John Peter Zenger, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

John Peter Zenger

American printer

Date of Birth: 26-Oct-1697

Place of Birth: Impflingen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Date of Death: 28-Jul-1746

Profession: journalist, publisher

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

John Peter Zenger (October 26, 1697 – July 28, 1746) was a German printer and journalist in New York City.
Zenger printed The New York Weekly Journal.
He was accused of libel in 1734 by William Cosby, the royal governor of New York, but the jury acquitted Zenger, who became a symbol for freedom of the press.In 1733, Zenger began printing The New York Weekly Journal, in which the journal voiced opinions critical of the colonial governor, William Cosby.
On November 17, 1734, on Cosby's orders, the sheriff arrested Zenger.
After a grand jury refused to indict him, the Attorney General Richard Bradley charged him with libel in August 1735.Zenger's lawyers, Andrew Hamilton and William Smith, Sr., successfully argued that truth is a defense against charges of libel.