Famous people born on July 18th
July 18 is a date with an unusually wide spread of influence, linking global politics and social change with daring journalism, landmark literature, and modern pop culture. The birthdays associated with this day range from world-shaping statesmen to innovators in science, business, and the performing arts. Together, they illustrate how leadership, imagination, and experimentation can leave a long afterlife in public memory.
Notable highlights
- Nelson Mandela (1918) - Anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first Black president and a global symbol of reconciliation.
- Hunter S. Thompson (1937) - Pioneered gonzo journalism, turning reportage into a high-voltage blend of memoir, satire, and cultural critique.
- William Makepeace Thackeray (1811) - Victorian novelist whose social satire in Vanity Fair reshaped the possibilities of the realist novel.
- John Glenn (1921) - First American to orbit Earth, later returning to space at 77 and bridging exploration with public service as a U.S. senator.
- Richard Branson (1950) - Built the Virgin brand by mixing marketing flair with risk-taking ventures across music, airlines, and beyond.
- Thomas Kuhn (1922) - Introduced the idea of “paradigm shifts”, transforming how scholars explain scientific revolutions and progress.
- Vin Diesel (1967) - Became an action-star fixture by anchoring a long-running franchise built on speed, spectacle, and ensemble chemistry.
- Kristen Bell (1980) - Known for sharp comedic timing and voice work, with roles spanning teen noir to high-concept sitcom philosophy.
- Gilbert White (1720) - Early naturalist whose careful field observations helped popularize nature writing as a serious scientific practice.
- Yevgeny Yevtushenko (1933) - A prominent Soviet-era poet whose public readings and politically charged verses made poetry a mass event.
On this day
- 64 - The Great Fire of Rome begins, one of antiquity's most famous urban disasters.
- 1290 - King Edward I issues the Edict of Expulsion, ordering Jews to leave England.
- 1925 - Adolf Hitler publishes Mein Kampf, outlining ideas that would later underpin Nazi ideology.
- 1968 - Intel is founded, a pivotal step in the rise of the modern semiconductor and computing industries.