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 1723, Jean-François Marmontel, French historian and author (died 1799) was born. In 1754, Thomas Bowdler, English physician and philanthropist (died 1825) was born. In 1864, American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. In 1920, Zecharia Sitchin, Russian-American author (died 2010) was born. In 1922, The Hollywood Bowl opens. In 1943, Howard Gardner, American psychologist and academic was born. In 1953, Ivan Toms, South African physician and activist (died 2008) was born. In 1955, Balaji Sadasivan, Singaporean neurosurgeon and politician, Singaporean Minister of Health (died 2010) was born. In 1962, Project Apollo: At a press conference, NASA announces lunar orbit rendezvous as the means to land astronauts on the Moon, and return them to Earth. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.