On September 21, 1792, the National Convention of France made a monumental declaration by abolishing the French monarchy, signaling the start of a new era in the nation’s history and a dramatic shift toward republicanism.
Also on this date:
– In 1898, the New York Sun responded to a letter from eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon with a now-famous editorial, including the timeless line, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” This heartwarming message remains one of the most quoted pieces of journalism in history, offering hope and wonder to generations of readers.
– In 1915, Cecil Chubb purchased Stonehenge for £6,600, becoming the last private owner of the ancient site. Three years later, in a selfless gesture of national pride, Chubb gifted Stonehenge to the British people, preserving its legacy for the public.
– In 1922, President Warren G. Harding signed the Lodge-Fish Resolution, marking a pivotal moment in international politics by endorsing the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, a precursor to the creation of the State of Israel decades later.
– On this day in 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien’s *The Hobbit* was published by George Allen & Unwin in London. The book, which introduced readers to Middle-earth, would become one of the most influential works of fantasy literature, setting the stage for Tolkien’s epic *The Lord of the Rings*.
– In 1938, a devastating hurricane struck New York and New England, causing widespread destruction and claiming nearly 700 lives. Known as the Great New England Hurricane, it remains one of the deadliest natural disasters in the region’s history.
– In 1939, Romanian Prime Minister Armand Călinescu was assassinated by the fascist Iron Guard, a brutal act that sent shockwaves through Europe at the height of political tension in the lead-up to World War II.
– On September 21, 1955, boxer Rocky Marciano ended his professional career undefeated, knocking out Archie Moore in the ninth round at Yankee Stadium. Marciano’s record remains legendary in the world of sports.
– In 1970, the iconic American sports show *Monday Night Football* debuted on ABC. In its first game, the Cleveland Browns triumphed over the New York Jets, 31-21, marking the beginning of a new era in televised sports entertainment.
– In 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor made history when she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate as the first female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Her appointment was a watershed moment in the ongoing fight for gender equality in America’s legal system.
– On this day in 1989, Hurricane Hugo slammed into South Carolina after wreaking havoc in the Caribbean, ultimately claiming 85 lives. The storm’s ferocity caused extensive damage, with wind speeds reaching up to 140 mph.
– In 2013, a brutal attack by armed militants at the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya left 67 people dead and hundreds more injured. The incident remains one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Kenya’s history.
– And in 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the mobilization of reservists for the first time since World War II, intensifying Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine. This marked a critical escalation in the war, with global repercussions.
Today in History: November 16
Today in History: November 16. In 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act into law, authorizing the construction of an 800-mile oil pipeline from the Alaska North Slope to the port city of Valdez. In 1988, Benazir Bhutto was voted prime minister of Pakistan, the first woman to be elected to lead a Muslim-majority country. In 2001, the first film in the Harry Potter series, ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ debuted in theaters around the world. In 2006, following midterm elections, Nancy Pelosi was nominated by the Democratic caucus to become the first female speaker of the House. In 2018, a U.S. official said intelligence officials had concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Today in History: November 15
Today in History: November 15: On Nov. 15, 1777, the Second Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation. In 1806, explorer Zebulon Pike sighted the mountaintop now known as Pikes Peak in present-day Colorado. In 1864, late in the U.S. Civil War, Union forces led by Major General William Tecumseh Sherman began their “March to the Sea.” In 1988 The Palestinian Declaration of Independence formally established the State of Palestine.
Today in History: November 14
Today in History: November 14. On November 14, 1889, journalist Nellie Bly began an attempt to travel around the world in 80 days; she would successfully complete the journey in just over 72 days. In 1851, Herman Melville’s novel ‘Moby-Dick; Or, The Whale’ was published in the United States, almost a month after being released in Britain. In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first Black child to desegregate William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. In 1965, the U.S. Army’s first major military operation of the Vietnam War began with the start of the five-day Battle of Ia Drang.In 1993, Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula became the NFL’s all-time winningest coach with a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Today in History: November 13
Today in History: November 13:On Nov. 13, 2015, Islamic State militants carried out a set of coordinated attacks in Paris at the national stadium, in a crowded concert hall, in restaurants and on streets, killing 130 people in the worst attack on French soil since World War II. In 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling which found Alabama bus segregation laws were illegal. In 1971, the U.S. space probe Mariner 9 went into orbit around Mars, becoming the first spacecraft to orbit another planet. In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, DC. In 1985, some 23,000 residents of Armero, Colombia, died when a volcanic mudslide buried the city. In 2001, U.S.-backed Northern Alliance fighters in Afghanistan entered Kabul as Taliban forces retreated from the capital city.