April 7 in History: World Health Organization Founded, Empire State Building Begins, and Baghdad Falls

Scott Winters April 7, 2026 1 Comment

Discover what happened on April 7 in history, along with notable events that shaped global health, architecture, and modern conflict.

What Happened on April 7 in History?

Important events on this day include the founding of the World Health Organization, the start of construction on the Empire State Building, and the fall of Baghdad.

APRIL 7 – TODAY IN HISTORY:

1795 – France adopted the meter as the basic measure of length.

1827 – An English chemist, John Walker, sold the first friction match. He invited it a year earlier.

1864 – To raise money for charity, the first camel race in America was held in Sacramento, CA.

1888 – P.F. Collier published a weekly periodical for the first time under the name “Collier’”s.

1927 – The first long-distance TV transmission was sent from Washington, DC, to New York, NY. The audience saw an image of Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover.

1930 – The first steel columns were set for the Empire State Building.

1933 – Prohibition in the United States was repealed for beer of no more than 3.2% alcohol by weight, eight months before the ratification of the 21st Amendment.

1940 – Booker T. Washington became the first black to be pictured on a U.S. postage stamp.

1948 – The United Nations’ World Health Organization began operations.

1953 – IBM unveiled the IBM 701 Electronic Data Processing Machine. It was IBM’s first commercially available scientific computer.

1957 – In New York, NY, the last of city’s electric trolleys completed its final run from Queens to Manhattan.

1963 – At the age of 23, Jack Nicklaus became the youngest golfer to win the Green Jacket at the Masters Tournament.

1964 – IBM announced the System/360.

1966 – The U.S. recovered a hydrogen bomb it had lost off the coast of Spain.

1969 – The Supreme Court unanimously struck down laws prohibiting private possession of obscene material.

1970 – John Wayne won his first and only Oscar for his role in “True Grit.” He had been in over 200 films.

1971 – President Richard Nixon pledged to withdraw 100,000 soldiers from Vietnam by December.

1978 – In Grand Rapids, MI, John Ball Park Zoo’s only elephant, Zooella, died.

1978 – Development of the neutron bomb was cancelled by President Jimmy Carter.

1982 – It was cold! Temperatures dropped to near zero around the Great Lakes as arctic high pressure moved into the area. Lansing fell to -2° for their latest sub-zero temperature on record. Muskegon dropped down to 1° and Grand Rapids saw a low of 3° for the coldest April temperatures on record.

1983 – Specialist Story Musgrave and Don Peterson made the first Space Shuttle spacewalk.

1983 – The Chinese government canceled all remaining sports and cultural exchanges with the U.S. for 1983.

1984 – Jack Morris threw a no hitter in a 4-0 shutout of Chicago. He was only the fourth Detroit Tiger to do so. It was the first time it had happened since 1958.

1990 – At Farm Aid IV, Elton John performed “Candle in the Wind” for Ryan White. White, a young boy with AIDS, died later the same day.

1990 – John Poindexter was found guilty of five counts at his Iran-Contra trial. The convictions were later reversed on appeal.

1990 – At Cincinnati, OH’s Contemporary Arts Center a display of Robert Mapplethorpe’s photographs went on display. On the same day the center and its director were indicted on obscenity charges. The charges resulted in acquittal.

1993 – The movie “The Sandlot” premiered in theaters.

1998 – George Michael was arrested in a public restroom in Beverly Hills, CA for lewd conduct. He was sentenced to community service for the incident.

1998 – Mary Bono, the widow of Sonny Bono, won a special election to serve out the remainder of her husband’s Congressional term.

2000 – President Bill Clinton signed the Senior Citizens Freedom to Work Act of 2000. The bill reversed a Depression-era law and allows older citizens to earn money without losing Social Security retirement benefits.

2001 – The Mars Odyssey was launched.

2003 – U.S. troops captured Baghdad. Saddam Hussein’s regime fell two days later.

2006 – Meredith Viera confirmed she was leaving ABC’s “The View” to replace Katie Couric on “Today”.

2008 – More than 10 years after Princess Diana and her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, died in a car wreck in Paris, a jury in London concluded that the two were killed by a combination of the “grossly negligent driving” of their chauffeur and the paparazzi pursuing their car.

2008 – Kathie Lee Gifford returned to TV, as co-host of the fourth hour of the “Today” show.

2016 – The final episode of the final season of TV’s “American Idol” aired on FOX.

2016 – The longest-ever python was captured in Malaysia. The snake was 26 feet long.

2021 – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant had become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States.

2021 – Action Comics #1, which introduced Superman for the first time, sold at auction. It brought in a recording-breaking price of $3.25 million.

