Today in News History

On June 29, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1374, Jan Milíč of Kroměříž, Czech priest and reformer passed away. In 1620, English crown bans tobacco growing in England, giving the Virginia Company a monopoly in exchange for tax of one shilling per pound. In 1819, Thomas Dunn English, American poet, playwright, and politician (died 1902) was born. In 1852, Henry Clay, American lawyer and politician, 9th United States Secretary of State (born 1777) passed away. In 1880, France annexes Tahiti, renaming the independent Kingdom of Tahiti as "Etablissements de français de l'Océanie". In 1919, Walter Babington Thomas, Commander of British Far East Land Forces (died 2017) was born. In 1925, Giorgio Napolitano, Italian journalist and politician, 11th President of Italy (died 2023) was born. In 1956, The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 is signed by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, officially creating the United States Interstate Highway System. In 2012, Yong Nyuk Lin, Singaporean politician, Singaporean Minister of Health (born 1918) passed away. In 2012, A derecho sweeps across the eastern United States, leaving at least 22 people dead and millions without power. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.