Cartier Explores St. Lawrence River
On June 9, 1534, Jacques Cartier became the first European explorer to travel the St. Lawrence River.
This Day in History
First and Only Delivery of US Missile Mail
On June 8, 1959, the US Post Office Department launched its experimental missile mail in an attempt to find a faster method of mail delivery.
Birth of Gwendolyn Brooks
Poet, author, and teacher Gwendolyn Brooks was born on June 7, 1917, in Topeka, Kansas. The poet laureate of Illinois, she was the first Black American writer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.
Dr. Paul Dudley White
Doctor Paul Dudley White was born on June 6, 1886, in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Often considered the founder of preventive cardiology, he helped to found the American Heart Association and later served as its president.
Bobby Kennedy Assassinated
Robert F. (Bobby) Kennedy was shot by an assassin on June 5, 1968, hours after delivering his victory speech in the California primary. He died from his wounds early the next day.
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.
Birth of Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America, was born on June 3, 1808, in Fairview, Kentucky.
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.
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.