Today in History for 12th July 2024

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Historical Events

1878 - Fever epidemic in New Orleans begin, it will kill 4,500
1898 - Jean-Baptiste Marchand hoists French flag in Fashoda, Sudan
1949 - LA Rams sign Norm Van Brocklin
1969 - As the 'marching season' reaches its height there is serious rioting in Derry, Belfast and Dungiven; many families in Belfast are forced to move from their homes
2006 - Hezbollah initiates Operation True Promise.
2017 - World's largest iceberg (later christened A68) breaks away from Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica, about 6,000 sq km in length

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Famous Birthdays

1644 - Arnold Moonen, Dutch vicar and linguist (David's holy saint graduals), born in Zwolle, Netherlands (d. 1711)
1880 - Tod Browning, American film director (Dracula), born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 1962)
1928 - Kathy Staff [Minnie Higginbottom], British actress (Mary Reilly, Last of the Summer Wine, Open All Hours), born in Dukinfield, Cheshire, England (d. 2008)
1942 - Richard Stoltzman, American clarinetist (Tashi), born in Omaha, Nebraska
1949 - Rick Hendrick, American NASCAR team owner (Hendrick Motorsports; 7 x NASCAR Cup Series titles), born in Palmer Springs, Virginia
1966 - Allegra Curtis, model and daughter of Christine Kaufmann and Tony Curtis, born in London, England

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Famous Deaths

1897 - Félix Godefroid, Belgian harpist and composer, dies at 78
1918 - Dragutin Lerman, Croatian explorer, dies at 54
2007 - Robert Burås, Norwegian rock guitarist (Madrugada; My Midnight Creeps), dies at 31
2009 - Donald MacCormick, British broadcaster, dies at 70
2014 - Pat Costello Jr., American rower (Olympics, 1952, silver - 1956), dies at 85
2019 - Arno Marsh, American jazz saxophonist (Woody Herman), and bandleader, dies at 91

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