June 1 in history — What Happened Today in History
Welcome to June 1 in history! Here you can discover what happened on June 1, including the major events, the famous people born on June 1 and the notable deaths on June 1, with the newest story starting in 2015.
On this page, June 1 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about June 1 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on June 1 in History 40
- 2015
A ship carrying 458 people capsizes in the Yangtze river in China's Hubei province, killing 442 people.
- 2011
A rare tornado outbreak occurs in New England; a strong EF3 tornado strikes Springfield, Massachusetts, during the event, killing four people.
- 2011
Space Shuttle Endeavour makes its final landing after 25 flights.
- 2009
Air France Flight 447 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. All 228 passengers and crew are killed.
- 2009
General Motors files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is the fourth largest United States bankruptcy in history.
- 2008
A fire on the back lot of Universal Studios breaks out, destroying the attraction King Kong Encounter and a large archive of master tapes for music and film, the full extent of which was not revealed until 2019.
- 2007
Cyclone Gonu develops from an area of convection in the Arabian Sea, becoming the worst recorded natural disaster in Oman.
- 2004
Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols is sentenced to 161 consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.
- 2001
Nepalese royal massacre: Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal shoots and kills several members of his family including his father and mother.
- 2001
Dolphinarium discotheque massacre: A Hamas suicide bomber kills 21 at a disco in Tel Aviv.
- 1999
American Airlines Flight 1420 slides and crashes while landing at Little Rock National Airport, killing 11 people on a flight from Dallas to Little Rock.
- 1994
Republic of South Africa becomes a republic in the Commonwealth of Nations.
All entries for June 1（+28）
- 1993
Dobrinja mortar attack: Thirteen are killed and 133 wounded when Serb mortar shells are fired at a soccer game in Dobrinja, west of Sarajevo.
- 1990
Cold War: George H. W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev sign a treaty to end chemical weapon production.
- 1988
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty comes into effect.
- 1980
Cable News Network (CNN) begins broadcasting.
- 1979
The first black-led government of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 90 years takes power.
- 1978
The first international applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty are filed.
- 1976
Aeroflot Flight 418 crashes in Bioko, Equatorial Guinea, killing 46.
- 1975
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded by Jalal Talabani, Nawshirwan Mustafa, Fuad Masum and others.
- 1974
The Heimlich maneuver for rescuing choking victims is published in the journal Emergency Medicine.
- 1962
Adolf Eichmann, former SS officer in Nazi Germany, is hanged in Israel for having committed crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other offenses.
- 1961
The Canadian Bank of Commerce and Imperial Bank of Canada merge to form the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, the largest bank merger in Canadian history.
- 1958
Charles de Gaulle comes out of retirement to lead France by decree for six months.
- 1951
Washington State Ferries, the largest ferry system in the United States, begins operation under state ownership after a buyout of the Puget Sound Navigation Company.
- 1950
The Declaration of Conscience speech, by U.S. Senator from Maine, Margaret Chase Smith, is delivered in response to Joseph R. McCarthy's speech at Wheeling, West Virginia.
- 1950
The Chinchaga fire ignites. By September, it would become the largest single fire on record in North America.
- 1946
Ion Antonescu, "Conducator" ("Leader") of Romania during World War II, is executed.
- 1943
BOAC Flight 777 is shot down over the Bay of Biscay by German Junkers Ju 88s, killing British actor Leslie Howard and leading to speculation that it was actually an attempt to kill British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
- 1941
World War II: The Battle of Crete ends as Crete capitulates to Germany.
- 1941
The Farhud, a massive pogrom in Iraq, starts and as a result, many Iraqi Jews are forced to leave their homes.
- 1939
First flight of the German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter aircraft.
- 1929
The 1st Conference of the Communist Parties of Latin America is held in Buenos Aires.
- 1922
The Royal Ulster Constabulary is founded.
- 1919
Prohibition comes into force in Finland.
- 1918
World War I: Western Front: Battle of Belleau Wood: Allied Forces under John J. Pershing and James Harbord engage Imperial German Forces under Wilhelm, German Crown Prince.
- 1916
The United States Senate confirms the appointment of Louis Brandeis to the United States Supreme Court, making him the first Jew to be an Associate Justice.
- 1913
The Greek–Serbian Treaty of Alliance is signed, paving the way for the Second Balkan War.
- 1890
The United States Census Bureau begins using Herman Hollerith's tabulating machine to count census returns.
