Today in News History

On June 17, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1858, Eben Sumner Draper, American businessman and politician, 44th Governor of Massachusetts (died 1914) was born. In 1943, Newt Gingrich, American historian and politician, 58th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives was born. In 1956, Percival Perry, 1st Baron Perry, English businessman (born 1878) passed away. In 1959, Nikos Stavropoulos, Greek basketball player and coach was born. In 1966, Tory Burch, American fashion designer and philanthropist was born. In 1967, Nuclear weapons testing: China announces a successful test of its first thermonuclear weapon. In 1971, U.S. President Richard Nixon in a televised press conference called drug abuse "America's public enemy number one", starting the War on drugs. In 1972, Watergate scandal: Five White House operatives are arrested for burgling the offices of the Democratic National Committee during an attempt by members of the administration of President Richard M. Nixon to illegally wiretap the political opposition as part of a broader campaign to subvert the democratic process. In 1979, Tyson Apostol, American television personality was born. In 2001, Donald J. Cram, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1919) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.