Today in News History

On June 17, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1242, Following the Disputation of Paris, twenty-four carriage loads of Jewish religious manuscripts were burnt in Paris. In 1795, The burghers of Swellendam expel the Dutch East India Company magistrate and declare a republic. In 1898, Harry Patch, English soldier and firefighter (died 2009) was born. In 1910, George Hees, Canadian football player and politician (died 1996) was born. In 1910, Aurel Vlaicu pilots an A. Vlaicu nr. 1 on its first flight. In 1930, U.S. President Herbert Hoover signs the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act into law. In 1936, Vern Harper, Canadian tribal leader and activist (died 2018) was born. In 1960, The Nez Perce tribe is awarded $4 million for 7 million acres (28,000 km2) of land undervalued at four cents/acre in the 1863 treaty. In 1971, U.S. President Richard Nixon in a televised press conference called drug abuse "America's public enemy number one", starting the War on drugs. In 1989, Interflug Flight 102 crashes during a rejected takeoff from Berlin Schönefeld Airport, killing 21 people. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.