Today in News History

On July 7, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1285, Tile Kolup, German impostor claiming to be Frederick II passed away. In 1833, Félicien Rops, Belgian painter and illustrator (died 1898) was born. In 1907, Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. staged his first Follies on the roof of the New York Theater in New York City. In 1911, The United States, UK, Japan, and Russia sign the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention of 1911 banning open-water seal hunting, the first international treaty to address wildlife preservation issues. In 1976, Vasily Petrenko, Russian conductor was born. In 1980, Michelle Kwan, American figure skater was born. In 1982, Asia O'Hara, American drag performer was born. In 1983, Cold War: Samantha Smith, a US schoolgirl, flies to the Soviet Union at the invitation of Secretary General Yuri Andropov. In 1990, Pascal Stöger, Austrian footballer was born. In 2007, The first Live Earth benefit concert was held in 11 locations around the world. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.