On This Day — June 4

Famous events, births, and deaths from June 4 in history, plus the public holidays, religious observances, sports, and national days happening on this date today.

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48 events · 199 births · 80 deaths recorded for June 4.

🕰️ Notable Events on June 4

2015 — An explosion at a gasoline station in Accra, Ghana, killing more than 200 people. Wikipedia ↗
2010 — Falcon 9 Flight 1 is the maiden flight of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 40. Wikipedia ↗
1998 — Terry Nichols is sentenced to life in prison for his role in the Oklahoma City bombing. Wikipedia ↗
1996 — The first flight of Ariane 5 explodes after roughly 37 seconds. It was a Cluster mission. Wikipedia ↗
1989 — Ali Khamenei is elected as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Assembly of Experts after the death and funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Wikipedia ↗
1989 — The Tiananmen Square protests are violently ended in Beijing by the People's Liberation Army, with at least 241 dead. Wikipedia ↗
1989 — Solidarity's victory in the first (somewhat) free parliamentary elections in post-war Poland sparks off a succession of peaceful anti-communist revolutions in Eastern Europe, leads to the creation of the so-called Contract Sejm and begins the Autumn of Nations. Wikipedia ↗
1989 — Ufa train disaster: A natural gas explosion near Ufa, Russia, kills 575 as two trains passing each other throw sparks near a leaky pipeline. Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Three cars on a train carrying hexogen to Kazakhstan explode in Arzamas, Gorky Oblast, USSR, killing 91 and injuring about 1,500. Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Jonathan Pollard pleads guilty to espionage for selling top secret United States military intelligence to Israel. Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Gordon Kahl, who killed two US Marshals in Medina, North Dakota on February 13, is killed in a shootout in Smithville, Arkansas, along with a local sheriff, after a four-month manhunt. Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Four Iranian diplomats were kidnapped in Lebanon after they were stopped at a check point in northern Lebanon by Lebanese Phalange forces. None of them has been seen since. Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings takes power in Ghana after a military coup in which General Fred Akuffo is overthrown. Wikipedia ↗
1975 — The Governor of California Jerry Brown signs the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act into law, the first law in the U.S. giving farmworkers collective bargaining rights. Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Tonga gains independence from the United Kingdom. Wikipedia ↗
1967 — England: 72 people are killed when a Canadair C-4 Argonaut crashes at Stockport. Wikipedia ↗
1961 — In the Vienna summit, the Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev sparks the Berlin Crisis by threatening to sign a separate peace treaty with East Germany and ending American, British and French access to East Berlin. Wikipedia ↗
1944 — World War II: A hunter-killer group of the United States Navy captures the German submarine U-505: The first time a U.S. Navy vessel had captured an enemy vessel at sea since the 19th century. Wikipedia ↗
1944 — World War II: Rome falls to the Allies, the first Axis capital to fall. Wikipedia ↗
1943 — A military coup in Argentina ousts Ramón Castillo. Wikipedia ↗
1942 — World War II: The Battle of Midway begins. The Japanese Admiral Chūichi Nagumo orders a strike on Midway Island by much of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Wikipedia ↗
1940 — World War II: The Dunkirk evacuation ends: British forces complete evacuation of 338,000 troops from Dunkirk in France. To rally the morale of the country, Winston Churchill delivers, only to the House of Commons, his famous "We shall fight on the beaches" speech. Wikipedia ↗
1939 — The Holocaust: The MS St. Louis, a ship carrying 963 Jewish refugees, is denied permission to land in Florida, in the United States, after already being turned away from Cuba. Forced to return to Europe, more than 200 of its passengers later die in Nazi concentration camps. Wikipedia ↗
1932 — Marmaduke Grove and other Chilean military officers lead a coup d'état establishing the short-lived Socialist Republic of Chile. Wikipedia ↗
1928 — The President of the Republic of China, Zhang Zuolin, is assassinated by Japanese agents. Wikipedia ↗
1920 — Hungary loses 71% of its territory and 63% of its population when the Treaty of Trianon is signed in Paris. Wikipedia ↗
1919 — Women's rights: The U.S. Congress approves the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees suffrage to women, and sends it to the U.S. states for ratification. Wikipedia ↗
1917 — The first Pulitzer Prizes are awarded: Laura E. Richards, Maude H. Elliott, and Florence Hall receive the first Pulitzer for biography (for Julia Ward Howe). Jean Jules Jusserand receives the first Pulitzer for history for his work With Americans of Past and Present Days. Herbert B. Swope receives the first Pulitzer for journalism for his work for the New York World. Wikipedia ↗
1916 — World War I: Russia opens the Brusilov Offensive with an artillery barrage of Austro-Hungarian lines in Galicia. Wikipedia ↗
