Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/July 31

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This is the talk page for making suggestions or discussing improvements to Wikipedia:Selected anniversaries/July 31.

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Before making a suggestion, please read the selected anniversaries guidelines. Please remember that this list usually defers to supporting pages when there is disagreement, so it is best to achieve consensus and make any necessary changes there first.
To discuss improvements to the corresponding July 31 article, see Talk:July 31 instead.

Frequently asked questions

Q1: Why is [Insert event here], an event that is "more important and significant" than all the others that are currently listed, not posted?: A1: Relative article quality along with the mix of topics already listed are often deciding factors in what gets posted. Any given day of the year can have a great many important or significant historical events. The problem is that there is generally only room on the Main Page to list about 5 events at a time, so not everything can be posted.

As stated on Wikipedia:FAQ/Main Page, the items and events posted on the Main Page are chosen based more on how well they are written, not based on how much important or significant their subjects are. It is easier for admins to select a well-written, cited, verifiable article over a poor one versus trying to determine objectively how much a subject is important or significant.

Keep in mind that the quality requirements only apply to the selected bolded article, not the other links. Thus, an event may qualify for multiple dates in a year if there is an article written in a summary style and an article providing detailed content; if one of those pages have cleanup issues, the other page can be bolded as an alternate.

Another criterion is to maintain some variety of topics, and not exhibit, just for example, tech-centrism, or the belief that the world stops at the edge of the English-speaking world. Many days have a large pool of potential articles, so they will rotate in and out every year to give each one some Main Page exposure. In addition, an event is not posted if it is also the subject of this year's scheduled featured article or featured picture.

Q2: There are way too many 20th-century events listed. Why aren't there more events from the 19th century and before?

A2: The short, basic reason is the systemic bias of Wikipedia. There are not enough good, well-written articles on 19th-century and earlier events for all 365 days in the year. Currently, a majority of users seem to be generally more interested in writing articles about recent events. If you would like to further help mitigate the systemic bias in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias.

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Q4: Why is the birthday/death anniversary of [Insert name here] not listed?

A4: There are only four slots available for birth and death anniversaries. As with the events, article quality and diversity in time period, geography, and reason for notability are all contributing factors in whether an article gets selected for inclusion.

Q5: Are the holidays/observances listed in any particular order?

A5: Yes, there is a specified order: International observances first, then alphabetically by where observed.

Q6: Some of the holidays/observances that are listed have dates in parentheses beside them. What do they mean?

A6: There are two reasons that some holidays/observances have dates next to them:

Non-Gregorian-based holidays/observances are marked with the current year as a reminder to others that their dates do in fact vary from year to year.
National Days, Independence Days, and other holidays celebrating the nationhood of a country are generally marked by the year of the significant historic date being observed.

Today's featured article for July 31, 2025
Wikipedia:Today's featured article/July 31, 2025 create – talk – watch
Picture of the day for July 31, 2025
The featured picture for this day has not yet been chosen. In general, pictures of the day are scheduled in order of promotion to featured status. See Wikipedia:Picture of the day/Guidelines for full guidelines. create

← Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/July 30 * Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/August 1 →

I intend to add the Battle of Colachel to this list. How do I go about doing that? mkamat 20:39, September 12, 2005 (UTC)

- SHouldn't this go on August 10 ? -- PFHLai 11:10, 21 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Quotes

From the list:

Hermann Göring ordered SS general Reinhard Heydrich to develop a final solution to the Jewish question.

"Jewish question" or "the Jewish question" should be in quotes, IMO. (That's usually how I've seen it written.) --L33tminion | (talk) 05:24, 31 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I've added the quotation marks. Thanks for the suggestions. -- PFHLai 14:08, 31 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Hawaii

{{editprotected}}

Ka Hae Hawai‘i Day in Hawai'i

should be

Ka Hae Hawai‘i Day in Hawaii

The name of the day is in Hawaiian (so italics), but the name of the state is in English (so no okina). —Noisalt (talk) 02:13, 31 July 2009 (UTC)[reply]

- Actually, because the term is a proper name, the MOS advises against this. Primergrey (talk) 23:16, 30 July 2018 (UTC)[reply]

2012 notes

New articles (unused): Miami Showband killings; Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts
Omitted: John Komnenos the Fat; Battle of Passchendaele; Final Solution; START I; 2006–2008 Cuban transfer of presidential duties
Included: Aurangzeb (first appearance); Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette (3rd consecutive appearance; moved from June 13); K2 (2nd appearance, last in 2004); Free Derry/Operation Motorman (first appearance for both); Hebrew University bombing (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 06:03, 30 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

2013 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Lunar Roving Vehicle (maintenance)
Omitted: Aurangzeb (ineligible—maintenance); Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette; K2; Free Derry/Operation Motorman
Included: Daniel Defoe (5th appearance, last in 2010; rescued from Ineligible); Battle of Passchendaele (8th appearance, last in 2011); Final Solution (13th appearance, last in 2011); Miami Showband killings (first appearance); Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 06:00, 30 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Edit request on 31 July 2013

This edit request has been answered. Set the |answered= or |ans= parameter to no to reactivate your request.

