Famous people born on July 22nd
July 22 brings together an unusually wide range of talent, spanning scientific discovery, visual art, literature, music, comedy, and public service. The people born on this date include innovators who reshaped how we see nature and the mind, alongside performers and writers who defined popular culture across decades. From laboratories and studios to stages and the political arena, July 22 reflects both creative daring and lasting influence.
Notable highlights
- Gregor Mendel (1822) - His pea-plant experiments laid the groundwork for modern genetics, long before DNA was understood.
- Emma Lazarus (1849) - Wrote "The New Colossus", the poem whose lines became inseparable from the Statue of Liberty and American immigration lore.
- Edward Hopper (1882) - Turned everyday American scenes into iconic studies of light, stillness, and urban isolation.
- Karl A. Menninger (1893) - Helped popularize modern psychiatric care in the U.S. and emphasized humane, accessible treatment.
- Alexander Calder (1898) - Revolutionized sculpture with kinetic mobiles that made movement a central artistic element.
- Stephen Vincent Benet (1898) - Crafted narrative poetry with broad American scope, including the enduring "The Devil and Daniel Webster".
- Tom Robbins (1936) - Built a cult following with playful, philosophical novels known for exuberant language and offbeat humor.
- Alex Trebek (1940) - Became a trusted TV institution as the long-running host of "Jeopardy!" and a symbol of calm wit.
- Don Henley (1947) - As a key force in the Eagles and a solo artist, helped define the sound of classic American rock.
- Willem Dafoe (1955) - Renowned for fearless character work that ranges from arthouse intensity to mainstream blockbusters.
On this day
- 1099 - Following the capture of Jerusalem, Godfrey of Bouillon was chosen to lead the new Crusader state as "Defender of the Holy Sepulchre".
- 1793 - Alexander Mackenzie reached the Pacific Ocean, completing the first recorded transcontinental crossing of North America north of Mexico.
- 1934 - Bank robber John Dillinger was shot and killed by federal agents outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago.
- 2011 - Norway was struck by twin terrorist attacks in Oslo and on Utoya island, becoming one of the deadliest days in the country's modern history.