1913 — Emily Davison, a suffragette, runs out in front of King George V's horse at The Derby. She is trampled, never regains consciousness, and dies four days later. Wikipedia ↗
1912 — Massachusetts becomes the first state of the United States to set a minimum wage. Wikipedia ↗
1896 — Henry Ford completes the Ford Quadricycle, his first gasoline-powered automobile, and gives it a successful test run. Wikipedia ↗
1878 — Cyprus Convention: The Ottoman Empire cedes Cyprus to the United Kingdom but retains nominal title. Wikipedia ↗
1876 — An express train called the Transcontinental Express arrives in San Francisco, via the First Transcontinental Railroad only 83 hours and 39 minutes after leaving New York City. Wikipedia ↗
1862 — American Civil War: Confederate troops evacuate Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River, leaving the way clear for Union troops to take Memphis, Tennessee. Wikipedia ↗
1859 — Italian Independence wars: In the Battle of Magenta, the French army, under Louis-Napoleon, defeat the Austrian army. Wikipedia ↗
1855 — Major Henry C. Wayne departs New York aboard the USS Supply to procure camels to establish the U.S. Camel Corps. Wikipedia ↗
1825 — General Lafayette, a French officer in the American Revolutionary War, speaks at what would become Lafayette Square, Buffalo, during his visit to the United States. Wikipedia ↗
1812 — Following Louisiana's admittance as a U.S. state, the Louisiana Territory is renamed the Missouri Territory. Wikipedia ↗
1802 — King Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia abdicates his throne in favor of his brother, Victor Emmanuel. Wikipedia ↗
1792 — Captain George Vancouver claims Puget Sound for the Kingdom of Great Britain. Wikipedia ↗
1784 — Élisabeth Thible becomes the first woman to fly in an untethered hot air balloon. Her flight covers four kilometres in 45 minutes, and reached 1,500 metres altitude (estimated). Wikipedia ↗
1783 — The Montgolfier brothers publicly demonstrate their montgolfière (hot air balloon). Wikipedia ↗
1760 — Great Upheaval: New England planters arrive to claim land in Nova Scotia, Canada, taken from the Acadians. Wikipedia ↗
1745 — Battle of Hohenfriedberg: Frederick the Great's Prussian army decisively defeated an Austrian army under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine during the War of the Austrian Succession. Wikipedia ↗
1615 — Siege of Osaka: Forces under Tokugawa Ieyasu take Osaka Castle in Japan. Wikipedia ↗
1561 — The steeple of St Paul's, the medieval cathedral of London, is destroyed in a fire caused by lightning and is never rebuilt. Wikipedia ↗
1411 — King Charles VI granted a monopoly for the ripening of Roquefort cheese to the people of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon as they had been doing for centuries. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on June 4

1999 — Kim So-hyun, South Korean actress Wikipedia ↗
1995 — Shiori Tamai, Japanese singer Wikipedia ↗
1995 — Tyler Anderson, American, Excelling Partnerships Intern Wikipedia ↗
1993 — Jonathan Huberdeau, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1991 — Lorenzo Insigne, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1991 — Matt McIlwrick, New Zealand rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
1990 — Zac Farro, American singer and drummer Wikipedia ↗
1990 — Evan Spiegel, American Internet entrepreneur Wikipedia ↗
1989 — Federico Erba, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1989 — Paweł Fajdek, Polish hammer thrower Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Matt Bartkowski, American ice hockey defenseman Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Kimberley Busteed, Australian model Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Luisa Zissman, English businesswoman Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Mollie King, English singer-songwriter and model Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Leon Botha, South African painter and DJ (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Anna-Lena Grönefeld, German tennis player Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Evan Lysacek, American figure skater Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Lukas Podolski, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Oddvar Reiakvam, Norwegian politician Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Enrico Rossi Chauvenet, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Rainie Yang, Taiwanese actress Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Ian White, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Romaric, Ivorian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Emmanuel Eboué, Ivorian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Olha Saladuha, Ukrainian triple jumper Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Abel Kirui, Kenyan runner Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Ronnie Prude, American-Canadian football player Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Jennifer Carroll, Canadian swimmer Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Giourkas Seitaridis, Greek footballer Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Natalia Vodopyanova, Russian basketball player Wikipedia ↗
