Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 813, Byzantine emperor Michael I, under threat by conspiracies, abdicates in favor of his general Leo the Armenian, and becomes a monk (under the name Athanasius). In 1603, Kenelm Digby, English astrologer, courtier, and diplomat (died 1665) was born. In 1826, Alexander Afanasyev, Russian ethnographer and author (died 1871) was born. In 1906, Murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette in the United States, inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. In 1912, Sergiu Celibidache, Romanian conductor and composer (died 1996) was born. In 1930, Ezra Vogel, American sociologist (died 2020) was born. In 1934, Engelbert Zaschka of Germany flies his large human-powered aircraft, the Zaschka Human-Power Aircraft, about 20 meters at Berlin Tempelhof Airport without assisted take-off. In 1943, Howard Gardner, American psychologist and academic was born. In 1962, Project Apollo: At a press conference, NASA announces lunar orbit rendezvous as the means to land astronauts on the Moon, and return them to Earth. In 2008, Michael E. DeBakey, American surgeon and educator (born 1908) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.