July 1979 - Susan B. Anthony, Skylab

Ringing in July 1979!

A number one hit on the Cash Box Top 100 list in July 1979 was 'Ring My Bell' by Anita Ward.

July 2 – The Susan B. Anthony dollar is introduced in the U.S.

July 3 – President Jimmy Carter signs the first directive for secret aid to the opponents of the pro-Soviet regime in Kabul.

July 4 – Theodora Kroeber, writer and anthropologist, dies. (b. 1897)

July 6 – Van McCoy, musician noted for his 1975 hit The Hustle, dies. (b. 1940)

July 8 – Los Angeles passes its gay and lesbian civil rights bill.

July 8 - Robert Burns Woodward, chemist, Nobel Prize laureate, dies. (b. 1917)

July 10 – Arthur Fiedler, conductor (Boston Pops), dies. (b. 1894)

July 11 – NASA's first orbiting space station Skylab begins its return to Earth, after being in orbit for 6 years and 2 months.

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July 12 – A Disco Demolition Night publicity stunt goes awry at Comiskey Park, forcing the Chicago White Sox to forfeit their game against the Detroit Tigers.

July 12 – Minnie Riperton, rhythm and blues singer (Lovin' You), dies. (b. 1947)

July 13 – Corinne Griffith, actress and author, dies. (b. 1894)

July 13 - Breaking Away, Dracula, The Frisco Kid and The Wanderers movies premiere.

July 17 – Nicaraguan dictator General Anastasio Somoza Debayle resigns and flees to Miami, Florida.

July 19 – The Sandinista National Liberation Front concludes a successful revolutionary campaign against the U.S. backed Somoza dictatorship and assumes power in Nicaragua.

July 27 - The Amityville Horror and The Villain movies premiere.

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July 28 – George Seaton, screenwriter and director, dies. (b. 1911)

July 31 - Detective School tv series debuts on ABC.  Starring James Gregory, Randolph Mantooth, LaWanda Page and Melinda Naud, this show lasted 13 episodes.

Black Barbie (released 1979):

Super Friends comic for July:

1979 Volkswagen bus:

Playboy playmate of the month, Dorothy Mays, and Playgirl man for July, Eric Hooper:

Albums released in July (album / artist):
The B-52's / The B-52's
Low Budget / The Kinks
Nine Lives / REO Speedwagon
Highway to Hell / AC/DC
John Cougar / John Cougar
Risqué / Chic

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Nielsen top shows for the week ending July 15th: 1 M •A•S •H CBS; 2 WKRP In Cincinnati CBS; 3 Three's Company ABC; 4 Taxi ABC; 5 Lou Grant CBS; 6 The Jeffersons CBS; 7 Laverne and Shirley ABC; 8 60 Minutes CBS; 9 Alice CBS; 10 Dukes of Hazzard CBS; 11 Dallas CBS; 12 Eight Is Enough ABC; 13 Charlie's Angels ABC; 14 One Day at a Time CBS; 15 Barney Miller ABC.

Jet magazine for July:

Joe Weider's Muscle magazine for July:

National Geographic for July:

'Sophie's Choice' by William Styron is at the top of the New York Times Best Seller list.

Garfield comic strip from July 1979:

For detailed news/info on what happened each day in July 1979, check out this really good site:  ultimate70s.com