Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1576, While exploring the North Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to find the Northwest Passage, Martin Frobisher sights Greenland, mistaking it for the hypothesized (but non-existent) island of "Frisland". In 1789, Jacques Necker is dismissed as France's Finance Minister sparking the Storming of the Bastille. In 1864, American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. In 1914, The US Navy launches the USS Nevada (BB-36) as its first standard-type battleship. In 1916, Mortimer Caplin, American tax attorney, educator, and IRS Commissioner (died 2019) was born. In 1950, Pakistan joins the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank. In 1971, John W. Campbell, American journalist and author (born 1910) passed away. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 2004, Laurance Rockefeller, American financier and philanthropist (born 1910) passed away. In 2007, Ed Mirvish, American-Canadian businessman and philanthropist, founded Honest Ed's (born 1914) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.