In 1611, English explorer Henry Hudson, his son and several other people were set adrift in present day Hudson Bay by mutineers aboard the Discovery.

In 1870, the United States Department of Justice was created.

In 1911, Britain’s King George V was crowned at Westminster Abbey.

In 1937, Joe Louis began his reign as world heavyweight boxing champion by knocking out Jim Braddock in the eighth round of their fight in Chicago. (A year later on this date, Louis knocked out Max Schmeling in the first round of their rematch at Yankee Stadium.)

In 1940, during World War II, Adolf Hitler gained a stunning victory as France was forced to sign an armistice eight days after German forces overran Paris.

In 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, a massive invasion of the Soviet Union.

In 1945, the World War II battle for Okinawa ended with an Allied victory.

In 1969, singer-actress Judy Garland died in London at age 47.

In 1977, John N. Mitchell became the first former U.S. Attorney General to go to prison as he began serving a sentence for his role in the Watergate cover-up. (He was released 19 months later.)

In 1987, actor-dancer Fred Astaire died in Los Angeles at age 88.

In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court, in R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul, unanimously ruled that “hate crime” laws that banned cross burning and similar expressions of racial bias violated free-speech rights.

In 1997, world leaders in Denver concluded the historic Summit of Eight that included Russia’s first-ever full participation.

The Associated Press