Today in News History

On June 20, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1782, The U.S. Congress adopts the Great Seal of the United States. In 1875, Reginald Punnett, English geneticist, statistician, and academic (died 1967) was born. In 1943, The Detroit race riot breaks out and continues for three more days. In 1956, A Venezuelan Super-Constellation crashes in the Atlantic Ocean off Asbury Park, New Jersey, killing 74 people. In 1960, The Mali Federation gains independence from France (it later splits into Mali and Senegal). In 1963, Following the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Soviet Union and the United States sign an agreement to establish the so-called "red telephone" link between Washington, D.C., and Moscow. In 1975, The film Jaws is released in the United States, becoming the highest-grossing film of that time and starting the trend of films known as "summer blockbusters". In 1982, The International Conference on the Holocaust and Genocide opens in Tel Aviv, despite attempts by the Turkish government to cancel it, as it included presentations on the Armenian genocide. In 2005, Larry Collins, American journalist, historian, and author (born 1929) passed away. In 2019, Iran's Air Defense Forces shoot down an American surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions between the two countries. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.