Today in History for 11th June 2026

Historical Events

1927 – Noël Coward’s stage comedy “The Marquise”, starring Marie Tempest, closes at the Criterion Theatre, London, after 129 performances
1982 – Israel and Syria stop fighting in Lebanon
2001 – Saudi Arabia seizes ownership, effective June 7, of the 1.6-million-barrels-per-day IPSA pipeline that had carried Iraqi crude oil to the Saudi Red Sea port of Mu’jiz prior to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait
2006 – French Open Men’s Tennis: Rafael Nadal of Spain wins his 2nd straight French title; beats Roger Federer 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6
2018 – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accepts migrant rescue ship Aquarius with 629 people on board after Italy refuses it

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Famous Birthdays

1924 – Ed Farhat, American professional wrestler, born in Detroit (d. 2003)
1927 – Beryl Grey [Groom], English prima ballerina (Sadler’s Wells/Royal Ballet, 1941-57), artistic director, and dance teacher, born in Highgate, London, England (d. 2022)
1932 – Athol Fugard, South African playwright known for his anti-apartheid themes (The Blood Knot), born in Middelburg, South Africa (d. 2025)
1948 – Anthony Nelson, British Labour politician, born in Hamburg, Germany
1950 – Palhinha, Brazilian soccer forward (16 caps; Cruzeiro, Corinthians, Atlético Mineiro) and manager (SC Corinthians, União São João, Al-Tai), born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil (d. 2023)

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Famous Deaths

1183 – Henry the Young King, son of Henry II of England, crowned aged 15 during his father’s lifetime, dies as the result of dysentery at 28
1937 – R. J. [Reginald Joseph] Mitchell, British aircraft designer (Supermarine Spitfire), dies of cancer at 42
1987 – Ralph Guldahl, American golfer (US Masters 1939, US Open 1937-38), dies at 75
1992 – Scotty Sachs, actor (Hanoi Hilton), dies of gunshot wounds at 39
2025 – John Robbins, American advocate for vegetarianism and author of “Diet for a New America”, dies of complications of post-polio syndrome at 77

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Famous Deaths for 10th June 2026

1424 – Duke Ernest of Austria (b. 1377)
1934 – Frederick Delius, British composer (A Mass of Life, Brigg Fair; In a Summer Garden), dies at 72
1944 – Willem Jacob van Stockum, Dutch physicist and mathematician, dies at 33
1971 – Michael Rennie, British actor (The Day the Earth Stood Still), dies at 61
2003 – Phil Williams, Welsh politician and scientist (b. 1939)
2013 – Barbara Vucanovich, American politician (1st Latina elected to the US House – (R) Nevada 1983-97), dies at 91
2016 – Gordie Howe, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame right wing (23-time NHL All Star; NHL: Detroit Red Wings; WHA: Houston Aeros), dies of a stroke at 88
2016 – Margaret Heldt, American hairdresser who created the beehive hairstyle, dies at 98
2019 – Ib Nørholm, Danish organist, composer (Aspects of Sand and Simplicity), choral conductor, and educator, dies at 88
2022 – Jorge Spedaletti, Chilean soccer forward (5 caps; Everton Viña del Mar, Universidad de Chile Santiago, Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata), dies at 74

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Historical Events for 10th June 2026

1768 – Riot breaks out in Boston after customs officials seize sloop owned by John Hancock for alleged customs violation
1876 – 10th Belmont: William Donohue aboard Algerine wins in 2:40.5
1956 – Due to Australia’s strict quarantine regulations, the XVI Summer Olympic equestrian events open in Stockholm, Sweden, five months early
1974 – Philadelphia Phillies slugger Mike Schmidt hits a ball off public address speaker hanging from Houston Astrodome roof
1981 – Seven Brothers Square in Bronx named honoring 7 Santini Bro Moving Co
1996 – Intel releases 200 MHz Pentium chip
2003 – Stephen Schwartz’ musical “Wicked”, starring Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, officially opens at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, California
2007 – LPGA Championship Women’s Golf, Bulle Rock GC: Suzann Pettersen of Norway wins her first major title by 1 stroke ahead of Australian Karrie Webb

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Today in History for 10th June 2026

Historical Events

1955 – KWEX TV channel 41 in San Antonio, TX (IND) begins broadcasting
1967 – USSR drops diplomatic relations with Israel
1973 – LPGA Championship Women’s Golf, Pleasant Valley CC: 1964 champion Mary Mills wins by 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Betty Burfeindt
2000 – Stanley Cup Final, Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX: New Jersey Devils defeat Dallas Stars, 2-1 in double OT for a 4-2 series victory
2006 – French Open Women’s Tennis: Justine Henin-Hardenne retains her title; beats Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 6-4, 6-4 for 5th Grand Slam singles crown

