BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) Though there are many more, here are a few important events that took place on July 2nd throughout United States history:
1776: The Second Continental Congress voted for independence, with 12 of the 13 colonies voting in favor of independence from British rule. This decision led to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, which was formally adopted on July 4, 1776.
1937: Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean during an attempt to fly around the world. Their disappearance remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in aviation history. The search for Noonan and Earhart continues to this day.
1964: President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The act was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States’ ongoing struggle for civil rights.
1965: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was established to enforce laws prohibiting employment discrimination. This created a separate avenue for enforcement of employment practices covered by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, allowing the federal government to regulate business practices in a way they never had before.
2002: Steve Fossett became the first person to complete a solo circumnavigation of the Earth in a hot air balloon. His historic journey lasted for 14 days,19 hours, and 51 minutes.
