What Happened on June 6

Historical Events

  • 1523 Gustav Vasa is elected King of Sweden, marking the end of the Kalmar Union
  • 1716 French transport the 1st African slaves to Louisiana
  • 1916 The death of Yuan Shikai, ruler of much of China since 1912, causes central government to virtually collapse in the face of pressure from warlords, and from political reformers including Sun Yat-sen

Jun 6 in Film & TV

Jun 6 in Music

  • 1986 "Storms of Life" debut album by Randy Travis is released (Billboard Album of the Year, 1987)

Jun 6 in Sport

Did You Know?

Electric iron patented by New York inventor Henry W. Seely. It weighed almost 15 pounds and was very slow to heat up.

On June 6, 1882

Would You Believe?

A near-Earth asteroid estimated at 10 metres diameter explodes over the Mediterranean Sea between Greece and Libya. Resulting explosion estimated to have a force of 26 kilotons, more powerful than the Nagasaki atomic bomb.

On June 6, 2002

Famous Weddings

  • 1857 Sophia of Nassau marries the future King Oscar II of Sweden-Norway
  • 1942 "The Thin Man" actress Myrna Loy (36) weds John Hertz Jr. in New York City
  • 1956 Three-time Olympic Champion figure skater Sonja Henie (44) weds Norwegian shipping magnate and art patron Niels Onstad (47)

Famous Divorces

  • 1977 Former Beatle George Harrison (33) and British model Pattie Boyd (32) divorce after 11 years of marriage
  • 2010 Gossip Girl star Kelly Rutherford (40) divorces German entrepreneur Daniel Giersch (34) due to irreconcilable differences after 2 years of marriage
  • 2014 Actress Melanie Griffith (45) and actor Antonio Banderas (53) file for divorce citing irreconcilable differences after 18 years of marriage

More Weddings & Divorces