Today in News History

On July 4, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1648, Antoine Daniel, French missionary and saint, one of the eight Canadian Martyrs (born 1601) passed away. In 1774, Orangetown Resolutions are adopted in the Province of New York, one of many protests against the British Parliament's Coercive Acts. In 1776, American Revolution: The United States Declaration of Independence is adopted by the Second Continental Congress. In 1818, US Flag Act of 1818 goes into effect creating a 13 stripe flag with a star for each state. New stars would be added on July 4 after a new state had been admitted. In 1831, Samuel Francis Smith writes "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" for the Boston, Massachusetts July 4 festivities. In 1894, The short-lived Republic of Hawaii is proclaimed by Sanford B. Dole. In 1940, Pat Stapleton, Canadian ice hockey player (died 2020) was born. In 1960, Due to the post-Independence Day admission of Hawaii as the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959, the 50-star flag of the United States debuts in Philadelphia, almost ten and a half months later (see Flag Acts (United States)). In 1963, Clyde Kennard, American activist and martyr (born 1927) passed away. In 1994, Rwandan genocide: Kigali, the Rwandan capital, is captured by the Rwandan Patriotic Front, ending the genocide in the city. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.