1864 – Arlington National Cemetery is established when 200 acres (0.81 km2) of the Arlington estate (formerly owned by Confederate General Robert E. Lee) are officially set aside as a military cemetery by U.S. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton.

1877 – Henry Ossian Flipper becomes the first African American cadet to graduate from the United States Military Academy.

1878 – Eadweard Muybridge takes a series of photographs to prove that all four feet of a horse leave the ground when it runs; the study becomes the basis of motion pictures.

1916 – United States President Woodrow Wilson signs a bill incorporating the Boy Scouts of America, making them the only American youth organization with a federal charter.

1921 – Bessie Coleman earns her pilot's license, becoming the first female pilot of African-American descent.

1934 – The United States Great Smoky Mountains National Park is founded.

1944 – In the Saskatchewan general election, the CCF, led by Tommy Douglas, is elected and forms the first socialist government in North America.

1970 – Charles Manson goes on trial for the Sharon Tate murders.

1977 – After the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, the first democratic elections took place in Spain.

1978 – King Hussein of Jordan marries American Lisa Halaby, who takes the name Queen Noor.

1991 – In the Philippines, Mount Pinatubo erupts in the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, killing over 800 people.

2012 – Nik Wallenda becomes the first person to successfully tightrope walk directly over Niagara Falls

and if today is your birthday, Happy Birthday To You! You share your special day with…

1843 – Edvard Grieg, Norwegian pianist and composer (d. 1907)

1910 – David Rose, English-American pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1990)

1914 – Yuri Andropov, Russian politician (d. 1984)

1914 – Saul Steinberg, Romanian-American cartoonist (d. 1999)

1917 – Lash LaRue, American actor and producer (d. 1996)

1921 – Erroll Garner, American pianist and composer (d. 1977)

1922 – Jaki Byard, American pianist and composer (d. 1999)

1927 – Hugo Pratt, Italian author and illustrator (d. 1995)

1932 – Mario Cuomo, American lawyer and politician, 52nd Governor of New York (d. 2015)

1937 – Waylon Jennings, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2002)

1939 – Ward Connerly, American activist and businessman, founded the American Civil Rights Institute

1941 – Neal Adams, American illustrator

1941 – Harry Nilsson, American singer-songwriter (d. 1994)

1943 – Johnny Hallyday, French singer and actor (d. 2017)

1951 – Steve Walsh, American rock singer-songwriter and musician

1953 – Xi Jinping, Chinese engineer and politician, General Secretary of the Communist Party and President of China

1954 – Jim Belushi, American actor

1954 – Paul Rusesabagina, Rwandan humanitarian

1963 – Helen Hunt, American actress, director, and producer

1969 – Ice Cube, American rapper, producer, and actor

1970 – Leah Remini, American actress and producer

Almanac - Tuesday 6/15/21

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