On This Day: June 6

Updated June 5, 2012, 2:28 pm

On June 6, 1944, the D-Day invasion of Europe took place during World War II as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France.
Go to article »

On June 6, 1875, Thomas Mann, the Nobel Prize-winning German author, was born. Following his death on Aug. 12, 1955, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1844 The Young Men’s Christian Association was founded in London.

1925 Walter Percy Chrysler founded the Chrysler Corp.

1933 The first drive-in movie theater opened, in Camden County, N.J.

1934 The Securities and Exchange Commission was established.

1966 Black activist James Meredith was shot and wounded as he walked along a Mississippi highway to encourage black voter registration.

1968 Sen. Robert F. Kennedy died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, a day after he was shot by Sirhan Bishara Sirhan.

1978 California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 13, a ballot measure calling for major cuts in property taxes.

1982 Israeli forces invaded Lebanon to drive PLO fighters out of the country.

1985 Authorities in Brazil exhumed a body later identified as that of Dr. Josef Mengele, the Nazi doctor who conducted medical experiments on inmates at Auschwitz during World War II.

1990 The 2 Live Crew album “As Nasty As They Wanna Be” was ruled obscene by a federal judge in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

2004 Phylicia Rashad became the first African-American actress to win a Tony for a leading dramatic role for her work in a revival of “A Raisin in the Sun.”

2005 The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that people who smoke marijuana because their doctors recommend it to ease pain can be prosecuted for violating federal drug laws.

2011 After days of denials, Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., confessed that he had tweeted a lewd photo of himself to a woman and admitted to “inappropriate” exchanges with six women.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actor Paul Giamatti turns 45 years old today.

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

Rep. Eric Cantor R-Va., the House majority leader, turns 49 years old today.

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

1934 Roy Innis, Civil rights leader, turns 78

1939 Gary “U.S.” Bonds, Rock singer, turns 73

1952 Harvey Fierstein, Actor, turns 60

1955 Sandra Bernhard, Actress, comedian, turns 57

1956 Bjorn Borg, Tennis Hall of Famer, turns 56

1959 Jimmy Jam, Record producer, turns 53

1959 Colin Quinn, Comedian (“Saturday Night Live”), turns 53

1960 Steve Vai, Rock musician, turns 52

1967 Max Casella, Actor, turns 45

1972 Natalie Morales, Broadcast journalist, turns 40

1974 Uncle Kracker, Rapper, rocker, turns 38

1974 Sonya Walger, Actress (“Lost,” “FlashForward”), turns 38

Historic Birthdays

Thomas Mann 6/6/1875 – 8/12/1955 German novelist and essayist.Go to obituary »

61 Diego Velazquez 6/6/1599 – 8/6/1660
Spanish 17th-century painter

21 Nathan Hale 6/6/1755 – 9/22/1776
American Revolutionary patriot

87 John Trumbull 6/6/1756 – 11/10/1843
American painter, architect and author

51 Steele MacKaye 6/6/1842 – 2/25/1894
American playwright, actor and inventor

46 Alexandra 6/6/1872 – 7/16/1918
Russian consort of emperor Nicholas II

77 Sir Patrick Abercrombie 6/6/1879 – 3/23/1957
English architect and town planner

85 William Cosgrave 6/6/1880 – 11/16/1965
Irish statesman and first president

79 R. C. Sherriff 6/6/1896 – 11/13/1975
English playwright and screenwriter

69 Sukarno 6/6/1901 – 6/21/1970
Indonesian statesman; leader of independence movement and first president (1949-67)

45 Jimmie Lunceford 6/6/1902 – 7/12/1947
American jazz band leader

74 Aram Khachaturian 6/6/1903 – 5/1/1978
Russian composer

86 Bill Dickey 6/6/1907 – 11/12/1993
American athlete; catcher for the New York Yankees

1844	The Young Men’s Christian Association was founded in London.
1925	Walter Percy Chrysler founded the Chrysler Corp.
1933	The first drive-in movie theater opened, in Camden County, N.J.
1934	The Securities and Exchange Commission was established.
1966	Black activist James Meredith was shot and wounded as he walked along a Mississippi highway to encourage black voter registration.
1968	Sen. Robert F. Kennedy died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, a day after he was shot by Sirhan Bishara Sirhan.
1978	California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 13, a ballot measure calling for major cuts in property taxes.
1982	Israeli forces invaded Lebanon to drive PLO fighters out of the country.
1985	Authorities in Brazil exhumed a body later identified as that of Dr. Josef Mengele, the Nazi doctor who conducted medical experiments on inmates at Auschwitz during World War II.
1990	The 2 Live Crew album “As Nasty As They Wanna Be” was ruled obscene by a federal judge in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
2004	Phylicia Rashad became the first African-American actress to win a Tony for a leading dramatic role for her work in a revival of “A Raisin in the Sun.”
2005	The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that people who smoke marijuana because their doctors recommend it to ease pain can be prosecuted for violating federal drug laws.
2011	After days of denials, Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., confessed that he had tweeted a lewd photo of himself to a woman and admitted to “inappropriate” exchanges with six women.

1934	Roy Innis, Civil rights leader, turns 78
1939	Gary “U.S.” Bonds, Rock singer, turns 73
1952	Harvey Fierstein, Actor, turns 60
1955	Sandra Bernhard, Actress, comedian, turns 57
1956	Bjorn Borg, Tennis Hall of Famer, turns 56
1959	Jimmy Jam, Record producer, turns 53
1959	Colin Quinn, Comedian (“Saturday Night Live”), turns 53
1960	Steve Vai, Rock musician, turns 52
1967	Max Casella, Actor, turns 45
1972	Natalie Morales, Broadcast journalist, turns 40
1974	Uncle Kracker, Rapper, rocker, turns 38
1974	Sonya Walger, Actress (“Lost,” “FlashForward”), turns 38

61	Diego Velazquez 6/6/1599 – 8/6/1660 Spanish 17th-century painter
21	Nathan Hale 6/6/1755 – 9/22/1776 American Revolutionary patriot
87	John Trumbull 6/6/1756 – 11/10/1843 American painter, architect and author
51	Steele MacKaye 6/6/1842 – 2/25/1894 American playwright, actor and inventor
46	Alexandra 6/6/1872 – 7/16/1918 Russian consort of emperor Nicholas II
77	Sir Patrick Abercrombie 6/6/1879 – 3/23/1957 English architect and town planner
85	William Cosgrave 6/6/1880 – 11/16/1965 Irish statesman and first president
79	R. C. Sherriff 6/6/1896 – 11/13/1975 English playwright and screenwriter
69	Sukarno 6/6/1901 – 6/21/1970 Indonesian statesman; leader of independence movement and first president (1949-67)
45	Jimmie Lunceford 6/6/1902 – 7/12/1947 American jazz band leader
74	Aram Khachaturian 6/6/1903 – 5/1/1978 Russian composer
86	Bill Dickey 6/6/1907 – 11/12/1993 American athlete; catcher for the New York Yankees