On This Day in History – June 27

by hpmom June 27, 2025

June 27, 2025

1844 – Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is killed by a mob while jailed in Carthage, Illinois.
1898 – The first solo circumnavigation of the globe is completed by Joshua Slocum aboard the Spray, after more than three years at sea.
1954 – The world’s first nuclear power station begins operation in Obninsk, USSR, generating electricity for a power grid.
1957 – Hurricane Audrey strikes the U.S. Gulf Coast, killing over 400 people in Louisiana and Texas.
1976 – Air France Flight 139 is hijacked by pro-Palestinian militants and diverted to Entebbe, Uganda, setting the stage for Israel’s famous rescue operation.
2007 – Tony Blair steps down as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after ten years in office, succeeded by Gordon Brown.

Helen Keller (1880–1968), American author, lecturer, and disability rights advocate who overcame blindness and deafness.
Bob Keeshan (1927–2004), American television personality best known as “Captain Kangaroo.”
H. Ross Perot (1930–2019), American businessman and independent presidential candidate.
Vera Wang (born 1949), American fashion designer known for her bridal gowns and luxury designs.
Tobey Maguire (born 1975), American actor best known for playing Spider-Man in the early 2000s trilogy.
Chandler Riggs (born 1999), American actor known for his role as Carl Grimes in The Walking Dead.

Joseph Smith (1805–1844), founder of the Mormon religion, assassinated while in custody.
Jack Lemmon (1925–2001), American actor known for Some Like It Hot and The Apartment.
Don Revie (1927–1989), English football player and manager, most notably for Leeds United and England.

National HIV Testing Day (U.S.) – Promotes awareness, education, and testing to help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Unity Day (Tajikistan) – Commemorates the end of the country’s civil war in 1997 and the start of national reconciliation.
Seven Sleepers Day (Germany) – A traditional European weather lore day; folklore says that the weather on this day predicts the rest of summer.

Helen Keller, born on this day, learned to communicate despite being both deaf and blind — and became one of the most influential advocates for people with disabilities.
The Obninsk nuclear power station marked the beginning of the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Joshua Slocum’s solo voyage inspired generations of sailors and adventure writers.
The hijacking of Air France Flight 139 led to the famous Israeli commando rescue mission known as Operation Entebbe.
Seven Sleepers Day has no connection to naps — it’s based on a legend and used in Germany as a long-range weather forecast.