July 4, 1900 – Trumpeter Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, jazz pioneer, was born.
July 5, 1892 – Andrew J. Beard patented rotary engine.
July 6, 1957 – Althea Gibson won women’s singles title at Wimbledon, becoming first African American to win tennis’s most prestigious award.
July 7, 1948 – Cleveland Indians signed pitcher Leroy “Satchel” Paige.
July 8, 1943 – Faye Wattleton, first African American director of Planned Parenthood, was born.
July 9, 1893 – Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed first successful open-heart surgery.
July 10, 1875 – Educator Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman College, was born.