The word "pamphlet" in the entry for Daniel Defoe should link to The Shortest Way with the Dissenters, an article that was created recently and which is the pamphlet being referred to. MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 12:48, 31 July 2013 (UTC) MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 12:48, 31 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

OK,

Done --Redrose64 (talk) 14:06, 31 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Cheers, MasterOfHisOwnDomain (talk) 20:15, 31 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

2014 notes

Omitted: Ignatius of Loyola (ineligible—maintenance); Daniel Defoe; Battle of Passchendaele; Final Solution; Miami Showband killings; Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts
Included: John Komnenos the Fat (2nd appearance, last in 2011); Battle of Cravant (first appearance); John F. Kennedy International Airport (first appearance; rescued from Ineligible); K2 (2nd appearance, last in 2012; 60th anniversary); 2006–08 Cuban transfer of presidential duties (5th appearance, last in 2011)

—howcheng {chat} 05:21, 30 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

2015 notes

Omitted: Battle of Cravant; John F. Kennedy International Airport; K2; 2006–08 Cuban transfer of presidential duties
Included: Ignatius of Loyola (rescued from Ineligible); Daniel Defoe (6th appearance, last in 2013); Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (7th appearance, last in 2012); Miami Showband killings (2nd appearance, last in 2013; 40th anniversary); START I (2nd appearance, last in 2011)
Repeats: John Komnenos the Fat (2nd consecutive appearance, 3 total)

—howcheng {chat} 07:36, 29 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

2016 notes

Omitted: John Komnenos the Fat; Daniel Defoe; Miami Showband killings
Included: Battle of Cravant (2nd appearance, last in 2014); Final Solution (14th appearance, last in 2013; 75th anniversary); 2006–08 Cuban transfer of presidential duties (6th appearance, last in 2014; 10th anniversary)
Repeats: Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (2nd consecutive appearance, 8 total); START I (2nd consecutive appearance, 3 total; 25th anniversary)

—howcheng {chat} 08:16, 31 July 2016 (UTC)[reply]

2017 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Daniel Defoe (maintenance); John F. Kennedy International Airport (maintenance)
New articles (unused): David Norris (politician); Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd
Omitted: Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette; Final Solution; START I (ineligible—maintenance); 2006–08 Cuban transfer of presidential duties
Included: John Komnenos the Fat (4th appearance, last in 2015); Battle of Passchendaele (9th appearance, last in 2013; 100th anniversary); Free Derry (2nd appearance, last in 2012); Hebrew University bombing (2nd appearance, last in 2012); William Courtenay (first appearance); Doris Zinkeisen (first appearance); J. K. Rowling (first appearance)
Repeats: Battle of Cravant (2nd consecutive appearance, 3 total)

—howcheng {chat} 02:58, 31 July 2017 (UTC)[reply]

2018 notes

Deleted: Daniel Defoe (moved to May 21, the date of his arrest, and retargeted to The Shortest Way with the Dissenters)
New articles (unused): David Norris (politician)
Omitted: Battle of Cravant; Battle of Passchendaele; Free Derry/Operation Motorman; Hebrew University bombing; William Courtenay; Doris Zinkeisen; J. K. Rowling
Included: Sovereignty Restoration Day (first appearance); Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (9th appearance, last in 2016); K2 (4th appearance, last in 2014); Miami Showband killings (3rd appearance, last in 2015); Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts (2nd appearance, last in 2013); Roger Wilbraham (first appearance); Jean-Gaspard Deburau (first appearance); Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd (first appearance)
Repeats: John Komnenos the Fat (2nd consecutive appearance, 5 total)

—howcheng {chat} 17:04, 31 July 2018 (UTC)[reply]

