1. On August 7, 1782, General George Washington created the first Purple Heart medal, originally known as the Badge of Military Merit, to honor soldiers who performed act of valor in the American Revolutionary War. The medal is still awarded to members of the military today.

2. On August 7, 1876, the inaugural meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science was held in Salem, Massachusetts. The organization is still active today and is dedicated to advancing science and technology.

3. The Great Fire of 1914 broke out in Salem, Massachusetts on August 7, destroying over 1,300 buildings and leaving thousands homeless. Despite the scale of the disaster, there were no fatalities.

4. August 7, 1930 marked the founding of the Massachusetts Historical Society, an organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of the state. The society boasts one of the largest research libraries in the country, with over three million manuscripts, books, and artifacts.

5. On August 7, 1962, musician and civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer spoke before the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Hamer, a native of Mississippi, was a co-founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and used her platform to fight for voting rights for African Americans in the South.