JUNE

June 2: Native American Citizenship Day.  Native Americans have long struggled to retain their culture. Until 1924, Native Americans were not citizens of the United States. Many Native Americans had, and still have, separate nations within the U.S. on designated reservation land. But on June 2, 1924, Congress granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. 

June 11, 1963: US President JFK says segregation is morally wrong and that it is "time to act" 

June 12, 1942: Anne Frank gets her diary as a birthday present in Amsterdam 

June 12, 1964: Nelson Mandela is sentenced to life in prison in South Africa

June 17-July 17: Ramadan - During Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Muslims all over the world abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs during the daylight hours. This is a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God, and practice self-sacrifice. 

June 19: Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. It is observed as a public holiday in 14 U.S. states. This celebration honors the day in 1865 when slaves in Texas and Louisiana finally heard they were free, two months after the end of the Civil War.  June 19, therefore, became the day of emancipation for thousands of Black Americans. 

June 19: Antigas Day in Uruguay.  Celebrates the birthday of General José Gervasio Artigas, forefather of Uruguay

June 24: Feast of San Juan Bautista, or St. John the Baptist, patron saint of Puerto Rico’s capital, San Juan. Other Latinos celebrate the day as el Día de San Pedro

June 29: Saint Peter and St. Paul, known as San Pedro y San Pablo. Celebrated in Spain and many Latin-American countries