning strikes that damaged power lines and substations, leading to a widespread power outage. The event was marked by significant rioting, looting, and arson, resulting in 4 deaths, over 550 injuries, and 4,500 arrests. The economic crisis and social tensions in the city contributed to the chaos during the blackout.
  • 14 Jul 1977 North Korea Shoots Down US Helicopter: North Korea shot down a US helicopter, resulting in the deaths of three American personnel, escalating tensions in the Korean peninsula.
  • 15 Jul 1977 Public Execution of Saudi Princess and Her Lover: A shocking public execution took place involving Princess Mishaal bint Fahd Al Saud, a 19-year-old royal family member and great-niece of King Khalid of Saudi Arabia. The princess and her lover, Khaled, were executed publicly, likely for violating strict Islamic moral codes regarding extramarital relationships. This event highlighted the severe consequences of transgressing traditional social and legal norms in Saudi Arabia during the late 1970s.
  • 16 Jul 1977 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Reaches Milestone Sales: Queen's iconic rock song 'Bohemian Rhapsody' achieves a groundbreaking milestone by becoming the first track to sell 1 million copies, highlighting the song's massive cultural impact and the band's growing global popularity.
  • 17 Jul 1977 Ethiopia-Somalia Aerial Conflict: Tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia escalate as two Ethiopian F-5 fighters from the 9th Fighter Squadron engage in aerial combat near Harer, reflecting the ongoing territorial and political disputes between the two nations during this period.
  • 18 Jul 1977 Vietnam Joins the United Nations: On July 18, 1977, Vietnam was officially admitted as a member state of the United Nations, marking a significant diplomatic milestone in the country's post-war international recognition. This membership followed the reunification of North and South Vietnam and represented an important step in Vietnam's reintegration into the global community after years of conflict.
  • 19 Jul 1977 First GPS Signal Transmission: The world's first Global Positioning System (GPS) signal was successfully transmitted from Navigation Technology Satellite 2 (NTS-2) and received at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at 12:41 a.m. Eastern time (ET). This groundbreaking moment marked a significant milestone in satellite navigation technology, laying the foundation for modern global positioning systems used worldwide.
  • 20 Jul 1977 CIA Mind Control Experiments Revealed: The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) released classified documents under the Freedom of Information Act, exposing its historical involvement in controversial mind control experiments. These revelations shed light on unethical government research conducted during the Cold War era, raising significant ethical and human rights concerns.
  • 21 Jul 1977 Libyan-Egyptian War Erupts: The Libyan-Egyptian War began on July 21, 1977, marking a significant conflict between two North African nations. Libya initiated the conflict by launching strikes against Egyptian cities, escalating tensions in the region. The brief but intense war lasted approximately two days, concluding with a ceasefire on July 24, 1977.
  • 22 Jul 1977 Deng Xiaoping's Political Rehabilitation: Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping was restored to power after being previously purged, marking a significant turning point in Chinese political history. Following the downfall of the 'Gang of Four' and the end of the Cultural Revolution, Deng's return signaled a potential shift towards more pragmatic leadership and economic reforms.
  • 23 Jul 1977 Washington jury convicts 12 Hanafi Muslims on hostage charges.
  • 24 Jul 1977 Led Zeppelin's Final American Concert Ends in Controversy: Led Zeppelin performs its last American concert at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, with the event marred by a significant altercation between the band's crew and promoter Bill Graham's staff, resulting in criminal assault charges against several band members, including drummer John Bonham.
  • 25 Jul 1977 Sanjiva Reddy Elected President of India: Sanjiva Reddy was elected as the sixth President of India on July 21, 1977, in an unopposed election. This marked a significant moment in Indian political history, representing a transition of leadership during the post-Emergency period.
  • 26 Jul 1977 Quebec Language Law - French Official Status: The National Assembly of Quebec passed Bill 101, a landmark language legislation that established French as the official language of the provincial government. This law was a crucial part of Quebec's linguistic and cultural preservation efforts, significantly impacting the province's social and administrative landscape.
  • 27 Jul 1977 John Lennon Granted U.S. Permanent Residence: On July 27, 1977, John Lennon was officially granted a green card, allowing him permanent residency in the United States. This significant moment came after years of legal battles with the U.S. government, which had previously attempted to deport him due to his political activism and past marijuana conviction. The green card represented a major victory for Lennon, providing him legal stability and the ability to continue living and working in the country he had come to consider his second home.
  • 28 Jul 1977 U.S. Moves to Restore Diplomatic Relations with Cuba: The U.S. Department of State announced plans to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba, to be implemented on September 1, 1977, marking a significant diplomatic development during the Cold War era.
  • 29 Jul 1977 Military Coup in Pakistan: General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq led a significant military coup d'état, overthrowing democratically elected Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The coup resulted in the military placing Bhutto and other military chiefs in 'temporary protective custody'. Zia announced a four-member military council to govern Pakistan, with promises of holding free elections in October.
  • 30 Jul 1977 US Senate MKULTRA Hearings: The United States Senate conducted hearings investigating the CIA's controversial MKULTRA program, a covert and illegal human experimentation project that explored mind control techniques using drugs, psychological manipulation, and other unethical methods during the Cold War era.
  • 31 Jul 1977 General Zia-ul-Haq Overthrows Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Pakistan: General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq led a military coup d'état in Pakistan, deposing Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the country's first democratically elected Prime Minister, dramatically altering Pakistan's political landscape.