Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1302, Pierre Flotte, French politician and lawyer passed away. In 1906, Murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette in the United States, inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. In 1916, Mortimer Caplin, American tax attorney, educator, and IRS Commissioner (died 2019) was born. In 1921, Former president of the United States William Howard Taft is sworn in as 10th chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, becoming the only person ever to hold both offices. In 1925, Peter Kyros, American lawyer and politician (died 2012) was born. In 1930, Harold Bloom, American literary critic (died 2019) was born. In 1936, The Triborough Bridge in New York City is opened to traffic. In 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is first published, in the United States. In 1973, Varig Flight 820 crashes near Paris on approach to Orly Airport, killing 123 of the 134 on board. In response, the FAA bans smoking in airplane lavatories. In 1981, Susana Barreiros, Venezuelan judge was born. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.