- 1879
Napoléon Eugène, the last dynastic Bonaparte, is killed in the Anglo-Zulu War.
Famous Birthdays on June 1 in History 25
- 1999
Technoblade, American YouTuber and streamer (died 2022)
- 1999
Dmytro Udovychenko, Ukrainian violinist
- 1996
Edvinas Gertmonas, Lithuanian footballer
- 1996
Tom Holland, English actor
- 1994
Kagayaki Taishi, Japanese sumo wrestler
- 1991
Zazie Beetz, German-American actress
- 1991
Tyrone Roberts, Australian rugby league player
- 1990
Miller Bolaños, Ecuadoran footballer
- 1990
Carlota Ciganda, Spanish golfer
- 1990
Roman Josi, Swiss ice hockey player
- 1989
Nataliya Goncharova, Ukrainian/Russian volleyball player
- 1989
Sammy Alex Mutahi, Kenyan runner
All entries for June 1（+13）
- 1988
Javier Hernández, Mexican footballer
- 1987
Zoltán Harsányi, Slovak footballer
- 1987
Yarisley Silva, Cuban pole vaulter
- 1986
Moses Ndiema Masai, Kenyan runner
- 1986
Chinedu Obasi, Nigerian footballer
- 1986
Ben Smith, New Zealand rugby player
- 1985
Dinesh Karthik, Indian cricketer
- 1985
Nick Young, American basketball player
- 1985
Sam Young, American basketball player
- 1984
Jean Beausejour, Chilean footballer
- 1984
Olivier Tielemans, Dutch racing driver
- 1984
Nikki Glaser, American comedian
- 1982
Justine Henin, Belgian tennis player
Notable Deaths on June 1 in History 25
- 2025
Jonathan Joss, American actor (born 1965)
- 2024
Tin Oo, Burmese general and politician (born 1927)
- 2019
Ani Yudhoyono, Indonesian politician, 6th First Lady of Indonesia. (born 1952)
- 2015
Charles Kennedy, Scottish journalist and politician (born 1959)
- 2015
Joan Kirner, Australian educator and politician, 42nd Premier of Victoria (born 1938)
- 2015
Nicholas Liverpool, Dominican lawyer and politician, 6th President of Dominica (born 1934)
- 2015
Jacques Parizeau, Canadian economist and politician, 26th Premier of Quebec (born 1930)
- 2015
Jean Ritchie, American singer-songwriter (born 1922)
- 2014
Ann B. Davis, American actress (born 1926)
- 2014
Valentin Mankin, Ukrainian sailor (born 1938)
- 2014
Timofei Moșneaga, Moldovan physician and politician, Moldovan Minister of Health (born 1932)
- 2013
James Kelleher, Canadian lawyer and politician, 33rd Solicitor General of Canada (born 1930)
All entries for June 1（+13）
- 2012
Faruq Z. Bey, American saxophonist and composer (born 1942)
- 2012
Pádraig Faulkner, Irish educator and politician, 19th Irish Minister of Defence (born 1918)
- 2012
Milan Gaľa, Slovak politician (born 1953)
- 2011
Haleh Sahabi, Iranian humanitarian and activist (born 1957)
- 2010
Kazuo Ohno, Japanese dancer (born 1906)
- 2010
Andrei Voznesensky, Russian poet (born 1933)
- 2009
Vincent O'Brien, Irish horse trainer (born 1917)
- 2008
Tommy Lapid, Israeli journalist and politician, 17th Justice Minister of Israel (born 1931)
- 2008
Yves Saint Laurent, French fashion designer, founded Saint Laurent Paris (born 1936)
- 2007
Tony Thompson, American singer and songwriter (born 1975)
- 2005
Hilda Crosby Standish, American physician (born 1902)
- 2005
George Mikan, American basketball player and coach (born 1924)
- 2004
William Manchester, American historian and author (born 1922)
That is the story of June 1 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on June 1 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on June 1 in history?
The biggest event on June 1 in history is: 2015 — A ship carrying 458 people capsizes in the Yangtze river in China's Hubei province, killing 442 people.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on June 1?
25 famous people were born on June 1 in history, the best known being 1999 — Technoblade, American YouTuber and streamer (died 2022).
Who died on June 1?
25 notable people died on June 1 in history, including 2025 — Jonathan Joss, American actor (born 1965).
Why should I read about June 1 in history?
Exploring June 1 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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What happened on your birthday?
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