June 19
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Freedom finally arrived for the enslaved residents of Texas
“The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, ‘all slaves are free.’ ” So began General Order No. 3, a decree delivered by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger on this day in 1865, to the residents of Galveston, Texas. The order informed both enslavers and the enslaved alike that the Emancipation Proclamation freed the enslaved peoples living in Confederate territories. Commemorating this historic day and the end of slavery in the United States, the first Juneteenth (a combination of the words June and nineteenth) celebrations began in Texas in 1866 and spread widely as Black Texans moved about the country. Juneteenth National Independence Day became a federal holiday in 2021.
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National Archives, Washington, D.C. (id # 182778372); Photo Illustration Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Featured Event
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers, led by star LeBron James, defeated the Golden State Warriors in a thrilling game seven to claim the franchise’s first NBA title.
Featured Biography
Featured Biography
Richard Vogel—AP/Shutterstock.com
Myanmar democratic and human rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of Aung San (a martyred national hero) and Khin Kyi (a prominent diplomat), was born this day in 1945 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
Famous Birthdays
More on June 19
© Barry Wetcher/HBO
2013
American actor James Gandolfini, who was best known for his portrayal of Mafia boss and family man Tony Soprano in the HBO drama series The Sopranos (1999–2007), died of a heart attack while vacationing in Rome. [Take our quiz about actors and acting.]
Rob Taggartmdash;Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
1963
Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to travel in space, returned to Earth in the spacecraft Vostok 6. [Test your knowledge of famous astronauts and cosmonauts.]
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
1961
Great Britain recognized Kuwait’s independence. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about the Middle East.]
AP Images
1953
After the failure of court appeals and of a worldwide campaign for mercy, husband and wife Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were put to death, becoming the first American civilians to be executed for espionage. [Read about 10 famous names in the espionage game.]
U.S. Navy/National Archives/Navy Historical Center (Digital Photo Number: 80-G-236955)
1944
During World War II the Japanese Combined Fleet and the U.S. Fifth Fleet engaged in a major air-and-sea battle, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, which ended the next day with a U.S. victory. [Sort fact from fiction in our World War II quiz.]
Image: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
1934
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was organized in the United States. [Take our quiz about American history and politics.]
Image: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
1910
The first Father’s Day was celebrated, in Spokane, Washington.
AP
1903
Lou Gehrig (the “Iron Horse”), one of the most-durable players in American professional baseball and one of its great hitters, was born. [Test your knowledge of baseball.]
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
1896
American socialite Wallis Warfield—who became the wife of Prince Edward, duke of Windsor (Edward VIII), after the latter abdicated the British throne in order to marry her—was born. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about English royalty.]
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
1867
The emperor of Mexico, Maximilian, was executed by a firing squad. [Take our quiz about Latin American history.]
© Marilyn Gould/Dreamstime.com
1846
Alexander Joy Cartwright arranged a baseball game between the New York Knickerbockers and the New York Nine at Hoboken, New Jersey—the first baseball game to use the set of rules on which today’s game is based. [How much do you know about baseball?]