Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1864, Ikedaya Incident: The Choshu Han shishi's planned Shinsengumi sabotage on Kyoto, Japan at Ikedaya. In 1898, The death of crime boss Soapy Smith, killed in the Shootout on Juneau Wharf, releases Skagway, Alaska from his iron grip. In 1909, Ike Petersen, American football player (died 1995) was born. In 1920, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, Danish businessman (died 1995) was born. In 1935, Steve Lawrence, American actor and singer (died 2024) was born. In 1961, Andrew Fletcher, English keyboard player (died 2022) was born. In 1979, Ben Jelen, Scottish-American singer-songwriter was born. In 1987, Josh Harrison, American baseball player was born. In 1994, Kim Jong Il begins to assume supreme leadership of North Korea upon the death of his father, Kim Il Sung. In 2002, Ward Kimball, American animator and trombonist (born 1914) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.