For the first time since 1920, The New York Times, has published an editorial on its front page.

In a historic move for the nation’s “newspaper of record”, the Times published a piece simply titled as the “Gun Epidemic” in its coveted A1 spot.

The editorial calls for the United States to take concrete action to push through gun control measures.

“It is a moral outrage and a national disgrace that civilians can legally purchase weapons designed specifically to kill people with brutal speed and efficiency,” the piece, authored by the whole of the Times editorial board read. “These are weapons of war, barely modified and deliberately marketed as tools of macho vigilantism and even insurrection.”

The piece went on to say that the United States is not even trying to address the issue of gun violence, unlike other developed nations like the UK, France and Norway.

“Certain kinds of weapons, like the slightly modified combat rifles used in California, and certain kinds of ammunition, must be outlawed for civilian ownership,” the piece read. “It is possible to define those guns in a clear and effective way and, yes, it would require Americans who own those kinds of weapons to give them up for the good of their fellow citizens.”

In a separate article that also ran in the Times today, reporter Ravi Somaiya delved into the historical nature of the decision to run an editorial on the front page.

As Somaiya reported, the decision went all the way to the top- publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr.

“Even in this digital age, the front page remains an incredibly strong and powerful way to surface issues that demand attention,” Sulzberger was quoted as saying regarding the decision. “And, what issue is more important than our nation’s failure to protect its citizens?”

LOOK: Front page of The New York Times, Saturday 12-5-2015.

The front page of The New York Times for Saturday, Dec. 5. pic.twitter.com/oL2uD2dCsg

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 5, 2015

Cover Photo Credit: Twitter/New York Times (Screen-grab).