History Today

"Hello, and welcome to This Day in History brought to you by AARP. Take on today and every day with AARP. Here’s what happened on June 18th. Of the 540-some people who have traveled to space, only about 60 have been women--and on this day in 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman--and second woman ever--to go to space. On Ride’s six-day mission aboard the space shuttle Challenger, she was charged with operating the shuttle’s robot arm, which she also helped design.

Hello, and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on June 17th. Just last month, a brand-new museum dedicated to the Statue of Liberty opened on New York’s Liberty Island, just about 134 years after Lady Liberty herself arrived via ship from France on this day in 1885. Now visited by 3.5 million people each year, the statue was a gift from the French to celebrate 100 years of friendship.

Hello and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on June 16th. It’s a summer amusement park staple--and the very first American roller coaster opened 135 years ago today in Brooklyn, New York. The Coney Island attraction was known as the Switchback Railway and traveled only six miles per hour and cost five cents to ride.

Hello and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on June 15th. You’ve seen the name “Goodyear” on tires and the famous blimp, and it all goes back to this day in 1844, when inventor Charles Goodyear accidentally figured out how to make vulcanized rubber. Goodyear’s rubber was strong and elastic and could withstand extreme hot and cold temperatures, which made it perfect for making tires.

Hello, and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on June 14th. It’s Flag Day, which means all public buildings are required to fly the American flag--the design of which was officially adopted by Congress on this day in 1777. During the American Revolution, Congress approved the American flag to display 13 alternating stripes and 13 stars representing the original colonies.

Hello and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on June 13th. “You have the right to remain silent.” If you’ve ever seen a police procedural, then you’ve heard those famous lines. They are known as the Miranda rights and since this day in 1966, police officers have been required by law to announce these rights when arresting suspects. It all started when a man named Ernesto Miranda was picked up by police, questioned and convicted of kidnapping.

Hello, and welcome to This day in History. Here’s what happened on June 12th. Anne Frank would be 90 years old today. On this day in 1929, she was born in Frankfurt, Germany. And on this day in 1942, she received a diary for her 13th birthday. Less than a month later, she and her family, who were Jewish and living in Amsterdam, went into hiding for two years from the Nazis during World War II.

On this day in History: Five selected to write Declaration of Independence, University of Alabama desegregated, and E.T. opened in theaters.

Hello, and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on June 10th. He’s best known today as one of America’s favorite founding fathers, but Benjamin Franklin was also an accomplished scientist. And on this day in 1752, he famously flew a kite during a thunderstorm to demonstrate the electric nature of lightning.

On this day in History: Secretariat won Triple Crown.