Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1558, Robert Greene, English author and playwright (died 1592) was born. In 1864, American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. In 1899, E. B. White, American essayist and journalist (died 1985) was born. In 1906, Murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette in the United States, inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. In 1930, Ezra Vogel, American sociologist (died 2020) was born. In 1944, Patricia Polacco, American author and illustrator was born. In 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is first published, in the United States. In 1966, Delmore Schwartz, American poet and short story writer (born 1913) passed away. In 1974, Pär Lagerkvist, Swedish novelist, playwright, and poet Nobel Prize laureate (born 1891) passed away. In 1977, Martin Luther King Jr., assassinated in 1968, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.