1. On July 7, 1846, the Amistad captives were declared free by the Supreme Court of the United States. The Amistad was a Spanish ship that was transporting enslaved people when the captives rebelled and took control of the ship. The case became a symbol in the fight against slavery.

2. In 1911, the Connecticut State Normal School (now known as Southern Connecticut State University) officially opened in New Haven. The school was established to train teachers and has since evolved into a comprehensive university.

3. The Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut, was opened to the public as a museum on July 7, 1974. The house was the home of the famous author and humorist from 1874 to 1891 and is now a National Historic Landmark.

4. On July 7, 1979, ESPN (Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) launched in Bristol, Connecticut. The cable television network quickly became a leader in sports coverage and is now available in over 200 countries.

5. On July 7, 2006, the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut, celebrated the reopening of the historic Bijou Theatre. The 1909 theater had been closed for over 25 years before being restored and reopened as a performing arts venue.