Historical anniversaries are great for “On This Day in History” features and anniversary tie-ins. They’re popular with readers and viewers, editors and producers love them, they’re easy to research, and you can easily turn them into newspaper and magazine articles, films, TV/radio/theater shows, and more.
Here are 30 newsworthy and notable historical anniversaries coming up in June 2021 (so you have time to write about them!)
We’ve randomly picked one anniversary for each day of the month from The Date-A-Base Book 2021. You’ll find hundreds more in the book. The 2022 edition is also available.
Jun 1, 1946 – 75 years ago
Television licences were introduced in Britain.
Jun 2, 1946 – 75 years ago
Italy – Republic Day: in a referendum the people of Italy voted to abolish the monarchy and become a republic.
(The monarchy was officially abolished on June 12th and King Umberto II was forced into exile.)
Jun 3, 1956 – 65 years ago
British Rail changed the name of its Third Class service to Second Class.
(Second Class had been abolished in 1875, leaving First Class and Third Class. Second Class was renamed Standard Class in May 1987.)
Jun 4, 1896 – 125 years ago
Henry Ford completed work on his first petrol-powered automobile and gave it a successful test run around Detroit, Michigan.
It was a simple frame with an engine, 2 gears, a tiller for steering, and 4 bicycle wheels. It had a top speed of 20 mph. He named it the Ford Quadricycle. Its success let him to establish the Ford Motor Company.
Jun 5, 1981 – 40 years ago
First report of AIDS: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA reported that 5 homosexual men in Los Angeles were suffering from a rare form of pneumonia found in patients with weakened immune systems. They were later recognized as the first official AIDS cases.
Jun 6, 1946 – 75 years ago
The Basketball Association of America (now the National Basketball Association) was founded.
Jun 7, 1896 – 125 years ago
Birth of Robert S. Mulliken, American physicist and chemist.
Noted for his fundamental work on the structure of molecules. Winner of the 1966 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Jun 8, 1896 – 125 years ago
The world’s first automobile theft. Baron de Zuylen’s Peugeot was stolen by a mechanic when he took it back to the manufacturer in Paris, France for repairs. It was found in a nearby town.
Jun 9, 1946 – 75 years ago
Death of Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII), King of Siam/Thailand (1935–46).
Found shot dead in his bedroom – probable homicide. Succeeded by Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX).
Jun 10, 1921 – 100 years ago
Birth of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
Jun 11 to 15, 1991 – 30 years ago
Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, erupted. The eruption was 10 times bigger than Mount St. Helens in 1980. 847 people were killed, mostly by roofs collapsing under the weight of wet ash. Hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural land and forests were destroyed.
Jun 12, 1981 – 40 years ago
The first Indiana Jones movie Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in the USA. (UK: July 30th.)
Jun 13, 1971 – 50 years ago
The New York Times began publishing a series of revelations from the Pentagon Papers – a top secret report on America’s involvement in Vietnam. This proved deeply embarrassing to U.S. President Richard Nixon, whose attempts to discredit the person who leaked the report formed part of the Watergate Scandal.
Jun 14, 1946 – 75 years ago
Death of John Logie Baird, Scottish engineer who pioneered the invention and development of television.
Jun 15, 1996 – 25 years ago
The center of Manchester, UK was devastated by an IRA bomb. 200 people were injured and the city center had to be redeveloped because of the immense amount of damage.
Jun 16, 1971 – 50 years ago
Death of John Reith, (Lord Reith), 1st Baron Reith, Scottish business executive and politician. Manager and Director General of the BBC in its formative years. He also formed BOAC (now British Airways).
Jun 17, 1946 – 75 years ago
The first mobile phone service in the USA was inaugurated in St. Louis, Missouri. The service used radio telephones installed in cars, allowing them to connect to the land line network. The equipment weighed around 80 pounds (36 kg).
Jun 18, 1621 – 400 years ago
The first duel in America. Two servants, Edward Doty and Edward Leister, of the Massachusetts Colony in New England duelled with a sword and dagger. Both received minor injuries.
Jun 19, 1846 – 175 years ago
The first recorded baseball game between two competing teams playing under modern rules: the New York Base Ball Club (the “New York nine”) beat the New York Knickerbockers 23 – 1 at Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Jun 20, 1941 – 80 years ago
The U.S. Army Air Forces was established, replacing the U.S. Army Air Corps. (In September 1947 it became the U.S. Air Force.)
Jun 21, 1921 – 100 years ago
Birth of Jane Russell, American movie actress. One of Hollywood’s biggest stars and sex symbols of the 1940s and 50s. (Died 2011.)
Jun 22 to Dec 5, 1941 – 80 years ago
World War II: Operation Barbarossa – the German invasion of the Soviet Union. The largest military operation in history.
Soviet victory – the German invaders were repelled when they reached Moscow and were then driven out of the country by a Soviet counter-attack.
Jun 23, 1961 – 60 years ago
The Antarctic Treaty came into effect. It established Antarctica as a scientific preserve and banned military activity.
Jun 24, 1771 – 250 years ago
Birth of Éleuthère Irénée du Pont, French-born American chemist and industrialist. Founder of DuPont.
June 25, 1846 – 175 years ago
Britain’s Corn Laws were repealed. Trade tariffs and import restrictions on imported grain were lifted.
Jun 26, 1721 – 300 years ago
The first smallpox inoculations in America. Following a smallpox outbreak in Boston, Massachusetts, Dr Zabdiel Boylston applied pus from a smallpox sore to a small wound on 248 people. The technique had been tried and tested in Africa but was scorned by other American physicians. There were threats on his life and he was forced into hiding.
Jun 27, 1871 – 150 years ago
Japan adopted the yen as its currency.
Jun 28, 1846 – 175 years ago
Belgian musical instrument maker Adolphe Sax patented the saxophone.
Jun 29, 1956 – 65 years ago
The Federal Aid Highway Act came into effect in the USA. It authorized the construction of the Interstate Highway System – the largest public works project in U.S. history at that time. (Construction was meant to take 10 – 12 years but it actually took 35 years. The system was finally declared complete in October 1992.)
Jun 30, 1921 – 100 years ago
Capital punishment was abolished in Sweden.
More anniversaries:
You’ll find hundreds more anniversaries for this month in The Date-A-Base Book 2021. The 2022 edition is also available if you need to work further ahead. Find out more at ideas4writers.com.