Today in News History

On June 20, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1885, Andrzej Gawroński, Polish linguist and academic (died 1927) was born. In 1916, Jean-Jacques Bertrand, Canadian lawyer and politician, 21st Premier of Quebec (died 1973) was born. In 1918, Zoltán Sztáray, Hungarian-American author (died 2011) was born. In 1926, The 28th International Eucharistic Congress begins in Chicago, with over 250,000 spectators attending the opening procession. In 1926, Rehavam Ze'evi, Israeli general and politician, 9th Israeli Minister of Tourism (died 2001) was born. In 1944, World War II: The Battle of the Philippine Sea concludes with a decisive U.S. naval victory. The lopsided naval air battle is also known as the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot". In 1956, A Venezuelan Super-Constellation crashes in the Atlantic Ocean off Asbury Park, New Jersey, killing 74 people. 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 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.