Whitsunday, or Pentecost, is the seventh Sunday after Easter. For Christians, this commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit in tongues of flame upon the apostles. Because the disciples were said to have begun baptizing thousands of people soon afterward, Whitsunday or Pentecost became the traditional time for baptisms. Whit, a corruption of white, refers to the white baptismal garments worn on this day. It is also a time of spring festivals throughout Europe, with echoes of pagan spring rites such as morris dancing and dressing a young boy in greenery (Jack-in-the-Green) and marching him through the village.
Daily Calendar for Sunday, June 8, 2025
Born
- Robert Schumann (composer) –
- Frank Lloyd Wright (architect) –
- Barbara Bush (U.S. First Lady) –
- Jerry Stiller (actor) –
- Joan Rivers (comedian) –
- Bruce McCandless II (astronaut) –
- Scott Adams (cartoonist, creator of Dilbert) –
- Julianna Margulies (actress) –
- David Sutcliffe (actor) –
Died
- Andrew Jackson (7th U.S. president) –
- Leroy "Satchel" Paige (baseball player) –
- Glenne Headly (actress) –
- Anthony Bourdain (chef, writer, and travel show host) –
Events
- An advertisement in a NYC newspaper by a Mr. Hull of 76 Chatham Street announced that he would start manufacturing ice cream on a commercial basis. It was the first known U.S. ad for commercial ice cream. –
- Ives McGaffey was granted a patent for the first U.S. hand-pumped vacuum cleaner –
- The bald eagle was placed under federal protection as an endangered species in the U.S. –
- Jennifer Reinke spelled “chihuahua” to win Scripps National Spelling Bee –
- James Earl Ray, alleged assassin of MLK, Jr., was arrested by Scotland Yard detectives at Heathrow Airport in London –
- The New York Yankees retired the No. 7 uniform of baseball player Mickey Mantle –
- U.S. release of movie Ghostbusters –
- For the first time in 121.5 years, the Sun was partially eclipsed by the planet Venus (Transit of Venus) –
Weather
- Tornado struck National Weather Service office in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma –
- Barneveld, Wisconsin, was devastated by a tornado –
- Louisiana was hit by eight tornadoes, including a strong one that caused major damage in Baton Rouge –
