History Brooklyn Boro

MILESTONES: June 30, birthdays for Mike Tyson, Michael Phelps, Cole Swindell

Brooklyn Today

June 30, 2017 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Boxer Mike Tyson celebrates his birthday today. AP Photo by Kamran Jebreili

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 180th day of the year.

Notable people born on this day include Mike Tyson and Vincent D’Onofrio, among others.

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ON THIS DAY IN 1925, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published a front-page article titled “Boro Cleaning Up After its 2 Worst Storms.”

The article focused on huge storms that flooded Brooklyn houses and cellars.

“The storm, which swept down upon the city from the Ohio Valley, was a double-barreled affair and caused thousands of dollars’ worth of damage in addition to crippling subway, trolley and automobile transportation for hours,” the Eagle reported.

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include singer FANTASIA BARRINO, who was born in 1984; actress LIZZY CAPLAN, who was born in 1982; actor VINCENT D’ONOFRIO, who was born in Brooklyn in 1959; actress NANCY DUSSAULT, who was born in 1936; actor RUPERT GRAVES, who was born in 1963; actor DAVID ALAN GRIER, who was born in 1955; Olympic swimming legend MICHAEL PHELPS, who was born in 1986; actress MONICA POTTER, who was born in 1971; former U.S. Rep. and former Association of American Publishers President PATRICIA SCHROEDER, who was born in 1940; country singer COLE SWINDELL, who was born in 1983; and former heavyweight champion boxer MIKE TYSON, who was born in 1966.

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“GONE WITH THE WIND” WAS PUBLISHED ON THIS DAY IN 1936. Margaret Mitchell’s epic novel of the Civil War South won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award as best novel of 1936. It has been a bestseller since publication, and 40 countries have published translations.

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JOSEPH DALTON HOOKER WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1817. One of the 19th century’s premier botanists, Hooker became the director of the Kew Gardens in London and is best remembered for his work in plant taxonomy; his extensive exploration, documentation and evolutionary explanations of previously unknown species in the South Pacific; and his close, enduring friendship with Charles Darwin. Hooker was knighted in 1877 and died in 1911 in England

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THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN (NOW) WAS FOUNDED ON THIS DAY IN 1966. NOW’s purpose is to bring women into full partnership in the mainstream of American society, exercising all privileges and responsibilities in equal partnership with men.

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BRITAIN CEDED CLAIM TO HONG KONG ON THIS DAY IN 1997. The crested flag of the British Crown Colony was officially lowered at midnight and replaced by a new flag (marked by the bauhinia flower) representing China’s sovereignty and the official transfer of power. Though Britain owned Hong Kong in perpetuity, the areas surrounding the city were leased from China and the lease expired on July 1, 1997. Rather than renegotiate a new lease, Britain ceded its claim to Hong Kong.

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LENA HORNE WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1917. Born in Brooklyn, Horne began singing with the chorus line at the Cotton Club in Harlem at age 16. A career on Broadway and in Hollywood followed in rapid succession and she soon became the symbol for African-American actors and singers trying to break the color barrier. She found success with both black and white audiences, although she did face racial prejudice throughout her lifetime. She is best remembered for her nightclub and Broadway performances of torch songs, jazz standards and classics like her signature “Stormy Weather.” Horne died in New York in 2010.

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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.

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“Always be smarter than the people who hire you.” — singer Lena Horne, who was born on this day in Brooklyn in 1917