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Famous Birthdays

1825 – Sondre Norheim, Norwegian skier and pioneer of modern skiing, born in Øverbø, Norway (d. 1897)
1840 – Theodor Philipsen, Danish painter, born in Copenhagen (d. 1920)
1911 – Terence Rattigan, British playwright (Winslow Boy, Browning Version), born in London (d. 1977)
1931 – Jim Ferree, American golfer (1 x PGA Tour win; 2 x Senior PGA Tour wins), born in Pinebluff, North Carolina (d. 2023)
1956 – Georg Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg, head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1996-present), born in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

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Famous Deaths

1883 – Carl Grädener, German cellist, conductor, teacher, and composer, dies at 71
1934 – Frederick Delius, British composer (A Mass of Life, Brigg Fair; In a Summer Garden), dies at 72
1970 – Earl Grant, American pop pianist, organist, and singer (“Ebb Tide”; “Winter Wonderland”), dies in a car crash in New Mexico at 39
1988 – Louis L’Amour, American western writer (Bowdrie), dies of cancer at 80
2008 – Dieuwke de Graaff-Nauta, Dutch politician (State Secretary for the Interior 1986-94), dies at 78

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Famous Deaths for 9th June 2026

1877 – Hugh W. Mercer, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), dies at 68
1954 – Alain LeRoy Locke, African-American writer and philosopher “Father of the Harlem Renaissance”, dies at 68
1974 – Phillips Tead, American character actor (The Front Page; Lightnin’; Fighting Blade; The Adventures of Superman – “Professor Pepperwinkle), dies at 80
1982 – Hank Ladd, TV host (Arrow Show, Waiting for the Break), dies at 74
1991 – Charles Loloma, painter/sculptor, dies
2004 – Brian Williamson, Jamaican Gay Activist (b. 1945)
2004 – “Rosey” Roosevelt Brown, American football player, dies at 71
2006 – Drafi Deutscher, German Schlager singer, dies of heart failure at 60
2007 – Frankie Abernathy, American reality TV personality (The Real World: San Diego), dies of cystic fibrosis at 25
2024 – Frank Carroll, American figure skating coach (Linda Fratianne, Michelle Kwan, Evan Lysacek; World Figure Skating HOF), dies of cancer at 85

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Historical Events for 9th June 2026

1720 – Sweden and Denmark signs 3rd Treaty of Stockholm
1784 – John Carroll appointed supervisor of US Catholic Missions
1868 – First meeting of the Board of Regents of the University of California
1898 – British Open Men’s Golf, Prestwick GC: Harry Vardon of Jersey wins 2nd title by 1 stroke from dual champion Willie Park Jr
1943 – US President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Current Tax Payment Act into law, requiring taxes to be withheld from workers’ wages and paid directly to the federal government
1945 – Warner Bros. cartoon “A Gruesome Twosome” starring Tweety premieres in the US
1986 – 20th Music City News Country Awards: Statler Brothers and Loretta Lynn win
2024 – French Open Men’s Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz becomes the youngest man to win grand slams on all three surfaces, coming back to beat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in a final lasting 4 hours 15 minutes

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Today in History for 9th June 2026

Historical Events

1534 – French explorer Jacques Cartier is the 1st European to sail into mouth of St Lawrence River
1572 – William of Orange leads his army into Gelderland and occupies the province during the Dutch Revolt, expanding rebel control in the Low Countries
1970 – Harry Blackmun is sworn in as a US Supreme Court Justice
1985 – French Open Men’s Tennis: Sweden’s Mats Wilander wins 4th career Grand Slam title; beats Czech star Ivan Lendl 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
2007 – French Open Women’s Tennis: Justine Henin wins her 3rd consecutive French singles crown; beats Ana Ivanović of Serbia 6-1, 6-2

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Famous Birthdays

1916 – Robert McNamara, American United States Secretary of Defense (1961-68), played major role in US escalation in Vietnam, born in San Francisco, California (d. 2009)
1922 – Peter Beazley, British politician (C) (European Parliament), born in Chale, Isle of Wight (d. 2004)
1922 – John Gillespie Magee Jr., Anglo-American Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot and war poet, born in Shanghai, Republic of China (d. 1941)
1938 – Charles Wuorinen, American contemporary classical pianist, conductor, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer (Time’s Encomium; Marimba Variations; Brokeback Mountain), born in New York City (d. 2020)
1939 – Ileana Cotrubaş, Romanian soprano, born in Galați, Romania

