Today In History
5 Fun Facts About June 26 In District Of Columbia History
1. On June 26, 1974, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of District of Columbia v. John R. Thompson Co. that under the Sixth Amendment, criminal defendants have the right to a trial by an impartial jury. This landmark decision is still cited by lawyers and judges today....
5 Fun Facts About June 25 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1868, the Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. graduated its first class, making it the oldest historically black law school in the country. The school has a long history of training civil rights attorneys and continues to be a leading institution for legal education. 2. On...
5 Fun Facts About June 24 In District Of Columbia History
1. On June 24, 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain. This event is known as the War of 1812 and had significant impacts on the District of Columbia, which was captured by British forces later that year. 2. The Washington Monument, an iconic landmark in the District...
5 Fun Facts About June 23 In District Of Columbia History
1. On June 23, 1972, the Watergate burglars were arrested at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex, leading to the infamous Watergate scandal that eventually forced President Richard Nixon to resign. 2. On June 23, 1863, Confederate forces in Virginia crossed the Potomac River and entered Maryland,...
5 Fun Facts About June 22 In District Of Columbia History
1. On June 22, 1915, the Lincoln Memorial was officially dedicated by President Woodrow Wilson. The memorial, designed by noted architect Henry Bacon, features a 19-foot statue of Abraham Lincoln seated in contemplation. 2. In 1792, President George Washington signed the first federal budget into law in the District of...
5 Fun Facts About June 21 In District Of Columbia History
1. On June 21, 1877, the Washington Post published its first daily newspaper. Before then, the paper had been published weekly. 2. June 21, 1964, marked the 20th anniversary of the signing of the GI Bill, which provided education and other benefits to veterans of World War II. The bill...
5 Fun Facts About June 20 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1874, the Washington Monument, a towering obelisk located on the National Mall, was completed after several decades of construction. It stands at 555 feet tall and is the tallest freestanding masonry structure in the world. 2. In 1948, Harry S. Truman signed the Displaced Persons Act, allowing for...
5 Fun Facts About June 19 In District Of Columbia History
1. Emancipation Day: June 19th is known as Juneteenth, a commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. In the District of Columbia, June 19th is also recognized as Emancipation Day, which celebrates the DC Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862, which freed nearly 3,000 slaves in the nation's...
5 Fun Facts About June 18 In District Of Columbia History
1. In 1812, the War of 1812 officially began between the United States and Great Britain. The conflict would last until 1815 and had significant impacts on the development of the nation, including the burning of much of Washington D.C. by British forces in 1814. 2. On June 18, 1873,...
5 Fun Facts About June 17 In District Of Columbia History
1. On June 17, 1972, five men were arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. This eventually led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. 2. In 1963, Soviet spy Colonel Rudolf Abel was exchanged for American U-2 spy plane pilot...
5 Fun Facts About June 16 In District Of Columbia History
1. On June 16, 1858, Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous “A House Divided” speech at the Illinois State Capitol, in which he warned of the dangers of slavery and predicted that the United States would not be able to remain half-slave and half-free. 2. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed...
5 Fun Facts About June 15 In District Of Columbia History
Here are 5 interesting facts about June 15 in District Of Columbia history: 1. In 1804, the War of 1812 General Winfield Scott was born in Petersburg, Virginia. He was considered one of the most important American military figures of the 19th century, having served through four wars: the War...