This Day In History

Today, June 5th

Recent stories…

1994 29¢ World War II; Allies Free Rome and Paris
June 4, 1944

Allies Free Rome

On June 4, 1944, Allied troops entered Rome, Italy, freeing it from German control. The city’s liberation came after months of hard fighting over mountains, across rivers, and in bad weather, against strong German defenses.

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#CSA1 - 1861 5c Confederate States,Jefferson Davis, green, soft paper, imperforate stamp
June 3, 1808

Birth of Jefferson Davis 

Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America, was born on June 3, 1808, in Fairview, Kentucky.

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# 1744 - 1978 13c Black Heritage: Harriet Tubman
June 2, 1863

Raid on Combahee Ferry

On June 2, 1863, Harriet Tubman helped lead a daring Union raid on South Carolina’s Combahee Ferry. The raid succeeded in capturing supplies, damaging Confederate defenses, and freeing over 750 people.

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# 2967 - 1995 32c Legends of Hollywood: Marilyn Monroe
June 1, 1995

Legends of Hollywood Series

On June 1, 1995, the USPS issued the first stamp in its long-running Legends of Hollywood Series. The stamp, honoring Marilyn Monroe, was the best-selling stamp of the year.

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More Politics stories…

#CSA1 - 1861 5c Confederate States,Jefferson Davis, green, soft paper, imperforate stamp
June 3, 1808

Birth of Jefferson Davis 

Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America, was born on June 3, 1808, in Fairview, Kentucky.

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# 2343 - 1988 25c Bicentenary Statehood: South Carolina Statehood
May 23, 1788

South Carolina Admitted to the Union

On May 23, 1788, South Carolina ratified the Constitution, making it America’s eighth state.

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1862 - 1984 20c Great Americans: Harry S. Truman
May 8, 1884

Birth of Harry Truman

President Harry S. Truman was born in Lamar, Missouri on May 8, 1884. America’s 33rd president, he led America through the final months of WWII and the early years of the Cold War.

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752 - 1935 3c Peace of 1783 Sesquicentennial, no gum
March 15, 1935

Farley’s Follies 

On March 15, 1935, the US Post Office reissued 20 stamps known as “Farley’s Special Printings,” which were the result of the biggest stamp scandal of the time – “Farley’s Follies.”

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More stories from June 5th…

2012 45¢ O. Henry
June 5, 1910

Death of O. Henry

On June 5, 1910, American author O. Henry died in New York City. A prolific writer of short stories, he’s best known for his work, “The Gift of the Magi.”

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#2938 - 1995 46c Great Americans: Ruth Benedict
June 5, 1887

Birth of Ruth Benedict

Anthropologist Ruth Fulton Benedict was born on June 5, 1887, in New York City, New York. Benedict developed her own theories on culture and conducted special research for the US government during World War II.

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# 2341 - 1988 22c Bicentenary Statehood: Massachusetts
June 5, 1978

Lowell National Historical Park

On June 5, 1978, Lowell National Historical Park was founded in Massachusetts. Lowell has been called the “Cradle of the American Industrial Revolution,” for the important role it played in the rise of America’s textile industry.

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# 1358 - 1968 6c Arkansas River Navigation
June 5, 1971

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.

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