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Famous Deaths

1716 – Banda Bahadur, Sikh military commander, executed in Delhi by Mughal forces at 45
1870 – Erik Drake, Swedish composer (Royal Swedish Academy of Music), dies at 82
1954 – Alain LeRoy Locke, African-American writer and philosopher “Father of the Harlem Renaissance”, dies at 68
1973 – Erich von Manstein, German Nazi-military commander convicted of war crimes, dies from stroke at 85
2022 – Julee Cruise, American singer (Falling) and stage actress, takes her own life at 65

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Famous Deaths for 8th June 2026

1630 – Giovanni Francesco Anerio, Italian composer, choirmaster, and oratorio pioneer, dies at 60
1796 – Felice Giardini, Italian composer, dies at 80
1902 – Charles Ingalls, father of American author Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie), dies at 66
2013 – John Boyd [Boyd Bradfield Upchurch], American sci-fi author (The Last Starship from Earth), dies at 93
2016 – Pierre Aubert, Swiss lawyer and politician (Member of the Swiss Federal Council, 1978-87), dies at 89
2018 – Maria Bueno, Brazilian tennis player (7 Grand Slam singles titles), dies of mouth cancer at 78
2018 – Eunice Gayson, British actress and 1st Bond Girl (Sylvia Trench- “Dr. No” and “From Russia With Love”), dies at 90
2025 – P. Adams Sitney, American avant-garde film scholar (Visionary Film: The American Avant-Garde), dies of cancer at 80
2025 – Nick Hedges, British photographer known for documenting the lives of poor people, dies at 81
2025 – Nina Kuscsik, American long-distance runner and officially the first woman to win the Boston Marathon, dies of respiratory failure at 86

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Historical Events for 8th June 2026

68 – Roman Senate accepts Emperor Galba
979 – Louis V is crowned King of West Francia, co-reigning with his father Lothair until 986
1191 – King Richard I of England arrives at Acre in modern-day Israel to join the Siege of Acre during the Third Crusade
1493 – Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III’s left leg is amputated at his court in Linz, the most famous record of surgery in the Middle Ages – he survives until August 19
1959 – 1st official “missile mail” lands (Jacksonville, Florida)
1981 – 15th Music City News Country Awards: Mandrell Sisters win
2014 – 68th Tony Awards: “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” (musical) and “All The Way” (play) win
2023 – US Supreme Court upholds Voting Rights Act ruling 5-4 that Republican-drawn congressional districts in Alabama had weakened Black voting by creating just one district where they were a majority

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Today in History for 8th June 2026

Historical Events

1892 – US shoemaker Homer A. Plessy refuses to go to in a segregated RR car (US Supreme Court Plessy v Ferguson)
1944 – Deportation of 70,000 Jews from Łódź, Poland, to Auschwitz and other extermination camp begins
1949 – Siam changes name to Thailand
1991 – 123rd Belmont Stakes: Jerry Bailey aboard Hansel wins in 2:28
2020 – Lockdowns for COVID-19 in Europe saved 3 million lives according to study by Imperial College London

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Famous Birthdays

1926 – Cranley Onslow, British politician (C), born in Bexhill (d. 2001)
1928 – Kate Wilhelm, American fiction author (Hugo Award: Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang), born in Toledo, Ohio (d. 2018)
1929 – Earl Ferrers, 13th Earl Ferrers, British minister of state (Department of Environment), born in England (d. 2012)
1952 – Lindka Cierach, British couturier and fashion designer for European royals, born in British Crown colony of Basutoland
1960 – Mick Hucknall, English singer-songwriter (Simply Red – “Hodling Back the Years”, “If You Don’t Know Me by Now”), born in Manchester, England

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Famous Deaths

1768 – Johann Winckelmann, German archaeologist (History of Ancient Art), dies at 50
1803 – Jean Noel Paquot, Belgian theologian and historian, dies at 80
1998 – Maria Reiche, German-Peruvian mathematician and archaeologist specializing in Nazca lines, dies of cancer at 95
2021 – John Angus, English soccer defender (1 cap; Burnley 439 games), dies at 82
2023 – Rale Rasic, Australian soccer coach (Australia 1969-74; Marconi Stallions FC) and broadcaster (SBS), dies at 87

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