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An American’s Space Walk (June 3)

It was on this day in 1965 during the “space race” that Major Edward H. White II made history becoming the first American to walk in space.

June 3, 2026

Soviet cosmonauts and American astronauts were in a space race to see who would be the first to walk in space. We came in second. But Major Edward H. White II’s adventure was an amazing one. Other big headlines were made almost a decade earlier when one city put a ban on rock and roll.

1965 – The First American to Walk in Space

Postage stamp illustration about the first space walk — *(Wikimedia)*

On this day in 1965, Major Edward H. White II stepped out of the Gemini 4 capsule at 3:45 pm EDT to become the first American astronaut to walk in space. Attached to the capsule via a 23-foot tether, White used a hand-held oxygen-jet gun to propel himself out of the capsule.

According to NASA, White’s EVA (extravehicular activity) began over the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii and ended over the Gulf of Mexico (or the Gulf of America depending on who ask). His walked lasted for 23 minutes. Bet he didn’t even break a sweat.

White however was not the first man to walk in space. That distinction went to Soviet cosmonaut Alesksei A. Lenonov who did so months earlier on March 18.

1956 – Rock and Roll is Banned

Close up of a jukebox — An “Elvis jukebox” featured at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. *(Sam Howzit/Wikimedia Commons)*

The generation gap couldn’t have been wider in 1956 when older generations couldn’t wrap their heads around the fact that younger generations were turning to radically different music tastes. But things came to a head in Santa Cruz, California when about 200 teenagers showed up to the city’s Civic Auditorium to dance to the music of Chuck Higgins and his orchestra.

When the police showed up to the event to check on it, Lieutenant Richard Overton reported that the crowd was engaging in “suggestive, stimulating and tantalizing motions induced by the provocative rhythms of an all-negro band.”

It was on this day that city authorities of Santa Cruz announced a total ban on rock and roll at public gatherings stating that it was “detrimental to both the health and morals of our youth and community.” Two weeks later, similar bans were created in Asbury Park, New Jersey and San Antonio, Texas.

What Else Happened on June 3?

1939: “Beer Barrel Polka” become a #1 hit song.
1967: Aretha Franklin’s version of “Respect” becomes the #1 song.
1969: The original Star Trek aired its last episode.
1995: Party Girl was the first feature film to premiere on the internet.
2001: Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire premieres at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.