1781 – Jack Jouett begins his midnight ride to warn Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia legislature of an impending raid by Banastre Tarleton.
1839 – In Humen, China, Lin Tse-hsü destroys 1.2 million kg of opium confiscated from British merchants, providing Britain with a casus belli to open hostilities, resulting in the First Opium War.
1861 – American Civil War: Battle of Philippi (also called the Philippi Races) – Union forces rout Confederate troops in Barbour County, Virginia, now West Virginia, in first land battle of the War.
1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Cold Harbor – Union forces attack Confederate troops in Hanover County, Virginia.
1885 – In the last military engagement fought on Canadian soil, the Cree leader, Big Bear, escapes the North-West Mounted Police.
1889 – The first long-distance electric power transmission line in the United States is completed, running 14 miles (23 km) between a generator at Willamette Falls and downtown Portland, Oregon.
1906 – Josephine Baker, American-French actress, singer, and dancer (d. 1975) was born.
1916 – The National Defense Act is signed into law, increasing the size of the United States National Guard by 450,000 men.
1926 – Allen Ginsberg, American poet (d. 1997) was born.
1940 – World War II: The Luftwaffe bombs Paris.
1940 – Franz Rademacher proposes plans to make Madagascar the “Jewish homeland”, an idea that had first been considered by 19th century journalist Theodor Herzl.
1943 – In Los Angeles, California, white U.S. Navy sailors and Marines clash with Latino youths in the Zoot Suit Riots.
1963 – The Buddhist crisis: Soldiers of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam attack protesting Buddhists in Huế, South Vietnam, with liquid chemicals from tear-gas grenades, causing 67 people to be hospitalised for blistering of the skin and respiratory ailments.
1964 – Kerry King, American guitarist and songwriter (Slayer) was born.
1965 – Mike Gordon, American singer, bass player, and director (Phish, Rhythm Devils, and SerialPod) was born.
1967 – Anderson Cooper, American journalist and author was born
1967 – Jason Jones, Canadian actor, was born.
1968 – Valerie Solanas, the author of SCUM Manifesto, attempts to assassinate Andy Warhol by shooting him three times.
1982 – The Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom, Shlomo Argov, is shot on a London street. He survives but is permanently paralysed.
2013 – The trial of United States Army private Bradley Manning (later known as Chelsea Manning) for leaking classified material to WikiLeaks begins in Fort Meade, Maryland.
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