Today in News History

On July 7, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1863, The United States begins its first military draft; exemptions cost $300. In 1898, US President William McKinley signs the Newlands Resolution annexing Hawaii as a territory of the United States. In 1930, Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser begins construction of Boulder Dam (now known as Hoover Dam). In 1937, The Marco Polo Bridge Incident (Lugou Bridge) provides the Imperial Japanese Army with a pretext for starting the Second Sino-Japanese War (China-Japan War). In 1973, Max Horkheimer, German philosopher and sociologist (born 1895) passed away. In 1983, Cold War: Samantha Smith, a US schoolgirl, flies to the Soviet Union at the invitation of Secretary General Yuri Andropov. In 1994, Carlo Chiti, Italian engineer (born 1924) passed away. In 2011, Allan W. Eckert, American historian and author (born 1931) passed away. In 2017, The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted with 122 countries voting in favour. In 2024, Jane McAlevey, American labor organizer and author (born 1964) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.