1916 – Jeannette Rankin Becomes First Woman Elected to Congress
On November 7, 1916, Jeannette Rankin of Montana shattered a historic barrier, becoming the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and thus the first woman to serve in either chamber of Congress. Rankin’s achievement marked a breakthrough moment for women’s rights, as her election predated the ratification of the 19th Amendment by four years. Her advocacy for women’s suffrage and pacifism influenced future generations of female lawmakers and signaled the beginning of women’s political engagement on the national stage.
1917 – The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia
In 1917, the Bolshevik Revolution swept through Russia, led by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, as forces under his command overthrew the provisional government of Alexander Kerensky. This uprising marked a turning point in Russian history, leading to the establishment of the first socialist state and reshaping global politics. The revolution gave rise to the Soviet Union and triggered a series of ideological conflicts, setting the stage for the Cold War and influencing global political movements for decades.
1944 – Franklin D. Roosevelt Wins a Fourth Presidential Term
On November 7, 1944, Franklin D. Roosevelt achieved an unprecedented fourth term in office, defeating Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey. This remarkable accomplishment, achieved during the turmoil of World War II, underscored the nation’s trust in Roosevelt’s leadership. His tenure ultimately led to the passage of the 22nd Amendment, limiting presidents to two terms, as his extended presidency highlighted both the strengths and risks of prolonged executive power during times of crisis.
1989 – L. Douglas Wilder Elected First Black Governor in U.S. History
L. Douglas Wilder’s victory in Virginia’s gubernatorial race on November 7, 1989, was a historic milestone, making him the first Black governor elected in the United States. Wilder’s election reflected the changing racial landscape of American politics and opened new doors for minority leaders nationwide. His success emphasized the importance of representation and set a powerful example for aspiring Black leaders across the country.
2020 – Joe Biden Wins the U.S. Presidential Election
On November 7, 2020, Joe Biden secured victory in the U.S. presidential election, winning Pennsylvania and surpassing the threshold of 270 Electoral College votes to defeat incumbent President Donald Trump. Biden’s victory represented a shift in political sentiment and led to widespread discussions on the integrity of elections, as Trump refused to concede. The election underscored the nation’s political divide and set in motion debates over the future of democracy and electoral reform in America.
Today in History: November 11
Today in History: November 11: On Nov. 11, 1918, fighting in World War I ended as the Allies and Germany signed an armistice aboard a railroad car in the Forest of Compiègne in northern France. In 1620, 41 Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, anchored off Massachusetts, signed the Mayflower Compact, calling for a “civil body politick, for our better ordering and preservation.” In 1921, the remains of an unidentified American service member were interred in a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in a ceremony presided over by President Warren G. Harding. In 1966, Gemini 12 blasted off on a four-day mission with astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. aboard; it was the tenth and final crewed flight of NASA’s Gemini program.
Today in History: November 10
Today in History: November 10: On Nov. 10, 1898, in Wilmington, North Carolina, a mob of as many as 2,000 white supremacists killed dozens of African Americans, burned Black-owned businesses and forced the mayor, police chief and aldermen to resign at gunpoint, before installing their own mayor and city council in what became known as the “Wilmington Coup.” Other events of November 10. In 1775, the United States Marine Corps was established when the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution to raise two battalions of Marines to support naval forces in the Revolutionary War. In 1954, the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, depicting the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima in 1945, was dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Arlington, Virginia. In 1969, the children’s educational program “Sesame Street” made its debut on National Educational Television. In 1975, the Great Lakes freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank after being caught in a severe storm on Lake Superior; all 29 crew members were lost. In 2019, Bolivian President Evo Morales resigned after weeks of public protests in response to alleged election fraud in Bolivia’s general election the previous month.
Today in History: November 9
Today in History: November 9: In 1989, Communist East Germany threw open its borders, allowing citizens to travel freely to the West for the first time in decades. In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt made the first trip abroad of any sitting president in order to observe construction of the Panama Canal. In 1938, Nazis looted and burned synagogues as well as thousands of Jewish-owned stores and houses in Germany and Austria in a pogrom or deliberate persecution, that became known as “Kristallnacht.” In 1976, the U.N. General Assembly approved resolutions condemning apartheid in South Africa, including one characterizing the white-ruled government as “illegitimate.” In 2007, President General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan placed opposition leader Benazir Bhutto under house arrest for a day and rounded up thousands of her supporters to block a mass rally against his emergency rule.
Today in History: November 8
Today in History: November 08: The new millenium got off to a rocky start in the United States, where there was no clear winner of the presidential election due to irregularities found in Florida ballots. On this date in the year 2000, a statewide recount began in Florida. Also on this date: In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln won reelection, as he defeated Democratic challenger, George B. McClellan. In 1889, Montana was admitted to the Union as the 41st state. In 1923, Adolf Hitler launched his first attempt at seizing power in Germany with a failed coup in Munich that came to be known as the “Beer-Hall Putsch.” In 1942, the Allies launched Operation Torch in World War II as U.S. and British forces landed in French North Africa. In 1960, John F. Kennedy won the U.S. presidential election over Vice President Richard M. Nixon. And, In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded, slammed into the central Philippines, leaving more than 7,300 people dead or missing, flattening villages and displacing more than 5 million.
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