The Series of 1851-57
On July 1, 1851, several stamps from America’s second series of postage stamps were issued. These new stamps were issued to meet reduced postal rates that practically eliminated distance as a factor.
This Day in History
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Birth of Bernard Herrmann
Composer Bernard Herrmann was born Maximillian Herman on June 29, 1911, in New York City, New York. He famously worked with Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, and Martin Scorsese, and is often considered one of the most influential and pioneering composers in cinema history.
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Battle of Monmouth
On June 28, 1778, US and British forces clashed at Monmouth Court House, New Jersey. While the battle was inconclusive, it produced one of the war’s most notable legend – Molly Pitcher.
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Birth of Pearl S. Buck
Author Pearl Sydenstricker Buck was born on June 26, 1892, in Hillsboro, West Virginia. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1932, the Nobel Prize in 1938, and was the only woman at that time to receive both honors.
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Birth of Rose O’Neill
Illustrator and writer Rose Cecil O’Neill was born on June 25, 1874, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. O’Neill was the highest-paid female illustrator of her time, most famous for creating Kewpie, the most well-known cartoon character until Mickey Mouse.
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U.S. Captures Okinawa
On June 21, 1945, US troops captured Okinawa from the Japanese. It was the last major WWII battle in the Pacific and has been called the “typhoon of steel” for the fierce fighting, intense kamikaze attacks, and large number of Allied ships and vehicles that assaulted the island.
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Birth of Charles W. Chesnutt
Charles Waddell Chesnutt was born on June 20, 1858, in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a critically-acclaimed author and the first African American novelist to have his work published in the prestigious Atlantic Monthly Magazine.
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Birth of Igor Stravinsky
Composer Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was born on June 17, 1882 (or June 5 in the Old Style), in Oranienbaum, Russia (present-day Lomonosov). He is considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.
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First Kentucky Settlement
On June 16, 1774, James Harrod led 31 men in the founding of the first permanent settlement in Kentucky. Over time the settlement was named Fort Harrod, Harrodstown, and finally Harrodsburg, in his honor.
