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 1889, The first issue of The Wall Street Journal is published. In 1908, Nelson Rockefeller, American businessman and politician, 41st Vice President of the United States (died 1979) was born. In 1932, The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches its lowest level of the Great Depression, closing at 41.22. In 1947, Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident. In 1982, A failed assassination attempt against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein results in the Dujail Massacre over the next several months. 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 2013, Edmund Morgan, American historian and author (born 1916) passed away. In 2014, Israel launches an offensive on Gaza amid rising tensions following the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.