A closer look at key historic events that took place on June 10:
In 1977, James Earl Ray escapes prison
James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., escaped from Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Tennessee. Ray, along with six other inmates, managed to break out of the maximum-security facility by climbing over the prison’s fence. The escape triggered a massive manhunt, and he was recaptured three days later, just 8 miles from the prison.
FBI wanted poster fugitive poster of James Earl Ray; the later convicted murderer of civil rights leader and anti-war activist, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Bureau of Investigation
In 1967, the Six-Day War ends
Israel and its Arab neighbors—Egypt, Jordan, and Syria—agreed to a United Nations-brokered ceasefire. The conflict resulted in a decisive Israeli victory, with Israel capturing the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. The war significantly altered the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, leading to ongoing disputes and shaping future Arab-Israeli relations.
Egyptian prisoners of war help a wounded comrade as they arrive at a clearing post for prisoners set up by Israel on the Gaza strip, June 8, 1967. (AP Photo) Flickr
In 1940, Italy enters World War II
Italy declared war on France and the United Kingdom on June 10. This decision, made by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, aligned Italy with Nazi Germany and the Axis powers. The entry into the war marked Italy’s expansionist ambitions but ultimately led to significant military challenges and contributed to the eventual downfall of Mussolini’s regime.
Benito Mussolini is shown in front of a hotel in Gran Sasso Mountain area of Italy in Sept. 1943 during World War II. Gathered around the overthrown Italian dictator are German paratroopers who rescued him from imprisonment. (AP Photo)
In 1935, Alcoholics Anonymous is founded
The organization was started by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio, who sought to create a support system for individuals struggling with alcoholism. AA introduced the Twelve-Step program, which has become a widely adopted framework for recovery from addiction.
The Mayflower Hotel was the place where Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935, when Bill Wilson, a New York Stockbroker on a business trip to the city, was tempted by the prospect of a drink at the hotel’s bar. He instead used a lobby phone to call a local surgeon and fellow recovering alcoholic, Dr. Bob Smith, whom met and founded what became AA, creating the Twelve Step program that has helped countless individuals suffering from alcoholism. Wikimedia Commons.
Bridget Bishop was the first person executed during the Salem witch trials, a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts. This event marked the beginning of a dark chapter in American history, resulting in the execution of 19 people and the imprisonment of many others.
Wikimedia Commons
