Happy Flag Day!
On June 14, 1777, Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States. Over time, this date became known as Flag Day, with it becoming an official national event in 1949.
American History
The Comstock Lode
June 12, 1859, is generally accepted as the re-discovery date of the Comstock Lode. Gold and silver had been found in the area as early as 1850 by emigrants on their way to California. It proved to be the richest silver lode in the US, with miners collecting nearly seven million tons of silver over the next two decades.
Kamehameha Day
On June 11, 1872, Hawaii celebrated its first Kamehameha Day, in honor of the king who united the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Secretariat Wins the Triple Crown
On June 9, 1973, Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes race, becoming the first U.S. Triple Crown winner in 25 years.
The Lions Club Hold First National Meeting
On June 7, 1917, the Lions Club held their first national meeting in Chicago. The oldest continuously operating Lions Club was established on January 18, 1916, in Austin, Texas.
The Arkansas River Navigation System
On June 5, 1971, the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) was officially dedicated after decades of work. One of the largest civil works projects up to that time, it accounts for more than $1billion in trade transportation each for Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Aleutian Islands Campaign
One June 3, 1942, Japanese forces kicked of the 14-month Aleutian Islands Campaign. The campaign’s two Japanese invasions were the only ones on US soil during the war.
Birth of Patricia Roberts Harris
Patricia Roberts Harris was born on May 31, 1924, in Mattoon, Illinois. Harris achieved several firsts in her life. She was the first black woman to serve as an American ambassador, serve in the US Cabinet, be dean of a law school, and sit on the board of directors of a Fortune 500 company.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
On May 30, 1854, President Franklin Pierce signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act into law. The act had been created to settle tensions over slavery and open new lands for development, but instead only proved to create more division and move America closer to Civil War.