Discover What Happened Today in History
Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3, proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas. This day, known as Juneteenth, marked the effective end of slavery in the United States and is now a federal holiday celebrating emancipation.
The Stationers' Company in London entered a publication notice for "Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies," now known as the First Folio. This collection, published later that year, preserved 36 of Shakespeare's plays, 18 of which might otherwise have been lost.
The first Father's Day observance was held in Spokane, Washington, at the initiative of Sonora Smart Dodd. She sought to create a day to honor fathers, complementing Mother's Day, and chose June 19th, which was her own father's birthday.
Jim Davis's comic strip "Garfield," featuring the lazy, lasagna-loving cat, debuted in 41 newspapers. The strip quickly became a global phenomenon, leading to animated series, movies, and vast merchandising, making it one of the most widely syndicated comic strips in history.
Kuwait officially terminated the 1899 Anglo-Kuwaiti Agreement, ending its status as a British protectorate. The country became fully independent, and Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah was recognized as the Emir, marking the beginning of modern sovereign Kuwait.