Today in News History

On June 17, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1242, Following the Disputation of Paris, twenty-four carriage loads of Jewish religious manuscripts were burnt in Paris. In 1885, The Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor. In 1910, George Hees, Canadian football player and politician (died 1996) was born. In 1951, Starhawk, American author and activist was born. In 1957, J. R. Williams, Canadian-American cartoonist (born 1888) passed away. In 1963, The United States Supreme Court rules 8-1 in Abington School District v. Schempp against requiring the reciting of Bible verses and the Lord's Prayer in public schools. In 1971, Mildred Fox, Irish politician was born. In 1991, Apartheid: The South African Parliament repeals the Population Registration Act which required racial classification of all South Africans at birth. In 2015, Nine people are killed in a mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. In 2017, A series of wildfires in central Portugal kill at least 64 people and injure 204 others. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.