Today in News History

On June 26, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1718, Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia, Peter the Great's son, mysteriously dies after being sentenced to death by his father for plotting against him. In 1835, Thomas W. Knox, American journalist and author (died 1896) was born. In 1915, Paul Castellano, American gangster (died 1985) was born. In 1915, George Haigh, English professional footballer (died 2019) was born. In 1970, Irv Gotti, American record producer, co-founded Murder Inc Records (died 2025) was born. In 1975, Two FBI agents and a member of the American Indian Movement are killed in a shootout on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota; Leonard Peltier is later convicted of the murders in a controversial trial. In 2003, The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Lawrence v. Texas that sex-based sodomy laws are unconstitutional. In 2013, Riots in China's Xinjiang region kill at least 36 people and injure 21 others. In 2013, The U.S. Supreme Court ruled, 5-4, that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional and in violation of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In 2015, The U.S. Supreme Court ruled, 5-4, that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marriage under the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.