On This Day in History – June 20

by hpmom June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

1782 – The U.S. Congress officially adopts the Great Seal of the United States, featuring the bald eagle.
1837 – Queen Victoria ascends the British throne following the death of her uncle, King William IV, beginning the Victorian era.
1863 – West Virginia is admitted as the 35th state of the United States during the Civil War.
1893 – Lizzie Borden is acquitted of the axe murders of her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts.
1963 – The United States and the Soviet Union establish the “red telephone” hotline to improve Cold War communications.
1991 – Germany’s capital officially moves from Bonn to Berlin following reunification.
2003 – The Wikimedia Foundation is founded in St. Petersburg, Florida, to support Wikipedia and other free knowledge projects.

Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880), German-French composer known for his operettas, including Orpheus in the Underworld.
Lillian Hellman (1905–1984), American playwright and screenwriter known for The Little Foxes.
Audie Murphy (1925–1971), American soldier and actor, one of the most decorated U.S. combat veterans of World War II.
Olympia Dukakis (1931–2021), American actress and Academy Award winner for Moonstruck.
John Goodman (born 1952), American actor known for Roseanne and numerous film roles.
Nicole Kidman (born 1967), Australian-American actress and producer, known for her roles in Moulin Rouge! and The Hours.
Lionel Richie (born 1949), American singer-songwriter and music icon, formerly of The Commodores.

Manuel Noriega (1934–2017), former military dictator of Panama.
Leopold Mozart (1719–1787), Austrian composer and father of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Bugsy Siegel (1906–1947), American mobster and one of the major developers of the Las Vegas Strip.

West Virginia Day (U.S.) – Celebrates the state’s admission to the Union in 1863.
World Refugee Day (International) – Recognized by the United Nations to honor the strength and courage of refugees worldwide.
Argentine Flag Day (Argentina) – Commemorates the death of Manuel Belgrano, creator of Argentina’s national flag.

The U.S. “red telephone” with the Soviet Union was never actually red — and it used teletype, not voice.
Nicole Kidman, born on this day, once held the title of highest-paid actress in the world.
The Great Seal adopted in 1782 appears on U.S. passports, currency, and official government documents.
Audie Murphy went on to star in films after the war — even playing himself in To Hell and Back, based on his own life.
Lizzie Borden’s trial captivated the nation and inspired the famous rhyme: “Lizzie Borden took an axe…”