June 30

June 30: This Day in History

• 1520— Hernán Cortés and his forces escaped from Tenochtitlan during the 'Noche Triste' as Aztec forces attacked.
• 1860— The Great Debate on evolution was held at Oxford University between Thomas Huxley and Bishop Samuel Wilberforce.
• 1908— A massive explosion over Siberia, known as the Tunguska event, leveled hundreds of square miles of forest.
• 1934— Adolf Hitler ordered the Night of the Long Knives, purging rivals within the Nazi Party.
• 1997— The United Kingdom handed sovereignty of Hong Kong over to the People's Republic of China after 156 years of British rule.

Famous Birthdays on June 30

• Susan Hayward (1917) — Academy Award-winning Hollywood actress
• Mike Tyson (1966) — heavyweight boxing champion
• Michael Phelps (1985) — most decorated Olympic athlete in history
• Lizzy Caplan (1982) — actress known for Mean Girls and Masters of Sex
• Cheryl Cole (1983) — British singer and television personality
• David Alan Grier (1956) — comedian and actor known for In Living Color

What Happens on June 30?

Did You Know? June 30 Fun Facts

• The Tunguska event on June 30, 1908 released energy estimated at 10–15 megatons — roughly 1,000 times the Hiroshima bomb — yet no crater was ever found.
• Michael Phelps, born June 30, 1985, won 23 Olympic gold medals across four Olympic Games.
• The handover of Hong Kong on June 30, 1997 at midnight ended 156 years of British colonial rule.