This Day In History

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 June 15, 1864, Ulysses S. Grant launched the Siege of Petersburg. The long struggle that followed stretched Union and Confederate forces across miles of trenches and helped decide the final months of the Civil War.

On June 14, 1846, California settlers staged the Bear Flag Revolt in rebellion against the Mexican government. Their handmade flag, painted with a grizzly bear and a single star, gave the short-lived California Republic its symbol and later inspired the state flag still used today.

On June 13, 1974, the US issued its first stamps designed in a diamond format, honoring America’s Mineral Heritage. The four bright 10¢ stamps turned ordinary minerals into miniature works of art and gave rock collectors a long-awaited place in US postal history.

On April 29, 1947, the United States issued its first aerogram, then called an air letter sheet. It was a simple folded sheet of paper, but it offered Americans a cheaper and faster way to send personal messages overseas in the growing age of air travel.

On April 23, 1976, the USPS issued the first regular postage stamp to include a service indicator. While most Americans would never use it or notice it, the 7.9-cent Drum coil stamp quietly solved a problem that had complicated bulk mailing for decades.

On April 15, 1926, Charles Lindbergh made his first airmail flight, launching a new contract route between Chicago and St. Louis. Just over a year later, that same young pilot would become world famous—but on this morning, he was focused on carrying the mail safely and on schedule.

On April 9, 1921, Postmaster General Will H. Hays took an extraordinary step: he ordered the arming of postal workers who handled the nation’s most valuable mail. The order came after a sharp rise in armed robberies, when trains, mail cars, and postal employees had become targets for thieves looking for cash, securities, and registered mail.

On June 17, 1775, American colonists inflicted heavy British casualties in their loss at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Showing that the inexperienced colonial militias could stand up against the well-trained British, It raised morale and increased support for independence.

On June 17, 1898, the prized Trans-Mississippi stamps were issued as part of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in Omaha, Nebraska.

Journalist and writer John Hersey was born on June 17, 1914, in Tientsin, China. He accompanied the Army on several operations in World War II and is best remembered for his collection of stories from survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima.

James Weldon Johnson was born on June 17, 1871, in Jacksonville, Florida.  A poet, songwriter, diplomat, and activist, he was the first African American executive secretary of the NAACP.