Today in News History

On July 4, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1900, Belinda Dann, Indigenous Australian who was one of the Stolen Generation, reunited with family aged 107 (died 2007) was born. In 1910, The Johnson-Jeffries riots occur after African-American boxer Jack Johnson knocks out white boxer Jim Jeffries in the 15th round. Between 11 and 26 people are killed and hundreds more injured. 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 1911, Bruce Hamilton, Australian public servant (died 1989) was born. In 1918, World War I: The Battle of Hamel, a successful attack by the Australian Corps against German positions near the town of Le Hamel on the Western Front. In 1937, Eric Walters, Australian journalist (died 2010) was born. In 1941, Nazi crimes against the Polish nation: Nazi troops massacre Polish scientists and writers in the captured Ukrainian city of Lviv. In 2002, A Boeing 707 crashes near Bangui M'Poko International Airport in Bangui, Central African Republic, killing 28. In 2008, A bomb explodes at a concert in Minsk's Independence Square, injuring 50 people. In 2009, The first of four days of bombings begins on the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.