Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1576, While exploring the North Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to find the Northwest Passage, Martin Frobisher sights Greenland, mistaking it for the hypothesized (but non-existent) island of "Frisland". In 1760, Peggy Shippen, American wife of Benedict Arnold and American Revolutionary War spy (died 1804) was born. In 1864, American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. In 1906, Murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette in the United States, inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. In 1936, The Triborough Bridge in New York City is opened to traffic. In 1943, Peter Jensen, Australian metropolitan was born. In 1973, Varig Flight 820 crashes near Paris on approach to Orly Airport, killing 123 of the 134 on board. In response, the FAA bans smoking in airplane lavatories. In 1997, Ryan Rolison, American baseball player was born. In 2000, Pedro Mir, Dominican lawyer, author, and poet (born 1913) passed away. In 2014, John Seigenthaler, American journalist and academic (born 1927) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.