Today in News History

On June 27, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1844, Hyrum Smith, American religious leader (born 1800) passed away. In 1844, Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and his brother Hyrum Smith, are killed by a mob at the Carthage, Illinois jail. In 1850, Lafcadio Hearn, Greek-Japanese historian and author (died 1904) was born. In 1880, Helen Keller, American author, academic, and activist (died 1968) was born. In 1905, During the Russo-Japanese War, sailors start a mutiny aboard the Russian battleship Potemkin. In 1927, Prime Minister of Japan Tanaka Giichi convenes an eleven-day conference to discuss Japan's strategy in China. The Tanaka Memorial, a forged plan for world domination, is later claimed to be a secret report leaked from this conference. In 1930, Tommy Kono, Japanese American weightlifter (died 2016) was born. In 1965, S. Manikavasagam, Malaysian politician and social activist was born. In 1982, Space Shuttle Columbia launched from the Kennedy Space Center on the final research and development flight mission, STS-4. In 1994, Members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult release sarin gas in Matsumoto, Japan. Seven people are killed, 660 injured. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.