This Day, June 15: Supreme Court rules civil rights law protects LGBTQ workers

On this date in history, June 15 is marked by a string of milestones across centuries, from Magna Carta in 1215 to Benjamin Franklin’s kite experiment in 1752, and from the 1785 fatal balloon crossing to boundary definitions in 1846. It also notes Henry Ossian Flipper's West Point graduation in 1877 and the 1934 establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The centerpiece for recent history is the 2020 Supreme Court ruling that federal civil rights law protects LGBTQ workers from being fired on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Other entries recount events such as the 1904 General Slocum disaster, the 1934 park dedication, and 2012’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, underscoring the long arc of civil rights, policy, and public life on this date. The compilation also notes developments in 2007 and 2023, including legal or political milestones tied to figures such as Boris Johnson's parliamentary panel conclusions. Taken together, the list illustrates how a single calendar date can reflect a broad spectrum of transformative moments across law, exploration, and governance. The article thereby situates June 15 as a lens on both human progress and constitutional history.