Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1741, Reverend Jonathan Edwards preaches to his congregation in Enfield, Connecticut his most famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"; an influence for the First Great Awakening. 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 1923, Val Bettin, American actor (died 2021) was born. In 1970, Richard Nixon delivers a special congressional message enunciating Native American self-determination as official US Indian policy, leading to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975. In 1977, Milo Ventimiglia, American actor, director, and producer was born. In 1979, Ben Jelen, Scottish-American singer-songwriter was born. In 1998, Jaden Smith, American actor and rapper was born. In 2007, Chandra Shekhar, Indian lawyer and politician, 9th Prime Minister of India (born 1927) 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.