Today in History: June 21, US Constitution becomes law
Today is Saturday, June 21, the 172nd day of 2025. There are 193 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On June 21, 1788, the United States Constitution went into effect as New Hampshire became the required ninth state to ratify it.
Also on this date:
In 1834, Cyrus Hall McCormick received a patent for his mechanical reaper.
In 1893, the first Ferris wheel opened to the public as part of the Chicago World's Fair.
In 1942, an Imperial Japanese submarine fired shells at Fort Stevens on the Oregon coast, but caused little damage.
In 1954, scientists of the American Cancer Society presented a study to a meeting of the American Medical Association in San Francisco which found that men who regularly smoked cigarettes died, particularly from lung cancer, at a considerably higher rate than non-smokers.
In 1964, civil rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner were murdered in Neshoba County, Mississippi; their bodies were found buried in an earthen dam six weeks later. (Forty-one years later, on this date in 2005, Edgar Ray Killen, an 80-year-old former Ku Klux Klansman, was found guilty of manslaughter in their deaths; he was sentenced to 60 years in prison, where he died in January 2018.)
In 1982, a jury in Washington, D.C. found John Hinckley Jr. not guilty by reason of insanity in the shootings of President Ronald Reagan, Press Secretary James Brady, Washington D.C. police office Thomas Delahanty and Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy.
In 1989, a sharply divided Supreme Court ruled, in Texas v. Johnson, that burning the American flag as a form of political protest was protected by the First Amendment.
In 1997, the WNBA made its debut as the New York Liberty defeated the host Los Angeles Sparks 67-57.
In 2004, the aircraft SpaceShipOne made the first privately funded human spaceflight.
In 2010, Faisal Shahzad, a Pakistan-born U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty to charges of plotting a failed car bombing in New York's Times Square. (Shahzad was later sentenced to life in prison.)
Today's Birthdays: Composer Lalo Schifrin is 93. Musician Ray Davies (The Kinks) is 81. Actor Meredith Baxter is 78. Nobel peace prize laureate Shirin Ebadi is 78. Actor Michael Gross is 78. Author Ian McEwan is 77. Musician Nils Lofgren is 74. Cartoonist Berkeley Breathed is 68. Country musician Kathy Mattea is 66. Filmmaker Lana Wachowski is 60. Rapper-DJ-producer Pete Rock is 55. Actor Juliette Lewis is 52. Actor Chris Pratt is 46. Rock singer Brandon Flowers (The Killers) is 44. Britain's Prince William is 43. Singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey is 40. Golfer Scottie Scheffler is 29.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
LA journalists sue Noem over DHS response to unrest amid immigration raids
The Los Angeles Press Club and other journalists are suing Kristi Noem, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary, for using 'Unnecessary and excessive violence to prevent them from exercising their First Amendment rights.' The lawsuit also accuses DHS of violating the Fourth Amendment prohibiting arbitrary arrests, and the Fifth amendment, which demands due process of law. 'Since June 6, at least seven members of our organization have been subject to use of force or suffered a serious press rights violation by DHS officers,' Adam Rose, press rights chair of the Los Angeles Press Club, said in a statement. 'Democracy depends on an informed public. An informed public depends on a press free to do its job without fearing violence by federal agents.' On June 6, protests erupted in Los Angeles while Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were conducting raids in the garment district rounding up undocumented immigrants. On June 8, President Trump sent in 1,700 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines to help control the protests without California Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D) request or consultation. As protests grew, so did the violence. Some protesters were throwing rocks at law enforcement or burning vehicles. Law enforcement was shooting rubber bullets and using tear gas against protesters. The legal complaint reads, 'DHS agents did not target their assault towards people posing a threat in any way. Rather, they fired their weapons indiscriminately and at every angle in front of them in the direction of the gathered community, hitting people in the head with projectiles and choking them with tear gas. Some agents shot tear gas canisters and rubber bullets directly at people as they did this.' On June 18, Trump sent another 2,000 additional troops to the area. The DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The plaintiffs are arguing that the excessive use of force led to many journalists being unable or fearful of covering the protests, essentially limiting the amount of press coverage. 'What happened in LA isn't just a press crackdown, it's an assault on the rights of all Americans, especially working people,' said Jon Schleuss, president of NewsGuild-CWA in a statement. 'This state-sanctioned violence against journalists is meant to stop the public from learning the truth.' The lawsuit explains how multiple journalists were hurt in their encounters with DHS. Journalist Sean Beckner-Carmitchel was shot in the head with a rubber bullet and a tear gas canister by DHS agents on June 7, the complaint alleges. The same day, Ryanne Mena, who was wearing visible press credentials and working with the Southern California Newsgroup, was shot with a pepper ball and rubber bullet. This lawsuit was accompanied by a temporary restraining order meant to halt DHS' actions in LA by the weekend. The request was denied on Friday.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Raoul issues guidance for protesters
