Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 813, Byzantine emperor Michael I, under threat by conspiracies, abdicates in favor of his general Leo the Armenian, and becomes a monk (under the name Athanasius). In 1767, John Quincy Adams, American lawyer and politician, 6th President of the United States (died 1848) was born. In 1804, A duel occurs in which the Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr mortally wounds former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. In 1864, American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. In 1953, Ivan Toms, South African physician and activist (died 2008) was born. In 1968, Michael Geist, Canadian journalist and academic was born. In 1977, Brandon Short, American football player and sportscaster was born. In 1977, Martin Luther King Jr., assassinated in 1968, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2015, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán escapes from the maximum security Altiplano prison in Mexico, his second escape. In 2020, Marc Angelucci, American attorney and men's rights activist, Vice-president of the National Coalition for Men (born 1968) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.