This Day In History

On June 25, 1876, Civil War veteran George A. Custer died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The battle became one of the most famous defeats in US Army history, but its deeper story was about land, broken promises, and Native nations fighting to protect their way of life.

One of America’s first modern artists, Stuart Davis died on June 24, 1964.  Davis earned national acclaim for his proto-pop paintings that were inspired by jazz and his strong political beliefs.

On June 23, 2004, the USPS issued the first stamps in its Art of Disney Series. The USPS worked with Disney artists to create this whimsical series of stamps, with each year featuring a different theme.

On June 22, 1942, Congress formally adopted the Pledge of Allegiance. However, the familiar words recited today would not take their final form until more than a decade later.

On June 16, 1963, Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space. The 26-year-old former textile worker circled Earth 48 times during a demanding solo flight that lasted nearly three days.

On May 12, 1820, nurse and social reformer Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. Her work during the Crimean War made her famous – but she’s best remembered today for her efforts to make health care safer. Her birthday later became a lasting day of recognition for health care, inspiring observances such as International Nurses Day and the original National Hospital Day.

On May 9, 1994, Nelson Mandela was elected South Africa’s first black president. After decades of apartheid, prison, protest, and negotiation, the vote marked a turning point few South Africans had believed they would live to see.

On May 2, 1952, the world’s first commercial jet airliner, the de Havilland Comet 1, began its maiden airline service from London to Johannesburg. The flight opened a new chapter in passenger travel, showing that jet power could move paying customers faster and higher than piston-engine airliners. Commercial aviation entered the jet age.

America’s first joint issue stamp was created to honor the completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The US and Canada worked together to create the seaway to connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller was born on June 26, 1898, in West Point, Virginia. The most decorated Marine in US history, Puller stands as a symbol of esprit de corps.

On June 26, 1948, the first supply-filled planes departed bases in England and Western Germany as part of the Berlin Airlift.

On June 26, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Firearms Act of 1934 into law. The act placed a tax on the manufacture and transfer of certain firearms, with new stamps being produced to show the tax had been paid.