What Happened on June 15?

June 15 is Nature Photography Day — celebrating outdoor images that inspire conservation — on the same date King John sealed the Magna Carta in 1215, Arkansas became a state, and Charles Goodyear patented rubber vulcanization.

• 1215 — King John seals the Magna Carta at Runnymede

  On June 15, 1215, England's King John placed his seal on the Magna Carta — a charter limiting royal power and guaranteeing certain rights. Read the full story →

• 1667 — Jean-Baptiste Denis performs an early human blood transfusion

  French physician Jean-Baptiste Denis transfused sheep blood into a teenage patient on June 15, 1667 — one of the first documented human transfusions. Read the full story →

• 1836 — Arkansas becomes the 25th U.S. state

  Arkansas entered the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state — a frontier territory grown into a cotton- and timber-rich member of the United States. Read the full story →

• 1844 — Charles Goodyear receives a patent for rubber vulcanization

  On June 15, 1844, Charles Goodyear patented vulcanization — heating rubber with sulfur to make it strong, flexible, and weatherproof. Read the full story →

• 1864 — Arlington National Cemetery is established

  The U.S. Army officially designated Arlington House grounds as a military cemetery on June 15, 1864, during the Civil War. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Courteney Cox (1964) · Ice Cube (1969) · Helen Hunt (1963) · Waylon Jennings (1937–2002)

Days & observances

Nature Photography Day · National Smile Power Day · Global Wind Day · National Lobster Day