Today in News History

On July 4, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1054, A supernova, called SN 1054, is seen by Chinese Song dynasty, Arab, and possibly Amerindian observers near the star Zeta Tauri. For several months it remains bright enough to be seen during the day. Its remnants form the Crab Nebula. In 1868, Henrietta Swan Leavitt, American astronomer and academic (died 1921) was born. In 1911, A massive heat wave strikes the northeastern United States, killing 380 people in eleven days and breaking temperature records in several cities. In 1914, The funeral of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie takes place in Vienna, six days after their assassinations in Sarajevo. In 1918, Johnnie Parsons, American race car driver (died 1984) was born. In 1918, Eppie Lederer, American journalist and radio host (died 2002) was born. In 1937, Eric Walters, Australian journalist (died 2010) was born. In 1981, Will Smith, American football player (died 2016) was born. In 2001, Vladivostok Air Flight 352 crashes on approach to Irkutsk Airport killing all 145 people on board. In 2002, A Boeing 707 crashes near Bangui M'Poko International Airport in Bangui, Central African Republic, killing 28. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.