Wikipedia:Selected anniversaries/July 12
On July 12:
- 1862 - The Medal of Honor was authorized by the U.S. Congress.
- 1967 - Four days of race riots began in Newark, New Jersey that claimed the lives of 27 people.
- 1975 - São Tomé and Príncipe declared independence from Portugal
- 1993 - A magnitude 7.8 earthquake off the shore of Hokkaido, Japan launched a devastating tsunami, killing 202 on the small island of Okushiri