2022 – Ketanji Brown Jackson becomes the first black female justice when she was confirmed for the Supreme Court of the United States.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON APRIL 7:

Bobby Bare – 91 years old (1935) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Jerry Brown – 88 years old (1938) – Lawyer and politician, 34th and 39th Governor of California

Iris Johansen – 88 years old (1938) – Author

Francis Ford Coppola – 87 years old (1939) – Director, producer, and screenwriter

James Di Pasquale – 85 years old (1941) – Composer

Bill Stoneman – 82 years old (1944) – Baseball player and manager

Marilyn Friedman – 81 years old (1945) – Philosopher and academic

Zaid Abdul-Aziz – 80 years old (1946) – Basketball player

Robert Metcalfe – 80 years old (1946) – Engineer and entrepreneur

Patricia Bennett – 79 years old (1947) – Singer

John Oates – 78 years old (1948) – Singer-songwriter guitarist, and producer

Mitch Daniels – 77 years old (1949) – Academic and politician, 49th Governor of Indiana

Brian J. Doyle – 76 years old (1950) – Press secretary

Neil Folberg – 76 years old (1950) – American-Israeli photographer

Janis Ian – 75 years old (1951) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Jane Frederick – 74 years old (1952) – Hurdler and heptathlete

Dennis Hayden – 74 years old (1952) – Actor

Santa Barraza – 73 years old (1953) – Mixed media artist

Tony Dorsett – 72 years old (1954) – Football player

Gregg Jarrett – 71 years old (1955) – Lawyer and journalist

Christopher Darden – 70 years old (1956) – Lawyer and author

Brian Haner – 68 years old (1958) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Buster Douglas – 66 years old (1960) – Boxer and actor

Thurl Bailey – 65 years old (1961) – Basketball player and actor

Andrew Hampsten – 64 years old (1962) – Cyclist

Dave Johnson – 63 years old (1963) – Decathlete and educator

Jace Alexander – 62 years old (1964) – Actor and director

Bill Bellamy – 61 years old (1965) – Comedian, actor, and producer

Jennifer Lynch – 58 years old (1968) – Actress, director, producer, and screenwriter

Ricky Watters – 57 years old (1969) – Football player

Brett Tomko – 53 years old (1973) – Baseball player

Ronde Barber – 51 years old (1975) – Football player and sportscaster

Tiki Barber – 51 years old (1975) – Football player and journalist

Ronnie Belliard – 51 years old (1975) – Baseball player

John Cooper – 51 years old (1975) – Singer-songwriter and bass player

Kevin Alejandro – 50 years old (1976) – Actor and producer

Aaron Lohr – 50 years old (1976) – Actor

Barbara Jane Reams – 50 years old (1976) – Actress

Lilia Osterloh – 48 years old (1978) – Tennis player

Adrián Beltré – 47 years old (1979) – Dominican-American baseball player

Patrick Crayton – 47 years old (1979) – Football player

Danny Sandoval – 47 years old (1979) – Venezuelan-American baseball player

Vanessa Olivarez – 45 years old (1981) – Singer-songwriter, and actress

Sonjay Dutt – 44 years old (1982) – Wrestler

Brooke Brodack – 40 years old (1986) – Comedian

Jamar Smith – 39 years old (1987) – Football player

Anna Bogomazova – 36 years old (1990) – Russian-American kick-boxer, martial artist, and wrestler

Josh Hader – 32 years old (1994) – Baseball player

Emerson Hyndman – 30 years old (1996) – International soccer player

DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR APRIL 7:

