Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1804, A duel occurs in which the Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr mortally wounds former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. In 1906, Murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette in the United States, inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. In 1912, William F. Walsh, American captain and politician, 48th Mayor of Syracuse (died 2011) was born. In 1930, Harold Bloom, American literary critic (died 2019) was born. In 1961, Antony Jenkins, English banker and businessman was born. In 1977, Brandon Short, American football player and sportscaster was born. In 1977, Martin Luther King Jr., assassinated in 1968, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1982, Chris Cooley, American football player was born. In 2014, John Seigenthaler, American journalist and academic (born 1927) passed away. In 2021, Richard Branson becomes the first civilian to be launched into space via his Virgin Galactic spacecraft. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.