Today in News History

On June 20, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1754, Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt, princess of Baden (died 1832) was born. In 1863, American Civil War: West Virginia is admitted as the 35th U.S. state. In 1959, A rare June hurricane strikes Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence killing 35. In 1960, The Mali Federation gains independence from France (it later splits into Mali and Senegal). In 1969, MaliVai Washington, American tennis player and sportscaster was born. In 1973, Snipers fire upon left-wing Peronists in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in what is known as the Ezeiza massacre. At least 13 are killed and more than 300 are injured. In 1975, The film Jaws is released in the United States, becoming the highest-grossing film of that time and starting the trend of films known as "summer blockbusters". In 1982, The International Conference on the Holocaust and Genocide opens in Tel Aviv, despite attempts by the Turkish government to cancel it, as it included presentations on the Armenian genocide. In 1984, Hassan Adams, American basketball player was born. In 2019, Iran's Air Defense Forces shoot down an American surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions between the two countries. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.