World Health Day: Listen to the World Health Organization and begin taking steps to improve your health: join a gym, start taking vitamins, or get outside on World Health Day.
SAAM Day of Action: Spreading awareness on eliminating harm, fostering safety, and empowering communities to end the silence against sexual violence.
Girl, Me Too Day: Fostering unity, women empower, uplift, and champion one another, creating a powerful network of solidarity.
International Beaver Day: Beavers are very important for the environment, creating natural dams and helping cleanse water. Help raise awareness about the threats facing this declining species.
National Beer Day: Visit a brewery, crack open a cold one with your friends, or learn how to brew your own beer on this hoppy holiday. Not a drinker? Try alcohol-free beer!
Metric System Day: Metric System Day is an annual celebration of a nearly-universal system of measurement. This system uses standardized units like meters, kilograms, and liters. In most of the world, the metric system is the global standard; it’s perfect for simplifying and unifying measurements across the world. However, a few countries still hold...
National No Housework Day: Give yourself a break. Eat off paper plates, order in, and ignore that vacuum. Do whatever you want on National No Housework Day—just so long as it’s not chores.
National Coffee Cake Day: Marrying layers of delicate sweetness, this culinary masterpiece beckons discerning palates to savor its timeless allure.
National Schwa Day: Discover the enigmatic sound at the heart of linguistics, a subtle symbol of linguistic nuance and pronunciation variance.
National Making The First Move Day: Join founder Greshun De Bouse and take the pledge to prevent and end bullying and its effects. Make the first move in being kind to yourself and others.
International Snailpapers Day: International Snailpapers Day celebrates the slower charm of printed newspapers in a world that moves at high speed. Instead of endless scrolling, it’s about the rustle of paper and the calm moment when news arrives by hand. It gives space for reflection, inviting readers to slow down and enjoy stories...
National Public Health Week: The well-being of communities — disease prevention, and better living through knowledge and action, towards a healthier world.
Discover National Parks Fortnight: Discover National Parks Fortnight invites everyone to join in on an adventure - exploring the stunning landscapes and rich biodiversity of national parks. This fantastic outdoor-themed event spans two weeks each year. This period is the ideal opportunity to reconnect with the great outdoors and appreciate the environmental treasures within...
FOP Awareness Month: Raising awareness for a rare condition, efforts unite to support those facing the challenges of Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.
Bee Active Bee Healthy Bee Happy Week: "Bee Active Bee Healthy Bee Happy Week is so much more than just a catchphrase. Indeed, it is a call to action. This week, founded by The Running Bee Foundation in Manchester, United Kingdom, is an effort to help reduce childhood obesity. Their goal is to help children learn the...
National Robotics Week: National Robotics Week is a vibrant celebration of robots and the people who build them. It invites everyone—from young students to curious grown-ups—to explore how robots shape our world. It sparks curiosity with simple, hands‑on fun. Robots become friends that move, talk, and solve puzzles. The energy of discovery is...
Community Garden Week: Community Garden Week comes around each year vibrant spring flowers begin to light up the landscape. This special week-long observation highlights the many worthy community and school gardens that dot our landscapes. These gardening efforts do more than add beauty (although they undoubtedly do!). Indeed, they serve as hubs for...
International Pooper Scooper Week: Get ready to grab your gloves and bags because International Pooper Scooper Week is here! Every year, from April 1st to 7th, this unique event unites dog lovers worldwide to tackle a stinky problem—pet waste. This week serves as a lively reminder of our responsibilities as pet owners, pushing us...
Laugh at Work Week: Laughing promotes connection, ease, and energy. It lifts moods, clears tension, and helps people feel more at home with each other. During Laugh at Work Week, offices buzz with jokes, playful chats, and shared smiles. This shift brings teams closer in simple, human ways. Even a short burst of laughter...
Be Kind to Spiders Week: Be Kind to Spiders Week encourages people to change their perspective on these misunderstood creatures. Despite their reputation for being creepy or scary, spiders play a vital role in controlling insect populations. This annual event asks people to pause before squashing a spider, instead suggesting relocating them safely outdoors. It's...
National Wildlife Week: Nature's tapestry, harmonious ecosystems, where diverse creatures coexist, weaving a story of survival and interconnected existence.
Parkinson’s Awareness Week: Parkinson's Awareness Week is a significant annual health week dedicated to increasing public understanding and support for Parkinson's disease, a neurological condition that affects movement. Some people only recently learned more about Parkinson’s Disease for about the past twenty to thirty years. That new public awareness of those who have...
National Green Week: National Green Week is an exciting initiative that brings attention to the importance of environmental sustainability. Schools and organizations across the country use this week to engage students in activities that promote greener living. The event aims to inspire young minds to adopt eco-friendly habits that can make a lasting...
Blue Ribbon Week: Blue Ribbon Week is a time dedicated to raising awareness about child abuse, symbolized by the blue ribbon. Across communities, people come together to support efforts that protect children from harm. During this week, the focus shifts to understanding the serious impact of abuse and neglect, which often goes unnoticed...
National Bake Week: The art of baking brings people together like little else can. During National Bake Week, kitchens fill with life—flour on counters, laughter in the air, something delicious in the oven. It’s not about fancy skills or perfect results. It’s about mixing, tasting, and creating with your own hands. Even the...
Orthodox Holy Week: Orthodox Holy Week is a deep and meaningful journey leading up to Easter, which celebrates Christ's resurrection. This sacred week starts with Palm Sunday, marking Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, greeted as a king. Each day then carries unique themes and moments of reflection. Early in the week, the parable of...
The Masters Tournament: Golf's elite gather, showcasing unparalleled skill and sportsmanship in a prestigious event that captivates fans worldwide.
Passover Begins: Among the most solemn and meaningful observances in the Jewish calendar, Passover marks the beginning of an eight-day journey. This holiday, known as Pesach in Hebrew, commemorates the Israelites' liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. The term "Passover" refers to the divine act of sparing the Israelites during the final plague...