June 8th

1783 - Iceland’s Laki volcano erupted and continued to spew lava for eight months. 9,350 people were killed and famine started and lasted until 1790.

1786 - In New York City, commercial ice cream was manufactured for the first time.

1790 - The first loan for the U.S. was repaid. The Temporary Loan of 1789 was negotiated and secured on September 18, 1789 by Alexander Hamilton.

1861 – Tennessee voted to secede from the Union and joined the Confederacy.

1869 - Ives W. McGaffey received a U.S. patent for the suction vacuum cleaner.

1947 - "Lassie" debuted on ABC radio. It was a 15-minute show.

1953 - The U.S. Supreme Court outlawed segregated restaurants in Washington, DC.

1961 - The Milwaukee Braves set a major league baseball record when four consecutive home runs in the seventh inning.

1965 - U.S. troops in South Vietnam were given orders to begin fighting offensively.

1969 - The New York Yankees retired Mickey Mantle's number (7).

1986 - The Boston Celtics won their 16th NBA championship.

1998 - The National Rifle Association elected Charlton Heston to be its president.

1998 - The space shuttle Discovery pulled away from Mir, ending America's three-year partnership with Russia.