Today in History
Today in History
Today is Sunday, Nov. 22, the 326th day of 2015. There are 39 days left in the year.
Today's Highlights in History:
On Nov. 22, 1963, the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, was shot to death during a motorcade in Dallas; Texas Gov. John B. Connally, in the same open car as Kennedy, was seriously wounded; suspected gunman Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested. Death also claimed authors Aldous Huxley and C.S. Lewis.
On this date:
In 1515, Mary of Guise, the second wife of King James V and the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, was born in Lorraine, France.
In 1718, English pirate Edward Teach - better known as "Blackbeard" - was killed during a battle off present-day North Carolina.
In 1890, French president Charles de Gaulle was born in Lille, France.
In 1914, the First Battle of Ypres (EE'-pruh) during World War I ended with an Allied victory against Germany.
In 1928, "Bolero" by Maurice Ravel (rah-VEL') had its premiere at the Paris Opera.
In 1935, a flying boat, the China Clipper, took off from Alameda, California, carrying more than 100,000 pieces of mail on the first trans-Pacific airmail flight.
In 1944, the MGM movie musical "Meet Me in St. Louis," starring Judy Garland, had its world premiere in St. Louis.
In 1955, comic Shemp Howard of "Three Stooges" fame died in Hollywood at age 60.
In 1965, the musical "Man of La Mancha" opened on Broadway. Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan married Sara Lownds (the marriage lasted 12 years).
In 1975, Juan Carlos was proclaimed King of Spain.
In 1989, Rene Mouawad was killed by a bomb after serving 17 days as president of Lebanon.
In 1990, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, having failed to win re-election of the Conservative Party leadership on the first ballot, announced she would resign.
Ten years ago: An Arab-American college student, Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, was convicted by a federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia, of joining al-Qaida and plotting to assassinate President George W. Bush. (Abu Ali was later sentenced to life in prison.) Angela Merkel (AHN'-geh-lah MEHR'-kuhl) took power as Germany's first female chancellor. Ted Koppel hosted his final edition of ABC News' "Nightline." Country star Tim McGraw, alternative rockers Green Day, soul stars Destiny's Child and hip-hop chart toppers Black Eyed Peas each won two trophies at the American Music Awards.
Five years ago: Thousands of people stampeded during a festival in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, leaving some 350 dead and hundreds injured in what the prime minister called the country's biggest tragedy since the 1970s reign of terror by the Khmer Rouge. Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto was overwhelmingly elected the National League's Most Valuable Player.
One year ago: Twelve-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and mortally wounded by police outside a Cleveland recreation center after brandishing what turned out to be a pellet gun. (A grand jury is deciding whether criminal charges should be filed against two officers.) Somalia's extremist al-Shabab rebels attacked a bus in northern Kenya, singling out and killing 28 passengers who could not recite an Islamic creed and were assumed to be non-Muslims. A 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck west of Nagano, Japan, injuring at least 41 people.
Today's Birthdays: Movie director Arthur Hiller is 92. Actor Robert Vaughn is 83. Actor Michael Callan is 80. Actor Allen Garfield is 76. Animator and movie director Terry Gilliam is 75. Actor Tom Conti is 74. Singer Jesse Colin Young is 74. Astronaut Guion Bluford is 73. International Tennis Hall of Famer Billie Jean King is 72. Rock musician-actor Steve Van Zandt (a.k.a. Little Steven) is 65. Rock musician Tina Weymouth (The Heads; Talking Heads; The Tom Tom Club) is 65. Retired MLB All-Star Greg Luzinski is 65. Actress Lin Tucci (TV: "Orange is the New Black") is 64. Rock musician Lawrence Gowan is 59. Actor Richard Kind is 59. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis is 57. Alt-country singer Jason Ringenberg (Jason & the Scorchers) is 57. Actress Mariel Hemingway is 54. Actor Winsor Harmon is 52. Actor-turned-producer Brian Robbins is 52. Actor Stephen Geoffreys is 51. Rock musician Charlie Colin is 49. Actor Nicholas Rowe is 49. Actor Michael K. Williams is 49. Actor Mark Ruffalo is 48. International Tennis Hall of Famer Boris Becker is 48. Country musician Chris Fryar (Zac Brown Band) is 45. Actor Josh Cooke is 36. Actor-singer Tyler Hilton is 32. Actress Scarlett Johansson is 31. Actor Jamie Campbell Bower is 27. Singer Candice Glover is 26. Actor Alden Ehrenreich is 26.
Thought for Today: "A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality." - President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963).