Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1776, Church bells (possibly including the Liberty Bell) are rung after John Nixon delivers the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. In 1889, The first issue of The Wall Street Journal is published. In 1917, Tom Thomson, Canadian painter (born 1877) passed away. In 1918, Paul B. Fay, American businessman, soldier, and diplomat, 12th United States Secretary of the Navy (died 2009) was born. In 1932, The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches its lowest level of the Great Depression, closing at 41.22. In 1947, Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident. In 1961, Ces Drilon, Filipino journalist was born. In 1982, A failed assassination attempt against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein results in the Dujail Massacre over the next several months. In 1994, Kim Jong Il begins to assume supreme leadership of North Korea upon the death of his father, Kim Il Sung. In 2011, Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched in the final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.