June 24th in History

Michael Dobson | June 24

Artist’s conception of the first widely reported modern UFO sighting, made by Kenneth Arnold near Mt. Rainier, Washington, on June 24, 1947.

Today in History

  • Henry VIII is crowned King of England (1509)
  • The first Masonic Grand Lodge is founded in London (1717)
  • Napoleon begins his invasion of Russia (1812)
  • Kenneth Arnold makes the first widely reported UFO sighting near Mt. Rainier, Washington (1947)
  • Silvio Berlusconi is found guilty of abuse of power and sex with a minor (2013)

Birthdays

  • John of Capistrano, saint (1386)
  • John of the Cross, mystic and saint (1542)
  • Henry Ward Beecher, abolitionist (1813)
  • Ambrose Bierce, journalist and author (1842)
  • Roy O. Disney, businessman (1893)
  • Jack Dempsey, boxer (1895)
  • Phil Harris, singer and cartoon voice (1904)
  • Fred Hoyle, astronomer and author (1915)
  • Al Molinaro, actor (1919)
  • Sam Jones, basketball player (1933)
  • Michele Lee, actress and singer (1942)
  • Jeff Beck, singer-songwriter and guitarist (1944)
  • George Pataki, politician (1945)
  • Robert Reich, economist (1946)
  • Mick Fleetwood, drummer (1947)
  • Peter Weller, actor (1947)
  • Nancy Allen, actress (1950)
  • Mercedes Lackey, author (1950)
  • Mindy Kaling, actress and producer (1979)

Deaths

  • Lucrezia Borgia, duchess (1519)
  • Edward de Vere, earl and alleged Shakespeare (1604)
  • Grover Cleveland, US president (1908)
  • Willy Ley, science popularizer (1969)
  • Jackie Gleason, actor (1987)
  • Brian Keith, actor (1997)
  • Paul Winchell, ventriloquist (2005)
  • Lonesome George, tortoise (2012)
  • Eli Wallach, actor (2014)

Holidays and Celebrations

  • Army Day (Venezuela)
  • Bannockburn Day (Scotland)
  • Celebration of the Senses Day
  • Day of the Caboclo (Amazonas, Brazil)
  • Feast of Rahman (Bahá’í)
  • International Fairy Day
  • Inti Raymi (Sacsayhuamán)
  • St. John’s Day (Roman Catholic Church)
  • Enyovden (Bulgaria)
  • Jaanipäev (Estonia)
  • Jónsmessa (Iceland)
  • Joninés (Lithuania)
  • Sânziene (western Carpathian Mountains of Romania)
June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years). There are 190 days remaining until the end of the year.