Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1767, John Quincy Adams, American lawyer and politician, 6th President of the United States (died 1848) was born. In 1804, A duel occurs in which the Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr mortally wounds former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. In 1864, American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. In 1899, E. B. White, American essayist and journalist (died 1985) was born. 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 1940, World War II: Vichy France regime is formally established. Philippe Pétain becomes Chief of the French State. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1977, Martin Luther King Jr., assassinated in 1968, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2004, Laurance Rockefeller, American financier and philanthropist (born 1910) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.