What Happened in June?

President Eisenhower rejects isolationism in the Cold War. More

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed by electrocution at Sing Sing Prison in New York. They had been found guilty of providing vital information on the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. More

The first Chevrolet Corvette rolls off the assembly line at a General Motors plant in Flint, Michigan, marking the beginning of production for the iconic American sports car. Only 300 Corvettes were produced that first year, all of which were Polo White convertibles with red interiors. The early Corvettes were essentially hand-built, with a rudimentary production line set up in a former customer delivery building. More

The words "under God" are added to the Pledge of Allegiance. The phrase was added by an Act of Congress and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The original Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy a Baptist minister, in August 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country. The Pledge was published in the September 8th issue of The Youth's Companion. The addition of the words "under God" was intended to distinguish the United States from atheistic communism during the Cold War and to emphasize the religious heritage of the United States.

Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman resigns under pressure from a clandestine CIA operation which had been approved by U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower, leading to a military take over led by Colonel Castillo Armas with assistance from CIA trained soldiers. Armas authoritarian government was closely allied with the United States. His authoritarian rule ended with his assassination in 1957. More

Detroit builds the last Packard that was actually designed by Packard. The name lived on for two more years on re-named Studebakers built in Indiana. More

The first birth control pill, Enovid, is made available for purchase in the United States. Originally approved by the FDA on May 9, 1960, The approval limited its use to no more than two years. Nine years later, in 1969 Barbara Seaman’s book, “The Doctor’s Case Against the Pill,” show testimony and research showing that the high doses of estrogen in the early Pill put women at risk of blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, and cancer. History of Birth Control in the U.S.

Madagascar Independence Day from France. More

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Independence Day from Belgium. It is also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo. Located in Central Africa, it is the second-largest country in Africa by land area and the 11th-largest in the world. It 2025 estimated population is 112 million.

Kuwait gains full independence from the United Kingdom. This followed the termination of the Anglo-Kuwaiti Treaty of 1899, which had established a British protectorate over Kuwait. While the UK recognized Kuwait's independence in 1961, Iraq did not formally recognize Kuwait's independence and borders until October 1963.

The Antarctic Treaty officially entered into force on June 23, 1961, to regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica, "all land and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude parallel". The 12 original signatories were Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the USSR, the United Kingdom and the United States. 

Western Samoan islands independence day. The Western Samoan Islands became independent from New Zealand on January 1, 1962 as Western Samoa, later known as Samoa, but celebrates its independence day on June 1 to avoid it coinciding with New Year's Day and to allow for better weather for the celebrations, since January falls in the rainy season.

Samoa Independence Day. While independence was achieved on January 1,  Samoa celebrates its independence day on June 1 to avoid it coinciding with New Year's Day and to allow for better weather for the celebrations, since January falls in the rainy season. 

Two African American students, Vivian Malone and James Hood registered for classes at the University despite then-Gov. George C. Wallace’s unsuccessful attempt to block their enrollment. The event marked the beginning of desegregation at the University of Alabama and the beginning of school desegregation in the state of Alabama. More 

Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space. Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to travel to space when, as part of the Vostok 6 mission. During her Vostok 6 solo mission, she orbited Earth 48 times and spent almost three days in space (two days, 23 hours, and 12 minutes). Tereshkova remains the only female astronaut or cosmonaut to make a solo space journey, the youngest woman to fly to space and the first civilian to journey to space. More

The U.S. and Soviet representatives sign the "Memorandum of Understanding" Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Regarding the Establishment of a Direct Communications Link." between Moscow and Washington. Commonly called, "The Hotline". Expand +

Paul VI (Giovanni Battista Montini) becomes the 262nd Pope of the Roman Catholic Church after he was elected during a papal conclave following the death of Pope John XXIII. Paul VI was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State until his death on August 6, 1978.

Major Edward H. White II, steps out of the Gemini IV capsule, becoming the first American astronaut to walk in space. He performed the spacewalk while attached to the Gemini 4 spacecraft by a tether. The spacewalk lasted 21 minutes. More

Note: Astronaut White died in the Apollo/Saturn 204 fire accident at Cape Kennedy on Jan. 27, 1967.

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Connecticut law banning contraception. With this decision, the Supreme Court guaranteed the right to privacy, including freedom from government intrusion into matters of birth control.

The U.S. Supreme Court hands down its decision in Miranda v. Arizona establishing the principle that all criminal suspects must be informed of their specific legal rights before interrogation. Now considered standard police procedure. This decision was based on a case in which a defendant, Ernesto Miranda, was accused of robbery, kidnapping, and rape. During police interrogation, he confessed to the crimes.