Today in History: Nelson Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment

The following is a chronological list of notable events that occurred on June 12 throughout history:

1519 – Birth of Cosimo I de’ Medici
Born on June 12, 1519, in Florence, Cosimo I de’ Medici went on to rule as Duke of Florence from 1537 and later became the inaugural Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1569, overseeing a flourishing of arts and centralized governance.

1898 – Philippine Declaration of Independence
On June 12, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the independence of the Philippines from Spanish rule in Kawit, Cavite, raising the national flag and introducing the Philippine national anthem “Lupang Hinirang”.

1939 – First Baseball Hall of Fame induction
The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, held its inaugural induction ceremony and exhibition game on June 12, 1939, honoring legends such as Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Honus Wagner.

1942 – Anne Frank receives her diary
On June 12, 1942, Anne Frank was gifted a diary for her 13th birthday in Amsterdam—a journal she would later use to record her experiences in hiding and produce her world-famous memoir.

1963 – Assassination of Medgar Evers
US Civil rights activist and NAACP field secretary Medgar Evers was fatally shot in the driveway of his home in Jackson, Mississippi, on June 12, 1963—a killing that sparked national outrage and intensified calls for racial justice.

1964 – Nelson Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment
On June 12, 1964, Nelson Mandela and fellow Rivonia Trial defendants were handed life sentences for sabotage against the apartheid government, initiating Mandela’s long imprisonment on Robben Island.

1967 – Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously struck down state bans on interracial marriage on June 12, 1967, affirming that such laws violated the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses under the Fourteenth Amendment.

1979 – Gossamer Albatross crosses English Channel
On June 12, 1979, pilot Bryan Allen successfully flew the human-powered Gossamer Albatross across the English Channel—from Folkestone, England, to Cape Gris-Nez, France—in just under three hours, winning the Kremer Prize.

1981 – Premiere of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”
Steven Spielberg’s action-adventure film Raiders of the Lost Ark, featuring the iconic archaeologist Indiana Jones, premiered in U.S. theaters on June 12, 1981, launching a blockbuster franchise.

2016 – Pulse nightclub mass shooting
A gunman opened fire at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub during a Latin-themed event on June 12, 2016, killing 49 people and injuring 53 more. At the time, it was the deadliest attack targeting LGBTQ+ individuals in U.S. history.