June 2nd in History

Michael Dobson | June 2
“Witch Hill,” or “The Salem Martyr,” by Thomas Slatterwhite Noble, 1869.
(Collection of the New York Historical Society)

 Today in History

  • Rome is sacked by the Vandals (455)
  • The first accused Salem witch goes on trial (1692)
  • Parliament imposes the Quartering Act on the American colonies, one of the “Intolerable Acts” that triggered revolution (1744)
  • The Portland (Maine) Rum Riots, a protest against bans on the sale of alcohol, begin (1855)
  • Grover Cleveland becomes the first (and only) US President to get married in the White House (1886)
  • Guglielmo Marconi applies for a patent for the radio (1896)
  • Native Americans become official citizens of the United States (1924)
  • Elizabeth II is crowned Queen (1953)
  • Surveyor 1 lands on the Moon (1966)
  • Timothy McVeigh is convicted for the Oklahoma City bombing (1997)
  • Ken Jennings begins his winning streak on Jeopardy! (2004)

 

Birthdays

  • Martha Washington, first lady (1731)
  • Marquis de Sade, philosopher and writer (1740)
  • Alessandro Cagliostro, occultist (1743)
  • Thomas Hardy, author and poet (1840)
  • Edward Elgar, composer (1857)
  • Johnny Weismuller, swimmer and actor (1904)
  • Tex Schramm, sports magnate (1920)
  • Norton Juster, author (1929)
  • Pete Conrad, astronaut (1930)
  • Sally Kellerman, actress (1937)
  • Ron Ely, actor (1838)
  • Stacy Keach, actor (1941)
  • Charlie Watts, drummer (1941)
  • Marvin Hamlisch, composer (1944)
  • Jon Peters, producer (1845)
  • Lasse Hallström, filmmaker (1846)
  • Peter Sutcliffe, serial killer (1846)
  • Jerry Mathers, actor (1848)
  • Cornel West, author and academic (1953)
  • Dana Carvey, comedian (1955)
  • Wayne Brady, actor and singer (1972)
  • Zachary Quinto, actor (1977)
  • Nikki Cox, actress (1978)

Deaths

  • Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italian general and politician (1882)
  • Lou Gehrig, baseball player (1941)
  • Jean Hersholt, director (1956)
  • George S. Kaufman, playwright (1961)
  • Vita Sackville-West, poet (1962)
  • Leo Gorcey, actor (1969)
  • Bruce McLaren, racer and car designer (1970)
  • Jim Hutton, actor (1979)
  • Sammy Kaye, bandleader (1987)
  • Rex Harrison, actor (1990)
  • Amos Tversky, psychologist (1996)
  • Imogene Coca, actress and comedian (2001)
  • Bo Diddley, blues musician (2008)
  • David Eddings, fantasy writer (2009)
  • Richard Dawson, actor and game show host (2012)

Holidays and Celebrations

 

  • Children’s Day (North Korea)
  • Civil Aviation Day (Azerbaijan)
  • Day of Hristo Botev (Bulgaria)
  • Decoration Day (Canada)
  • Festa della Repubblica (Italy)
  • International Whores’ Day
Informal and made-up holidays include National Bubba Day and Yell “Fudge” at the Cobras in North America Day.
• • •
June 2 is the 153rd day of the year (154th in leap years). There are 212 days remaining until the end of the year.