1703 – Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel after publishing a politically satirical pamphlet, but is pelted with flowers.

1874 – Dr. Patrick Francis Healy became the first African-American inaugurated as president of a predominantly white university, Georgetown University.

1964 – Ranger program: Ranger 7 sends back the first close-up photographs of the moon, with images 1,000 times clearer than anything ever seen from earth-bound telescopes.

1971 – Apollo program: Apollo 15 astronauts become the first to ride in a lunar rover.

1991 – The United States and Soviet Union both sign the START I Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the first to reduce (with verification) both countries' stockpiles.

2006 – Fidel Castro hands over power to his brother, Raúl.

2007 – Operation Banner, the presence of the British Army in Northern Ireland, and the longest-running British Army operation ever, comes to an end.

And if today is your birthday, Happy Birthday to you! You share this special day with…

1867 – S. S. Kresge, American businessman, founded Kmart (d. 1966)

1875 – Jacques Villon, French painter (d. 1963)

1886 – Fred Quimby, American animation producer (d. 1965)

1892 – Herbert W. Armstrong, American evangelist and publisher, founded Worldwide Church of God (d. 1986)

1912 – Milton Friedman, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2006)

1918 – Hank Jones, American pianist, composer, and bandleader (d. 2010)

1919 – Curt Gowdy, American sportscaster and actor (d. 2006)

1919 – Primo Levi, Italian chemist and author (d. 1987)

1921 – Donald Malarkey, American sergeant and author (d. 2017)

1921 – Whitney Young, American activist (d. 1971)

1923 – Ahmet Ertegun, Turkish-American songwriter and producer, founded Atlantic Records (d. 2006)

1926 – Hilary Putnam, American mathematician, computer scientist, and philosopher (d. 2016)

1927 – Peter Nichols, English author and playwright (d. 2019)

1928 – Bill Frenzel, American lieutenant and politician (d. 2014)

1929 – Lynne Reid Banks, English author

1931 – Kenny Burrell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist

1932 – Ted Cassidy, American actor and screenwriter (d. 1979)

1932 – John Searle, American philosopher and academic

1939 – Susan Flannery, American actress

1943 – William Bennett, American journalist and politician, 3rd United States Secretary of Education

1944 – Geraldine Chaplin, American actress and screenwriter

1946 – Gary Lewis, American pop-rock musician

1947 – Mumtaz, Indian actress

1950 – Richard Berry, French actor, director, and screenwriter

1952 – Faye Kellerman, American author

1958 – Mark Cuban, American businessman and television personality

1959 – Stanley Jordan, American guitarist, pianist, and songwriter

1962 – Wesley Snipes, American actor and producer

1965 – J. K. Rowling, English author and film producer

Almanac - Friday 7/31/20

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