Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1776, Church bells (possibly including the Liberty Bell) are rung after John Nixon delivers the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. In 1894, Pyotr Kapitsa, Russian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1984) was born. In 1909, Ike Petersen, American football player (died 1995) was born. In 1947, Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident. In 1961, Ces Drilon, Filipino journalist was born. In 1994, Kim Jong Il begins to assume supreme leadership of North Korea upon the death of his father, Kim Il Sung. In 1994, Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on an international science mission. In 1994, Kim Il Sung, North Korean commander and politician, President of North Korea (born 1912) passed away. In 2011, Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched in the final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program. In 2015, Ken Stabler, American football player and sportscaster (born 1945) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.