1980 — François Beauchemin, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Naohiro Takahara, Japanese footballer Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Daniel Vickerman, South African-Australian rugby player (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Robin Lord Taylor, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1977 — Dionisis Chiotis, Greek footballer Wikipedia ↗
1977 — Alex Manninger, Austrian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1977 — Roman Miroshnichenko, Ukrainian guitarist and composer Wikipedia ↗
1977 — Roland G. Fryer Jr., American economist and professor Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Kasey Chambers, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Alexei Navalny, Russian lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Nenad Zimonjić, Serbian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Russell Brand, English comedian and actor Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Henry Burris, American football player Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Angelina Jolie, American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian, and activist Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Dinanath Ramnarine, Trinidadian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Alex Wharf, English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni, Indian chef (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Darin Erstad, American baseball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Andrew Gwynne, English lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Janette Husárová, Slovak tennis player Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Buddy Wakefield, American poet and author Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Mikey Whipwreck, American wrestler and trainer Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Derian Hatcher, American ice hockey defenseman Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Rob Huebel, American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Joseph Kabila, Congolese soldier and politician, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Mike Lee, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Shoji Meguro, Japanese director and composer Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Karl Martin Sinijärv, Estonian journalist and poet Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Noah Wyle, American actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Deborah Compagnoni, Italian skier Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Richie Hawtin, English-Canadian DJ and producer Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Dave Pybus, English bass player and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Izabella Scorupco, Polish-Swedish actress and model Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Horatio Sanz, Chilean-American actor and comedian Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Roger Lim, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Niurka Montalvo, Cuban-Spanish long jumper Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Al B. Sure!, American R&B singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and producer Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Scott Wolf, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Robert S. Kimbrough, American colonel and astronaut Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Cecilia Bartoli, Italian soprano and actress Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Vladimir Voevodsky, Russian mathematician and academic Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Bill Wiggin, English politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Wikipedia ↗
1965 — Mick Doohan, Australian motorcycle racer Wikipedia ↗
1965 — Andrea Jaeger, American tennis player and preacher (Anglican Order of Preachers) Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Sean Pertwee, English actor Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Kōji Yamamura, Japanese animator, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Sean Fitzpatrick, New Zealand rugby union player Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Jim Lachey, American football player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Xavier McDaniel, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Krzysztof Hołowczyc, Polish race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Zenon Jaskuła, Polish cyclist Wikipedia ↗
1962 — John P. Kee, American singer-songwriter and pastor Wikipedia ↗
1961 — El DeBarge, American singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Ferenc Gyurcsány, Hungarian businessman and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Hungary Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Miloš Đelmaš, Serbian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Paul Taylor, American guitarist and keyboard player Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Bradley Walsh, English television presenter, comedian, singer and former footballer Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Juan Camacho, Bolivian runner Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Georgios Voulgarakis, Greek politician, 21st Greek Minister for Culture Wikipedia ↗
