This Day In History

On June 1, 1792, Kentucky became America’s 15th state and the first state west of the Appalachian Mountains. Its admission marked a new stage in the nation’s growth, as settlers pushed through mountain passes into a region long valued for its rivers, forests, wildlife, and rich farmland.

On May 31, 1864, forces assembled in Virginia for the bloody Battle of Cold Harbor. The clash became one of the final major battles of Grant’s Overland Campaign against Robert E. Lee.

Bandleader Benjamin David Goodman was born on May 30, 1909, in Chicago, Illinois. Also a renowned clarinetist, he’s considered the “King of Swing.”

On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island became the last of the original 13 colonies to ratify the US Constitution. The vote was close, but it brought the smallest state into the new nation as the 13th state.

On April 30, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as America’s first president. The ceremony in New York City marked the formal beginning of the new federal government created by the Constitution and placed the Revolutionary War hero at the head of a nation still finding its footing.

On April 4, 1841, President William Henry Harrison died of pneumonia, just one month after his inauguration. His sudden death ended the shortest presidency in US history and raised immediate questions about presidential succession.

On March 31, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), putting thousands of unemployed young men to work almost immediately. The program became one of the earliest and most visible efforts of the New Deal, addressing both economic hardship and environmental need with practical, measurable results.

On March 16, 1986, Freedom of Information Day was established to celebrate the public’s right to access government records. The date was chosen to honor the birthday of James Madison, a key author of the Constitution who strongly believed that informed citizens are essential to a functioning democracy.

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.

On June 2, 1953, the coronation ceremony for Queen Elizabeth II attracted worldwide attention. Though she never expected to become queen, she went on to become Britain’s longest reigning monarch.

America’s first First Lady was born Martha Dandridge on June 2, 1731 (by the Old Style calendar), on her parents’ Chestnut Grove Plantation near Williamsburg, Virginia. After leading several initiatives to involve women in the Revolutionary War, Martha established many of the responsibilities and traditions of the office of first lady.