Father’s Day
On June 19, 1910, one of the first Father’s Day celebrations was held at the YMCA in Spokane, Washington. It would be another 62 years before it was made a permanent national holiday.
This Day in History
Birth of James Montgomery Flagg
Noted artist and illustrator James Montgomery Flagg was born on June 18, 1877, in Pelham Manor, New York. He painted dozens of memorable posters, book covers, magazine covers, and more, with the most notable being his interpretation of Uncle Sam.
Birth of James W. Johnson
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.
Birth of Barbara McClintock
Barbara McClintock was born Eleanor McClintock on June 16, 1902, in Hartford, Connecticut. She’s the first, and to date only woman to receive an unshared Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, for her discovery of transposition, or genetic “switches” in genes.
Happy Birthday, John McCormack
Irish tenor John McCormack was born on June 14, 1884, in Athlone, Ireland. Eventually becoming an American citizen, he was internationally renowned for his singing abilities and breath control.
Lafayette Arrives in America
On June 13, 1777, the Marquis de Lafayette arrived in America to offer his services in the Revolutionary War. He would become like a son to George Washington and was soon known as “the hero of two worlds.”
Birth of George H.W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush was born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts. As America’s 41st president, he led the US through conflicts in Panama and Iraq, helped bring about the end of the Soviet Union, and negotiated treaties to reduce the number of global nuclear weapons. At home, Bush fought against rising drug use and cracked down on the drug trade.
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park was established on June 11, 1940, along the Kentucky-Virginia border. The park preserves and honors the “first great gateway to the West.”
Webster’s Stamp Proposal
On June 10, 1840, Senator Daniel Webster submitted a resolution to the US Congress recommending that the US issue stamps. He was inspired by the success of Britain’s recently issued Penny Black, and proposed the US follow their example.