As people in Chicago, Los Angeles and cities around the nation peacefully protest unlawful policies and orders issued by the Trump administration, Attorney General Kwame Raoul released guidance to help them do so safely. Raoul's 'Know Your Rights Advisory: Safely Participating in Peaceful Protests in Illinois' is available on the Attorney General's website to help Illinois residents understand their rights and responsibilities while participating in protected First Amendment protests. Raoul also issued a guidance summary to ensure local law enforcement officials understand key provisions of the Illinois TRUST Act, which generally prohibits state and local law enforcement from participating in federal civil immigration enforcement. 'It is impossible to ignore the widespread injustice taking place around the nation at the direction of the Trump administration, and it is incumbent upon all of us to speak out and protest these egregious abuses of power. However, protesters have a responsibility to follow the law and express their views peacefully,' Raoul said. 'Acts of violence, destruction of property and obstruction of law enforcement are unacceptable, and local law enforcement is responsible for addressing such acts. Local law enforcement officers in Illinois have already shown that they are fully capable of protecting protesters, the public and free speech," he added. Raoul encouraged citizens to know their rights. "I encourage people to review the 'Know Your Rights Advisory' on my office's website before participating in a demonstration. This moment demands that we all use our voices in protest, but it is up to protesters and local law enforcement officers together to maintain public safety at such demonstrations,' he said. The right to free speech and peaceable assembly protected by the First Amendment includes the right to participate in protests, marches and demonstrations. However, protesters are responsible for expressing their views peacefully and obeying orders issued by local law enforcement. Physical violence, destruction of property, criminal trespass onto private property or other criminal activities are not protected by the First Amendment. Local law enforcement officers may take appropriate crowd management and traffic control measures if needed. Attorney General Raoul is also reminding demonstrators that it is a federal crime to assault, intimidate or interfere with an officer or employee of the U.S. government while performing official duties, or to obstruct or impede a federal civil immigration enforcement operation. Illinois' TRUST Act generally prohibits local law enforcement from participating in civil immigration enforcement. Although the law does not prevent local law enforcement officers from taking action to maintain peace and ensure public safety in their jurisdictions, officers must respect the constitutional and civil rights of all individuals at all times. Local law enforcement officers may not stop, arrest or detain anyone based solely on citizenship or immigration status. The Attorney General's 'Know Your Rights Advisory: Safely Participating in Peaceful Protests in Illinois' and 'Guidance Summary: Key Provisions of the Illinois TRUST Act' contain more information and are available to all on the Attorney General's website. Raoul urges anyone who believes their rights or someone else's rights are being violated to remain calm, document all relevant information and do not use force or otherwise resist arrest. Individuals who need to report alleged civil rights violations or alleged violations of the TRUST Act by law enforcement should contact the Attorney General's Civil Rights Bureau by calling 1-877-581-3692 or by emailing civilrights@
New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
Padilla claims Noem clash wasn't planned stunt: ‘rhetoric compelled me'
California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla insisted Saturday that he didn't pre-plan his heckling of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles — claiming that the stunt that got him handcuffed was a spur of the moment attempt at congressional oversight. Padilla argued in an interview with MSNBC hosts Eugene Daniels and Jonathan Capehart that Noem's 'rhetoric compelled' him to approach her lectern at a press conference and interrupt. Padilla was removed from the June 12 event after he pushed against law enforcement officers who blocked him and shouted, 'I'm Senator Alex Padilla! I have questions for the secretary!' He appeared on MSNBC to respond to Vice President JD Vance, who last week referred to him as 'Jose' Padilla and accused him of 'pure political theater' in his protest of Trump administration immigration enforcement policies. 5 Sen. Alex Padilla was handcuffed June 12 after attempting to confront DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. AP 5 Padilla pushed back against law enforcement officers as he tried to reach Noem's lectern. AP The VP's office explained the first-name error by saying Vance 'must have mixed up two people who have broken the law.' 'He knows my name,' Padilla griped to MSNBC. 'Sadly, it's just an indicator of how petty and unserious this administration is.' 5 Noem was discussing an immigration crackdown and local protests against immigration officials. AP 5 Vice President JD Vance accused Padilla of staging 'political theater.' Getty Images Padilla claimed that he was merely attempting to exercise his congressional duties during his confrontation with Noem. 'Part of our job is oversight and accountability — exactly what this administration does not want, and so they will try to throw any hurdle, any roadblock, to keep us from our oversight and accountability role. That's all I was doing, right?' the Democrat said 'That press conference, as you know, I did not barge in. I was escorted in. I did not lunge at the secretary… I had the audacity of trying to ask a question,' he said. 5 Democrats have denounced Padilla's brief detention. via REUTERS 'I heard there was this press conference, asked to join, they opened the door for me and I sat quietly on the side until the rhetoric compelled me to speak up — not just as a senator, but as an American,' Padilla added. 'Just the notion that they're suggesting that it's their job to liberate Los Angeles from our duly elected mayor and governor. It is too much.' The previously little-known senator was appointed to his position in 2021 by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) to fill the vacancy created by Kamala Harris becoming vice president. He was elected to a full six-year term in 2022.
