17 July

July 17 is the 198th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 167 days remain until the end of the year.

We have some interesting facts & historic events all about July 17th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.

Keep reading for more interesting facts about July 17th in history!

Table of Contents

  1. Global Celebrations
  2. Historic Events
  3. Famous Birthdays
  4. Heartbreaking Deaths

Global Celebrations

  • World Day for International Justice
  • Yellow Pig Day
  • National Peach Ice Cream Day
  • National Tattoo Day
  • World Emoji Day

Historic Events

What Happened On This Day – July 17

1998: The Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC) is adopted

The ICC is the first international judicial body that has the power to try individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

1989: The Stealth Bomber makes its debut

The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit made its first public flight from Palmdale, California.

1976: Indonesia annexes East Timor and declares it its 27th province

This was the culmination of an 8-month long Indonesian invasion and occupation of the Southeast Asian country that began just after East Timor declared its independence from Portugal in November, 1975.

1955: Disneyland opens its doors for the first time

The popular theme park (“The Happiest Place on Earth”) was opened by Walt Disney in Anaheim, California.

1945: The Potsdam Conference begins

The heads of the US, the UK, and USSR met in Potsdam to discuss the terms of the German and Japanese surrenders, and to make post-war plans.

1981: The lobby of the Kansas City Hyatt Regency Hotel after the fourth-floor walkway suddenly collapsed onto the second-floor walkway suspended from it causing both of them to crash into the crowded dance floor, killing 114 and injuring 216. July 17, 1981.


1959: Mary Leakey discovered ancient skull remains in Tanzania, Africa. This was the discovery of a new species of human-like creatures, Paranthropus boisei. Research revealed the fossils were more than 3.75 million years old and were of an extinct ape, which is now believed to be an ancestor of humans.

Famous Birthdays

Births On This Day, July 17

1954: Angela Merkel, German politician, Chancellor of Germany

1952: David Hasselhoff, American actor, singer

1947: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall

1939: Ali Khamenei, Iranian politician, 2nd Supreme Leader of Iran

1899: James Cagney, American actor

Heartbreaking Deaths

Deaths On This Day, July 17

2009: Walter Cronkite, American journalist

1967: John Coltrane, American saxophonist, composer

1959: Billie Holiday, American singer-songwriter, actress

1912: Henri Poincaré, French mathematician, physicist, engineer

1790: Adam Smith, Scottish philosopher, economist

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