Today in News History

On June 18, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1900, Vlasta Vraz, Czech-American relief worker, editor, and fundraiser (died 1989) was born. In 1908, Stanley Knowles, American-Canadian academic and politician (died 1997) was born. In 1913, Sylvia Porter, American economist and journalist (died 1991) was born. In 1926, Tom Wicker, American journalist and author (died 2011) was born. In 1939, Brooks Firestone, American businessman and politician was born. In 1948, Britain, France and the United States announce that on June 21, the Deutsche Mark will be introduced in western Germany and West Berlin. Over the next six days, Communists increasingly restrict access to Berlin. In 1996, Niki Wories, Dutch figure skater was born. In 1997, Katharina Hobgarski, German tennis player was born. In 2007, The Charleston Sofa Super Store fire happened in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine firefighters. In 2014, Stephanie Kwolek, American chemist and engineer (born 1923) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.