Today in History

"Just say 'No!'" lol

 

So opium, then...

 

JUNE 6th: 1933 - "For your Entertainment"

The first drive in movie theater is opened in Camden, NJ. - on Crescent Boulevard
Eager motorists park their automobiles on the grounds of Park-In Theaters, for the first-ever drive-in movie experience

 

JUNE (5th // 6th: 1975 - "Before Br-exit"

Results for the UK has it's first nationwide referendum over the continued membership of the European Economic Community are announced.
2/3 of voters support the government's campaign to stay in the EEC, or Common Market.

 

I rarely see drive-ins anymore, much less Art Deco ones!

 

JUNE 6th: 1987 - "Jackson no long Knocking"
Michael Jackson announces that he was breaking all ties with the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Singer Michael Jackson has dropped out of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a step that normally means he must be shunned by family members and friends who remain in the religious sect.
- - - A representative of the Woodland Hills congregation where Jackson belonged said that the entertainer “disassociated” himself from the congregation and “no longer wants to be known as a Jehovah’s Witness.”
The official, who did not want to be identified, did not give a reason for Jackson’s decision and said only that he left “in the spring.”
A form letter from the Witnesses’ Brooklyn headquarters, dated May 18, also stated that the organization “no longer considers Michael Jackson to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” A copy of the letter was obtained by The Times.
A spokesman for Epic Records and Jackson’s manager, Frank Dileo, said they do not make comments on the singer’s personal life and would not ask Jackson to comment. = LOS ANGLES TIMES
Jackson had been raised as a Jehovah's Witness and would don disguises and go door to door with the Watchtower message in cities where he was performing.

 

JUNE 6th: 2012 - "Mis-Management of Monies"

Adam Clayton's former personal assistant and housekeeper went on trial, accused of stealing almost 3m euros (£2.4m) from the U2 bass player.
Carol Hawkins, from Dublin, pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 181 counts of theft.
She was accused of stealing money from two of Clayton's bank accounts over a four year period from 2004 to 2008.
According to the latest Sunday Times Rich List, Bono, the Edge, Larry Mullen, Mr Clayton and their manager had a combined fortune of €628m, ($788m).
Hawkins was found Guilty - and was jailed for 7 years
Former U2 personal assistant Carol Hawkins jailed for seven years - BBC News

 

JUNE 6th: 2012 - "Vampire Skeletons Found in Bulgaria"

Archaeologists found two medieval "vampire" skeletons. The skeletons had been pierced through the chest by an iron rod that was meant to pin them to their graves and to prevent them from becoming vampires.
'Vampire' skeletons found in Bulgaria near Black Sea - BBC News

 

JUNE 6th: 1969 - "Reg becomes Elton"

Elton John released his debut album Empty Sky in the UK, (though was not released until January 1975 in the US)
- Skyline Pigeon' is the best known song on the album, and is the only one which John, albeit infrequently, performs as part of his live shows.

 

JUNE 6th: 2017 - "Woodstock recognised"

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts proudly announces that the site of the 1969 Woodstock festival has been officially placed on the National Register of Historic Places, formally acknowledging the significance of the site's heritage.
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts - Wikipedia

 

Today in History June 7th

1998 African American James Byrd, Jr. is dragged to death by Shawn Allen Berry, and white Supremacist's Lawrence Russel Brewer, and John William King in Jasper, Texas.

Note: After James Byrd was kidnapped, beaten, urinated and defecated on, he was chained by the ankles and dragged 3 miles on the back of a pick up truck.

Note: The entire 3 mile stretch of road was designated a crime scene because 84 individual parts of James Byrd were found scattered along the route including his head, which was not damaged, which suggests he was alive and conscious for at least a mile, What was left of him was dropped off in front of an all-black church..

Note: After the trial, Brewer and King were sentenced to death, Shawn Allen Berry was sentenced to life in prison Brewer was executed in 2011, King was executed in 2019, neither showed any remorse. When asked Brewer said "Yes, I would do it again" King's explanation "the first time I was in prison I was repeatedly raped by black inmates"

Note: Today Shawn Allen Berry lives in a 6x8 cell and is isolated from the rest of the prison population for fear he would be immediately killed by the rest of the inmates. He's only let out of his cell one hour a day for exercise. Berry is eligible for parole in 2038.

 

There was another interesting aspect of the case.

Brewer singlehandedly ended the 87-year-old tradition in Texas of giving last meals to condemned inmates when he ordered a large meal consisting of two chicken-fried steaks, a triple-patty bacon cheeseburger; a cheese omelet with ground beef, a bowl of fried okra with ketchup; one pound of barbecued meat with half a loaf of white bread; three fully loaded fajitas; a meat-lover's pizza; one pint of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream; and three root beers.

When the meal was presented, he told officials that he was not hungry.

He ordered the meal out of spite and ruined it for any future executions.

 

At least we live in times where white killers of black people in Texas received any consequences for their actions.

 

It was the first time in the history of the state of Texas, that a white man (men) were put to death for killing a black man.

 

JUNE 7th: 1982 - "GRACELAND"
Graceland is opened to the public for the first time, almost five years after the death of Elvis Presley

The Home of Elvis Presley | Graceland

 

JUNE 7th: 1966 - "Enter the 'Acting' politician"
Former actor Ronald Reagan enters politics when he is elected governor of California.

 

JUNE 7th: 1977 - "Anarchy In The UK"
The Sex Pistols held a party on a boat as it sailed down The River Thames in London.

The Pistols performed 'Anarchy In The UK' outside The Houses Of Parliament resulting in members from the party being arrested when the boat docked later that day.

 

JUNE 7th: 1969 - "Tommy, can you hear me?"
The Who's fourth album, 'Tommy' album entered the UK chart, peaking at No.2.
It was one of two full-scale rock operas from The Who (the other being the 1973 'Quadrophenia').

The double album tell's a loose story about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy" who becomes the leader of a messianic movement, Tommy was the first musical work to be billed overtly as a rock opera.
Tommy (The Who album) - Wikipedia