1958 — Eddie Velez, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Keith David, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1956 — John Hockenberry, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Terry Kennedy, American baseball player and manager Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Joyce Sidman, American author and poet Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Val McDermid, Scottish author Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Mary Testa, American singer and actress Wikipedia ↗
1954 — Raphael Ravenscroft, English saxophonist and composer (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1954 — Kazuhiro Yamaji, Japanese actor and voice actor Wikipedia ↗
1953 — Linda Lingle, American journalist and politician, 6th Governor of Hawaii Wikipedia ↗
1953 — Jimmy McCulloch, Scottish musician and songwriter (Wings) (d. 1979) Wikipedia ↗
1953 — Susumu Ojima, Japanese businessman, founded Huser Wikipedia ↗
1953 — Paul Samson, English guitarist and producer (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
1952 — Bronisław Komorowski, Polish historian and politician, 5th President of Poland Wikipedia ↗
1952 — Dambudzo Marechera, Zimbabwean author and poet Wikipedia ↗
1951 — Bronisław Malinowski, Polish runner (d. 1981) Wikipedia ↗
1951 — Melanie Phillips, English journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
1951 — Wendy Pini, American author and illustrator Wikipedia ↗
1951 — David Yip, English actor and playwright Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Raymond Dumais, Canadian bishop (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1949 — Gabriel Arcand, Canadian actor Wikipedia ↗
1949 — Mark B. Cohen, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Bob Champion, English jockey Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Sandra Post, Canadian golfer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Jürgen Sparwasser, German footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Viktor Klima, Austrian businessman and politician, 25th Chancellor of Austria Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Anthony Braxton, American saxophonist, clarinet player, and composer Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Daniel Topolski, English rower and coach (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Gordon Waller, Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
1944 — Roger Ball, Scottish saxophonist and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1944 — Michelle Phillips, American singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
1943 — John Burgess, Australian radio and television host Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Sandra Haynie, American golfer Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Tom Jaine, English author Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Louis Reichardt, American mountaineer Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Bill Rowe, Canadian lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Kenneth G. Ross, Australian playwright and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Ludwig Schwarz, Slovak-Austrian bishop Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Jeremy Browne, 11th Marquess of Sligo, Anglo-Irish peer (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Denis de Belleval, Canadian civil servant and politician Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Henri Pachard, American director and producer (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
1939 — George Reid, Scottish journalist and politician, 2nd Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament Wikipedia ↗
1938 — John Harvard, Canadian journalist and politician, 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Art Mahaffey, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Freddy Fender, American singer and guitarist (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Mortimer Zuckerman, Canadian-American businessman and publisher, founded Boston Properties Wikipedia ↗
1936 — Vince Camuto, American fashion designer and businessman, co-founded Nine West (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
1936 — Bruce Dern, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1935 — Colette Boky, Canadian soprano and actress Wikipedia ↗
1935 — Berhanu Dinka, Ethiopian economist and diplomat (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1934 — Monica Dacon, Vincentian educator and politician, 6th Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Wikipedia ↗
1934 — Daphne Sheldrick, Kenyan-British conservationist and author Wikipedia ↗
1932 — John Drew Barrymore, American actor (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1932 — Oliver Nelson, American saxophonist and composer (d. 1975) Wikipedia ↗
1932 — Maurice Shadbolt, New Zealand author and playwright (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1931 — Gustav Nossal, Austrian-Australian biologist and academic Wikipedia ↗
1930 — George Chesworth, English air marshal and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Moray Wikipedia ↗
1930 — Morgana King, American singer and actress Wikipedia ↗
1930 — Viktor Tikhonov, Russian ice hockey player and coach (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1929 — Karolos Papoulias, Greek lawyer and politician, 5th President of Greece Wikipedia ↗
1928 — Ruth Westheimer, German-American therapist and author Wikipedia ↗
1927 — Henning Carlsen, Danish director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1927 — Geoffrey Palmer, English actor Wikipedia ↗