Today in News History

On June 29, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1620, English crown bans tobacco growing in England, giving the Virginia Company a monopoly in exchange for tax of one shilling per pound. In 1803, John Newton Brown, American minister and author (died 1868) was born. In 1849, John Hunn, American businessman and politician, 51st Governor of Delaware (died 1926) was born. In 1850, Autocephaly officially granted by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to the Church of Greece. In 1925, Francis S. Currey, American World War II Medal of Honor recipient (died 2019) was born. In 1932, Brian Hutton, Baron Hutton, British jurist; Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland (died 2020) was born. In 1952, The first Miss Universe pageant is held. Armi Kuusela from Finland wins the title of Miss Universe 1952. In 1956, The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 is signed by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, officially creating the United States Interstate Highway System. In 1972, The United States Supreme Court rules in the case Furman v. Georgia that arbitrary and inconsistent imposition of the death penalty violates the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. In 2006, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that President George W. Bush's plan to try Guantanamo Bay detainees in military tribunals violates U.S. and international law. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.