2019 notes

New articles (unused): Gubby Allen; Bill Brown (cricketer)
Omitted: Ignatius of Loyola (ineligible—maintenance); John Komnenos the Fat; K2; Miami Showband killings; Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts; Roger Wilbraham; Jean-Gaspard Deburau; Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd
Included: Battle of Cravant (4th appearance, last in 2017); Final Solution (15th appearance, last in 2016); Apollo 15 (first appearance); 2012 India blackouts (4th appearance, last in 2017); William S. Clark (first appearance); Fred Keenor (first appearance); Hilary Putnam (first appearance)
Repeats: Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (2nd consecutive appearance, 10 total)

—howcheng {chat} 18:55, 5 August 2019 (UTC)[reply]

2020 notes

Omitted: Battle of Cravant; Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette; Final Solution; Apollo 15; 2012 India blackouts; William S. Clark; Fred Keenor; Hilary Putnam
Included: John Komnenos the Fat (6th appearance, last in 2018; rescued from Ineligible); Second Anglo-Dutch War/Treaty of Breda (1667) (both: first appearance); Battle of Passchendaele (10th appearance, last in 2017); 1954 Italian Karakoram expedition to K2 (first appearance; blurb previously featured K2, which in ineligible, and is making its 5th appearance, last in 2018); Operation Banner (3rd appearance, last in 2010; rescued from Ineligible); Friedrich Wöhler (first appearance); Gubby Allen (first appearance); David Norris (politician) (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 17:24, 1 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]

2021 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Apollo 15 (TFA for 2021-07-30)
Omitted: John Komnenos the Fat; Second Anglo-Dutch War/Treaty of Breda (1667); Battle of Passchendaele; 1954 Italian Karakoram expedition to K2/K2; Operation Banner; Friedrich Wöhler; Gubby Allen; David Norris (politician)
Included: Mount Fuji (2nd appearance, last in 2011; previously appeared on December 16); Battle of Cravant (5th appearance, last in 2019); Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (11th appearance, last in 2019); Final Solution (16th appearance, last in 2019; 80th anniversary); Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts (3rd appearance, last in 2018); William Courtenay (2nd appearance, last in 2017; 625th anniversary); Jean-Gaspard Deburau (2nd appearance, last in 2018; 225th anniversary); J. K. Rowling (2nd appearance, last in 2017)

—howcheng {chat} 07:43, 2 August 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Visual glitch in Main Page

On the main page, the links to Flag Day and Sovereignty Restoration Day do not work. Instead, they show up as [[Flag of Hawaii|Lā Hae Hawaiʻi (Flag Day)]] and [[Sovereignty Restoration Day|Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea (Sovereignty Restoration Day)]], as though <nowiki> tags were placed around them. Crossover1370 (talk | contribs) 00:41, 31 July 2022 (UTC)[reply]

I see it too. Urbanracer34 (talk) 00:43, 31 July 2022 (UTC)[reply]

2022 notes

Omitted: Mount Fuji (ineligible—maintenance); Battle of Cravant (ineligible—maintenance); Final Solution; Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts; William Courtenay; Jean-Gaspard Deburau
Included: Loss of MV Darlwyne; Operation Motorman/Free Derry/Claudy bombing (Motorman/Derry: 3rd appearance, last in 2017; Claudy: first); 50th anniversary); Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery (first appearance); 2012 India blackouts (5th appearance, last in 2019; 10th anniversary); William S. Clark (2nd appearance, last in 2019); Cho Ki-chon (first appearance)
Repeats: Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (2nd consecutive appearance, 12 total); J. K. Rowling (2nd consecutive appearance, 3 total)

—howcheng {chat} 16:59, 2 August 2022 (UTC)[reply]

2023 notes

New articles (unused): Isamu Kamikokuryo
New articles (ineligible): Electoral system of Australia (maintenance)
Omitted: Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette; Loss of MV Darlwyne; Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery; 2012 India blackouts; William S. Clark; Cho Ki-chon; J. K. Rowling
Included: Pope Sergius IV (first appearance); Treaty of Breda (1667) (2nd appearance, last in 2020); 2006–2008 Cuban transfer of presidential duties (7th appearance, last in 2016); 2014 Kaohsiung gas explosions; 2014 Kaohsiung gas explosions (first appearance); Feng Xingxi (first appearance); Marion Talbot (first appearance); José Santamaría (first appearance); Nabarun Bhattacharya (first appearance)
Repeats: Operation Motorman/Free Derry/Claudy bombing (2nd consecutive appearance; Motorman/Derry: 4 total; Claudy: 2 total)

Heart ^(talk) 04:42, 8 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]