June 25: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

Former police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd.

The sentencing was one of the longest ever given out to a police officer for the unlawful use of deadly force. Chauvin was the first white police officer in Minnesota to do time for the murder of a Black man.

The World Health Organization estimated that Yemen had over 200,000 cases of cholera.

The Supreme Court of the United States decided on the rule that police cannot examine the contents of a cell phone without a search warrant.

Canada swore in Kim Campbell as the nation’s first female Prime Minister.

Prince released his sixth album “Purple Rain.”

By May 1996, the album was officially declared 13x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The rainbow flag was flown for the first time at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade.

Before the rainbow flag, gay pride was represented with a pink triangle. However, the triangle was used during the Holocaust to identify homosexuals and people wanted a more positive symbol.

North Korea sent 75,000 soldiers to invade South Korea, which would start the Korean War.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank was published.

The diary has since been published in over 60 languages.

Finland declared war on the Soviet Union after an air raid was launched on Finnish cities.

Florida, one of the confederate states, was readmitted to the Union.

Over the next month, the confederate states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Louisiana were also readmitted.

Barbed wire was patented by Lucien B Smith in Ohio, US.

Virginia became the 10th state to join the United States of America.

American colonies recorded their first astronomical event after observing a lunar eclipse.

This day marked the end of Edward V of England’s reign.

Although Edward V reigned England from April 9, 1383, he was not crowned King. Edward V became King after his father died; however, the House of Lords and Commons opposed his reign due to his parents' bigamous marriage.