What Happened in June?

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. 

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. 

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.

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 21 minutes spacewalk while attached to the Gemini 4 spacecraft by a tether. Astronaut White died in the Apollo/Saturn 204 fire accident at Cape Kennedy on Jan. 27, 1967. More

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.

The Six-Day War takes place between Israel and Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The Six-Day War began as Israel launched a series of preemptive surprise airstrikes against Egyptian airfields and other facilities, launching its war effort. Egyptian forces were caught by surprise, and nearly all of Egypt's military aerial assets were destroyed, giving Israel air supremacy. Simultaneously, the Israeli military launched a ground offensive into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula as well as the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip. The war ended with Israel in control of the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. More

1967, June 8 - The USS Liberty is attacked by an Israeli Air Force jet fighter aircraft and Israeli Navy motor torpedo boats during the Six-Day War. The USS Liberty was in international waters north of the Sinai Peninsula. The intelligence ship, was well-marked as an American vessel and only lightly armed. The Israeli attack killed 34 US sailors, and wounded 171 in the two-hour attack. More:  USS Liberty Veterans Association and CIA Statement

President Lyndon B. Johnson nominates Thurgood Marshall, then-Solicitor General, to the U.S. Supreme Court on June 13, 1967, saying, " it was the right thing to do, the right time to do it, the right man and the right place. Marshall ”became the first Black American to be nominated.  Expand +

Presidential candidate Robert Francis Kennedy was fatally shot on June 5, 1968 at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California shortly after claiming victory in that state's crucial Democratic primary. He was 42 years old. More

The severely polluted Cuyahoga River in Cleveland catches fire when an oil slick floating on the surface ignites; although it was not the first fire or the largest on the river, the incident garnered national attention and led to antipollution measures that substantially improved the river's condition. More

The Kingdom of Tonga declares its independence within the British Commonwealth. Tonga, is a Polynesian kingdom, part of the Oceania continent with 171 islands, of which 45 are inhabited. Tonga is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the United Nations, the Pacific Islands Forum, and the Alliance of Small Island States.

The New York Times began publication of the Pentagon Papers, a collection of top secret documents exposing U.S. strategy in the Vietnam War, which were leaked to to the New York Times and the Washington Post and 17 other newspapers by Daniel Ellsberg, a former Defense Department analyst. Expand +

The three cosmonauts aboard the Soyuz 11, Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov, and Viktor Patsayev, perished in space when the capsule depressurized during preparations for re-entry. They are the only humans known to have died in space. More