History of the Day for:
June 20
- 1782: The Great Seal of the United States government, designed by William Barton, was adopted.
- 1837: Queen Victoria ascended the British throne.
- 1863: West Virginia became the 35th state.
- 1893: A jury in New Bedford, Mass., found Lizzie Borden innocent of the ax murders of her father and stepmother.
- 1898: During the Spanish-American War, the U.S. cruiser "Charleston" captured the Spanish-ruled island of Guam.
- 1910: Fanny Brice debuted in the New York production of the "Ziegfeld Follies" and earned the nickname "Funny Girl."
- 1924: Audie Murphy, the most-decorated WWII soldier and later an actor, was born in Kingston, Texas.
- 1943: Race-related rioting erupted in Detroit.
- 1947: Reputed mob boss "Bugsy" Siegel was shot and killed at his girlfriend's Beverly Hills mansion.
- 1948: The variety show "Toast of the Town," hosted by Ed Sullivan, debuted on CBS. The show was later renamed "The Ed Sullivan Show."
- 1963: The United States and Soviet Union signed an agreement to set up a "hotline" communications link between the two superpowers.
- 1967: Boxer Muhammad Ali was convicted in Houston of violating Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted.
- 1988: The Supreme Court upheld a law that made it illegal for private clubs to discriminate against women and minorities.
- 1993: The Chicago Bulls won their third NBA title in a row as they defeated the Phoenix Suns in Game Six of their championship series, 99-98.