Historical Events and Notable Birthdays on June 22

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Historical Events on June 22

June 22 marks important events in history. In 1986, Diego Maradona scored his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England during the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals in Mexico City. This event led Argentina to a 2-1 victory and eventually to win the World Cup against West Germany.

On the same date in 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated for the second time as Emperor of the French. In 1938, Joe Louis defeated Max Schmeling in a highly symbolic boxing match at New York’s Yankee Stadium.

In 1941, Nazi Germany initiated Operation Barbarossa, invading the Soviet Union, a pivotal event leading to the Axis Powers’ defeat. The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, or the ‘GI Bill of Rights,’ was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 22, 1944.

The Battle of Okinawa concluded with an Allied victory on June 22, 1945. President Richard Nixon extended the Voting Rights Act in 1970, reducing the voting age to 18. In 1977, John N. Mitchell began serving his prison sentence for his role in the Watergate scandal.

On June 22, 1981, Mark David Chapman pleaded guilty to the murder of John Lennon. In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled in R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul, protecting free speech rights against hate crime laws.

An accident on the Washington D.C. Metro system in 2009 resulted in nine deaths and dozens injured. James ‘Whitey’ Bulger was captured in California on June 22, 2011, after 16 years of evasion. Jerry Sandusky’s conviction for sexually assaulting boys occurred in 2012.

In 2022, a devastating earthquake impacted eastern Afghanistan, resulting in at least 1,000 deaths. In 2025, U.S. forces bombed Iran’s uranium plants to hinder their nuclear activities.