THURSDAY IN HISTORY

Today is Thursday, June 22, the 173rd day of 2017. There are 192 days left in the year.

Highlight in History:

OnJune 22, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, more popularly known as the “GI Bill of Rights.”

On this date:

In 1611, English explorer Henry Hudson, his son and several other people were set adrift in present-day Hudson Bay by mutineers aboard the Discovery.

In 1870, the United States Department of Justice was created.

In 1911, Britain’s King George V was crowned at Westminster Abbey.

In 1940, during World War II, AdolfHitler gained a stunning victory as France was forced to sign an armistice eight days after German forces overran Paris.

In 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, a massive invasion of the Soviet Union.

In 1945, the World War II battle for Okinawa ended with an Allied victory.

In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court, in R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul, unanimously ruled that “hate crime” laws that banned cross burning and similar expressions of racial bias violated free-speech rights.

In 1997, world leaders in Denver concluded the historic Summit of Eight that included Russia’s first-ever full participation.

Ten years ago: Atlantis and its seven astronauts returned to Earth safely, ending a twoweek mission to deliver an addition to the international space station.

Five years ago: Ex-Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted by a jury on 45 counts of sexually assaulting 10 boys over 15 years. (Sandusky is appealing a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence.)

One year ago: Rebellious Democrats launched a 25-hour round-the-clock sitin on the House floor to demand votes on gun-control bills, forcing exasperated Republicans to recess while cutting off cameras showing the protest.

Today’s Birthdays: Fox News analyst Brit Hume is 74. ActressMeryl Streep is 68. Actress LindsayWagner is 68. Pop singer Cyndi Lauper is 64. Actor Chris Lemmon is 63. Actor-producer-writer Bruce Campbell is 59. Environmental activist Erin Brockovich is 57. AuthorDan Brown is 53. Actor Michael Trucco is 47. TV personality Carson Daly is 44.

Thought for Today: “To understand is hard. Once one understands, action is easy.” — Sun Yat-sen, Chinese statesman (1866-1925).