Today in News History

On June 24, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1717, The Premier Grand Lodge of England is founded in London, the first Masonic Grand Lodge in the world (now the United Grand Lodge of England). In 1909, William Penney, Baron Penney, English mathematician and physicist (died 1991) was born. In 1914, Pearl Witherington, French secret agent (died 2008) was born. In 1916, Mary Pickford becomes the first female film star to sign a million-dollar contract. In 1938, Pieces of a meteorite land near Chicora, Pennsylvania. The meteorite is estimated to have weighed 450 metric tons when it hit the Earth's atmosphere and exploded. In 1945, The first Victory Day Parade takes place on Red Square in Moscow, Soviet Union, symbolizing the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany. In 1947, Kenneth Arnold makes the first widely reported UFO sighting near Mount Rainier, Washington. In 1949, Betty Jackson, English fashion designer was born. In 1975, Eastern Air Lines Flight 66 encounters severe wind shear and crashes on final approach to New York's JFK Airport killing 113 of the 124 passengers on board, making it the deadliest U.S. plane crash at the time. This accident led to decades of research into downburst and microburst phenomena and their effects on aircraft. In 2015, Susan Ahn Cuddy, American lieutenant (born 1915) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.