Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1876, The Hamburg massacre prior to the 1876 United States presidential election results in the deaths of six African-Americans of the Republican Party, along with one white assailant. 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 1923, Harrison Dillard, American sprinter and hurdler (died 2019) was born. In 1925, Bill Mackrides, American football quarterback (died 2019) was born. In 1947, Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident. In 1961, Toby Keith, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor (died 2024) was born. In 1965, Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 21 is destroyed by a bomb near 100 Mile House, Canada, killing 52. In 1968, The Chrysler wildcat strike begins in Detroit, Michigan. In 2003, Sudan Airways Flight 139 crashes near Port Sudan Airport during an emergency landing attempt, killing 116 of the 117 people on board. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.