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 1882, James Larkin White, American miner, explorer, and park ranger (died 1946) was born. In 1899, E. B. White, American essayist and journalist (died 1985) was born. In 1923, Richard Pipes, Polish-American historian and academic (died 2018) was born. In 1962, First transatlantic satellite television transmission. In 1968, Michael Geist, Canadian journalist and academic was born. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 1983, Engin Baytar, German-Turkish footballer was born. In 1983, A TAME airline Boeing 737-200 crashes near Cuenca, Ecuador, killing all 119 passengers and crew on board. 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.