Today In History

Today is Tuesday, June 20, the 171st day of 2023. There are 194 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

On June 20, 1837, Queen Victoria acceded to the British throne following the death of her uncle, King William IV.

ON THIS DATE

› 1782: Congress approved the Great Seal of the United States, featuring the emblem of the bald eagle.

› 1863: West Virginia became the 35th state.

› 1893: A jury in New Bedford, Massachusetts, found Lizzie Borden not guilty of the ax murders of her father and stepmother.

› 1943: Race-related rioting erupted in Detroit; federal troops were sent in two days later to quell the violence that resulted in more than 30 deaths.

› 1944: During World War II, Japanese naval forces retreated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea after suffering heavy losses to the victorious American fleet.

› 1947: Gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel was shot dead at the Beverly Hills, California, home of his girlfriend, Virginia Hill, apparently at the order of mob associates.

› 1967: Boxer Muhammad Ali was convicted in Houston of violating Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted and was sentenced to five years in prison. (Ali’s conviction was ultimately overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court).

1972: Three days after the arrest of the Watergate burglars, President

Richard Nixon met at the White House with his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman; the secretly made tape recording of this meeting ended up with the notorious 18 1/2-minute gap.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Actor Bonnie Bartlett is 94. Actor James Tolkan is 92. Director Stephen Frears is 82. Singer-songwriter Brian Wilson is 81. Actor John McCook is 80. Singer Anne Murray is 78. TV personality Bob Vila is 77. Musician Andre Watts is 77. Actor Candy Clark is 76. Producer Tina Sinatra is 75. R&B singer Lionel Richie is 74. Actor John Goodman is 71. Rock musician Michael Anthony is 69. Rock musician John Taylor is 63. Rock musician Mark degli Antoni is 61. Christian rock musician Jerome Fontamillas (Switchfoot) is 56. Actor Nicole Kidman is 56. Country/ bluegrass singer-musician Dan Tyminski is 56. Movie director Robert Rodriguez is 55. Rock musician Jeordie White (AKA Twiggy Ramirez) is 52. Rock singer Chino Moreno (Deftones) is 50. Country-folk singer-songwriter Amos Lee is 46. Country singer Chuck Wicks is 44. Actor Tika Sumpter is 43. Actor-singer Alisan Porter is 42. U.S. Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist April Ross is 41. Christian rock musician Chris Dudley (Underoath) is 40. Rock singer Grace Potter (Grace Potter & the Nocturnals) is 40. Actor Mark Saul is 38. Actor Dreama Walker is 37. Actor Chris Mintz-Plasse is 34. Actor Maria Lark is 26.