Today in News History

On July 4, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1831, Samuel Francis Smith writes "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" for the Boston, Massachusetts July 4 festivities. In 1837, Grand Junction Railway, the world's first long-distance railway, opens between Birmingham and Liverpool. In 1845, Henry David Thoreau moves into a small cabin on Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau's account of his two years there, Walden, will become a touchstone of the environmental movement. In 1879, Anglo-Zulu War: The Zululand capital of Ulundi is captured by British troops and burned to the ground, ending the war and forcing King Cetshwayo to flee. In 1886, The Canadian Pacific Railway's first scheduled train from Montreal arrives in Port Moody on the Pacific coast, after six days of travel. In 1900, Belinda Dann, Indigenous Australian who was one of the Stolen Generation, reunited with family aged 107 (died 2007) was born. In 1910, The Johnson-Jeffries riots occur after African-American boxer Jack Johnson knocks out white boxer Jim Jeffries in the 15th round. Between 11 and 26 people are killed and hundreds more injured. In 1911, Bruce Hamilton, Australian public servant (died 1989) was born. In 1997, John Zachary Young, English zoologist and neurophysiologist (born 1907) passed away. In 2010, Robert Neil Butler, American physician and author (born 1927) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.