June 1, 1877: The Society of American Artists is founded by artists who felt the National Academy of Design was too conservative. "The group began meeting in 1874 at the home of Richard Watson Gilder and his wife Helena de Kay Gilder. In 1877 they formed the Society, and subsequently held annual art exhibitions. Some of the first members included sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, whose work had been rejected from a National Academy exhibition in 1877; painters Robert Swain Gifford, Albert Pinkham Ryder, John LaFarge, Julian Alden Weir, John Henry Twachtman, and Alexander Helwig Wyant; and designer and artist Louis Comfort Tiffany. Eventually most of the best-known artists of the day joined the group, and many held dual membership with the National Academy. The cycle of conservative to progressive repeated in 1897 when the Ten American Painters group broke away from the Society of American Artists. The Society ultimately merged with the National Academy in 1906."- - -
June 1, 1905: The Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition opens in Portland, Oregon. "The Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, commonly also known as the Lewis and Clark Exposition, and officially known as the Lewis and Clark Centennial American Pacific Exposition and Oriental Fair, was a worldwide exposition held in Portland, Oregon, United States in 1905 to celebrate the centennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. While not officially considered a World's Fair by the Bureau of International Expositions, it is often informally described as such; the exposition attracted both exhibits and visitors from around the world. During the exposition's four month run, it attracted over 1.6 million visitors, and featured exhibits from 21 countries. Portland grew from 161,000 to 270,000 residents between 1905 and 1910, a spurt that has been attributed to the exposition."- - -
June 1, 1926: Marilyn Monroe, American actress, was born. "Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, but baptized Norma Jeane Baker, Monroe was an American actress, singer, and model. Her early film appearances were minor, but her performances in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve (both 1950) were critically acclaimed. In a few years, Monroe reached stardom and was cast as the leading lady in such films as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, Some Like It Hot, and The Seven Year Itch. The typecasting of Monroe's "dumb blonde" persona limited her career prospects, so she broadened her range. She studied at the Actors Studio and formed Marilyn Monroe Productions. Her dramatic performance in Bus Stop was hailed by critics, and she won a Golden Globe Award for Some Like it Hot. In 1999, Monroe was ranked as the sixth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute."- - -
June 1, 1967: The Beatles release their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock group The Beatles. Recorded over a 129-day period beginning in December 1966, Sgt. Pepper sees the band exploring further the experimentation of their previous album, Revolver (1966). Making use of orchestras, hired musicians and innovative production techniques, the album incorporates elements of genres such as music hall, jazz, rock and roll, western classical and traditional Indian music. Its lyrics deal with several themes including childhood, aging, everyday routine and life in postwar Britain, the tone ranging from cheerful and ironic to transcendent and surreal. A defining album in the emerging psychedelic rock style, Sgt. Pepper was critically acclaimed upon release and won four Grammy awards in 1968. Often recognised by prominent critics and publications as one of the most influential albums in the history of rock music, Sgt. Pepper frequently ranks at or near the top of published lists of the greatest albums of all time. In 2003, the album was placed at number 1 in the Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time."- - -
