June

Some interesting facts about the sixth month of the year

Juno is the ancient Roman goddess of marriage and childbirth. And the month of June is still a popular month for weddings today. As a natural extension of marriage, Juno was also the goddess of childbirth. Another interpretation of the origins of “June” says that the name came from the Latin juvenis, “young people,” who were celebrated at this time.

Juno, in Roman religion, was the chief goddess and female counterpart of Jupiter, similar to the relationship between the Greek Hera and Zeus. Perhaps not surprisingly, given her role of protector of women and children, this powerful queen of the gods was also considered the fierce protector and special counselor of the state and a guardian angel warning those in times of danger.

Some holidays in June: June 5 is World Environment Day; June 14 is Flag Day; June 16 is Father’s Day; June 19 is Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, when on this day in 1865 Union General Gordon Granger read the Emancipation Proclamation aloud in Galveston, effectively liberating enslaved people in the state; June 20 is the summer solstice, which heralds the start of summer; June 21 is the month’s full moon called the Strawberry Moon; the month of June is Pride Month.

June’s birth flower is the rose or honeysuckle. Rose represents love or desire, while honeysuckle denotes the bonds of love, or generous and devoted affection.

June has three birthstones: pearl, alexandrite, and moonstone, making it one of only three months with multiple birthstones, along with August and December.

Famous people born in June are Marilyn Monroe, Morgan Freeman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Paul McCartney, Cyndi Lauper, The Dali Lama, Nathan Hale, Johnny Depp, Vince Lombardi, Ice Cube, John Goodman, June Carter Cash, Helen Keller, Pearl S. Buck, Elton John and Michael Phelps.

June is an exciting month for sports fans. The NBA finals and the Stanley Cup finals both take place in June. The NBA also hosts its draft in June. Baseball is in full swing. The fair weather makes June a prime time for outdoor activities of all kinds. Hiking, swimming, skateboarding, boating, and fishing all take place or are celebrated in June.