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 1836, The Fly-fisher's Entomology is published by Alfred Ronalds. The book transformed the sport and went to many editions. In 1849, N. E. Brown, English plant taxonomist and authority on succulents (died 1934) was born. In 1897, Salomon August Andrée leaves Spitsbergen to attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon. In 1919, The eight-hour day and free Sunday become law for workers in the Netherlands. In 1920, In the East Prussian plebiscite the local populace decides to remain with Weimar Germany. In 1968, Michael Geist, Canadian journalist and academic was born. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 2001, Herman Brood, Dutch musician and painter (born 1946) passed away. In 2014, John Seigenthaler, American journalist and academic (born 1927) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.