Today in News History

On June 22, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1774, Daniel D. Tompkins, American lawyer and politician, 6th Vice President of the United States (died 1825) was born. In 1951, Terence Etherton, English lawyer and judge was born. In 1972, Tomáš Valášek, Slovak diplomat and politician was born. In 1973, In its decision in Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15, the Supreme Court of the United States establishes the Miller test for determining whether something is obscene and not protected speech under the U.S. constitution. In 1980, Richard Jefferson, American basketball player was born. In 1981, Brad Walker, American pole vaulter was born. In 1982, John Hinckley is found not guilty by reason of insanity for the attempted assassination of U.S. President Ronald Reagan. In 1989, The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397, that American flag-burning is a form of political protest protected by the First Amendment. In 2001, A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, indicts 13 Saudis and a Lebanese in the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 American servicemen. In 2005, Edgar Ray Killen, who had previously been unsuccessfully tried for the murders of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Mickey Schwerner, is convicted of manslaughter 41 years afterwards (the case had been reopened in 2004). Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.