June 25 in History

Significant events that happened on this day.

Historical Events

1984

Prince's 'Purple Rain' album was released, eventually selling over 25 million copies worldwide

The soundtrack to his semi-autobiographical film became a cultural phenomenon, blending rock, R&B, and pop into something entirely new. The album spen...

1967

The Beatles performed 'All You Need Is Love' live via satellite to an estimated 400 million viewers

The first global satellite television broadcast, called 'Our World,' featured the Fab Four debuting their new single in front of a worldwide audience....

1950

North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel, starting the Korean War

Major

At 4 AM, North Korean troops invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel, catching the South and its allies by surprise. The conflict would last thre...

1947

A published diary by a teenager named Anne Frank became available to the public for the first time

Major

Otto Frank, the only surviving member of his family, published his daughter's diary two years after her death in Bergen-Belsen. Initially printed in a...

1938

The Fair Labor Standards Act established the 40-hour work week and banned child labor in the United States

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed this landmark legislation that also established a federal minimum wage of 25 cents per hour. The law set the ma...

1910

Igor Stravinsky's ballet 'The Firebird' premiered in Paris, launching his career as the 20th century's most influential composer

The Russian composer was only 28 when his groundbreaking work debuted with the Ballets Russes. The exotic orchestrations and innovative harmonies caus...

1910

The U.S. Congress passed the Mann Act, making it illegal to transport women across state lines for 'immoral purposes'

Also known as the White-Slave Traffic Act, this law was ostensibly designed to combat forced prostitution but was frequently misused to prosecute inte...

1903

George Orwell, author of '1984' and 'Animal Farm,' was born in India

Major

Born Eric Arthur Blair in British India, he would grow up to write some of the 20th century's most influential dystopian fiction. His concepts of 'Big...

1876

General George Custer and his 7th Cavalry were wiped out at the Battle of Little Bighorn

Major

Custer's 'Last Stand' ended disastrously when his 200+ soldiers were overwhelmed by Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors led by Sitting Bul...

1788

Virginia became the 10th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution

Virginia's ratification was crucial because it was the most populous state at the time and home to influential Founding Fathers. The vote was surprisi...

1741

Maria Theresa of Austria was crowned Queen of Hungary in an elaborate ceremony where she held up her infant son

In a dramatic gesture during her coronation, the young queen rode up a symbolic hill on horseback, drew her sword, and pointed it to the four corners...

1678

Elena Cornaro Piscopia became the first woman in the world to receive a doctoral degree

The Venetian philosopher received her doctorate in philosophy from the University of Padua, breaking a barrier that had stood for centuries. Church of...