This Day in History: June 20th, 1863 - June 20th, 1963

A Century of Progress and Struggle

On June 20th, 1863, West Virginia became the 35th state of the United States. It was a momentous day for the Union, as West Virginia was the first state to be formed from territory that had been part of the Confederacy. The admission of West Virginia to the Union was a major victory for the Union cause, and it helped to turn the tide of the Civil War in favor of the North. One hundred years later, on June 20th, 1963, Medgar Evers, a prominent civil rights leader, was assassinated in Jackson, Mississippi. Evers was a field secretary for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and he had been working to register black voters in Mississippi. His assassination was a major setback for the civil rights movement, and it helped to galvanize support for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The period between June 20th, 1863, and June 20th, 1963, was a time of great progress and struggle for the United States. The admission of West Virginia to the Union was a major victory for the Union cause in the Civil War, and it helped to ensure the eventual victory of the North. The assassination of Medgar Evers was a major setback for the civil rights movement, but it also helped to galvanize support for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These two events, which occurred one hundred years apart, highlight the challenges and triumphs that the United States has faced in its quest to become a more perfect union.

A Legacy of Struggle and Progress

The legacy of June 20th is one of struggle and progress. The admission of West Virginia to the Union was a victory for the Union cause in the Civil War, and it helped to ensure the eventual victory of the North. The assassination of Medgar Evers was a major setback for the civil rights movement, but it also helped to galvanize support for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These two events, which occurred one hundred years apart, highlight the challenges and triumphs that the United States has faced in its quest to become a more perfect union. Today, June 20th is celebrated as a day of remembrance for both the admission of West Virginia to the Union and the assassination of Medgar Evers. It is a day to reflect on the progress that has been made in the fight for civil rights, and to recommit ourselves to the work that still needs to be done.