THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2011

Today is Thursday, June 2, the 153rd day of 2011. There are 212 days left in the year.

455 ― Gaiseric and the Vandals sack Rome

1851 ― First U.S. alcohol prohibition law enacted (Maine)

1857 ― James Gibbs, Va., patents chain-stitch single-thread sewing machine

1886 ― Grover Cleveland is first to wed during presidency (Frances Folsom)

1910 ― Pygmies discovered in Dutch New Guinea

1946 ― Italian plebiscite chooses republic over monarchy (National Day)

1953 ― Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey

1964 ― Rolling Stones’ first U. S. concert tour debut in Lynn, Mass.

1979 ― John Paul II becomes first pope to visit a communist country (Poland)

1989 ― 10,000 Chinese soldiers are blocked by 100,000 citizens protecting students demonstrating for democracy in Tiananmen Square, Beijing