June 9th in History

Donald Duck debuts in “The Wise Little Hen,” June 9, 1934

Today in History

  • The first trans-Pacific flight is completed by Charles Kingsford Smith in his Fokker Trimotor Southern Cross (1928)
  • Donald Duck debuts (1934)
  • McCarthy Hearings: US Army counsel lashes out at Senator Joseph McCarthy, saying,  “You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” (1954)
  • Six-Day War: Israel captures the Golan Heights from Syria (1967)
  • Secretariat wins the Triple Crown (1973)
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) ends its policy of excluding black men from the priesthood (1978)

Birthdays

  • Пётр I Вели́кий (Peter the Great), Emperor of All Russia (1672 — O.S.* 30 May)
  • Samuel Slater, “father of the American Industrial Revolution” (1768)
  • George Stephenson, “father of railways” (1781)
  • Cole Porter, composer (1891)
  • Fred Waring, bandleader and blender namesake (1900)
  • Robert Cummings, actor (1910)
  • Les Paul, guitarist (1915)
  • Robert McNamara, Defense secretary (1916)
  • Keith Laumer, science fiction writer (1925)
  • Jackie Wilson, singer-songwriter (1934)
  • Dick Vitale, sportscaster (1939)
  • Joe Haldeman, science fiction writer (1943)
  • George Pérez, comics artist (1954)
  • Patricia Cornwell, mystery author (1956)
  • Michael J. Fox, actor (1961)
  • Aaron Sorkin, screenwriter and producer (1961)
  • Johnny Depp, actor (1963)
  • Natalie Portman, actress (1981)

* Because Russia converted from the “old style” Julian calendar to the Gregorian in 1918, well after the rest of Europe, some historical figures have their dates of birth and death traditionally listed using both calendar systems.

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Deaths

  • Nero, Roman emperor (68)
  • Charles Dickens, author (1870)
  • John Creasey, mystery author (1973)
  • Allen Ludden, game show host (1981)
  • Alexis Smith, actress (1993)
  • Algis Budrys, science fiction writer (2008)
  • Iain Banks, science fiction writer (2013)

Holidays and Celebrations

  • Autonomy Day (Åland Islands)
  • Georgian Charter Day (Georgia — US state)
  • Dia de La Rioja (La Rioja)
  • Murcia Day (Murcia)
  • National Heroes’ Day (Uganda)
  • Senior Citizens Day (Oklahoma)
  • St. Columba’s Day (Scotland)
  • St. Cyril of Alexandria Day (Orthodox Christianity)
  • Vesalia (ancient Rome)
Informal and made-up holidays include Denture Day (first patent for false teeth, June 9, 1822), Feast of the Birth of the White-Breasted Giantess, Monkey Spank Day, National Women in Agriculture Day, Profess Your Love Day, Purple People Eater Day (song reached #1 on June 9, 1958), Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day, Turpentine Festival Day, and Writer’s Rights Day.
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June 9 is the 160th day of the year (161st in leap years). There are 205 days remaining until the end of the year.