On Nov. 4, 2008, Barack Hussein Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States, as the country chose him as its first black chief executive.
On Nov. 4, 1879, Will Rogers, the American actor and comedian, was born. Following his death on Aug. 15, 1935, his obituary appeared in The Times.
| 1842 |
Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd in Springfield, Ill. |
| 1879 |
Humorist Will Rogers was born in Oologah, Okla. |
| 1880 |
The first cash register was patented by James and John Ritty of Dayton, Ohio. |
| 1922 |
The entrance to King Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered in Egypt. |
| 1924 |
Nellie T. Ross of Wyoming was elected the nation’s first woman governor. |
| 1939 |
The United States modified its neutrality stance in World War II to allow “cash and carry” purchases of arms by belligerents, a policy favoring Britain and France. |
| 1942 |
During World War II, Axis forces retreated from El Alamein in North Africa in a major victory for British forces commanded by Lt. Gen. Bernard Montgomery. |
| 1952 |
Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president, defeating Democrat Adlai Stevenson. |
| 1955 |
Baseball Hall of Famer Cy Young died at age 88. |
| 1956 |
Soviet troops moved in to crush a revolt in Hungary. |
| 1979 |
The Iranian hostage crisis began as militants stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. |
| 1980 |
Ronald Reagan won the White House, defeating President Jimmy Carter. |
| 1995 |
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist after speaking at a peace rally in Tel Aviv. |
| 2001 |
The first movie based on the best-selling “Harry Potter” books by J.K. Rowling has its world premiere in London. |
| 2008 |
California voters approved Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage. |
| 2010 |
. Hall of Fame baseball manager Sparky Anderson died at age 76. |
| 1930 |
Doris Roberts, Actress (“Everybody Loves Raymond”), turns 82 |
| 1937 |
Loretta Swit, Actress (“M.A.S.H.”), turns 75 |
| 1940 |
Delbert McClinton, Blues singer, turns 72 |
| 1946 |
Laura Bush, Former first lady, turns 66 |
| 1950 |
Markie Post, Actress (“Night Court”), turns 62 |
| 1954 |
Chris Difford, Rock singer, musician (Squeeze), turns 58 |
| 1961 |
Ralph Macchio, Actor (The “Karate Kid” movies), turns 51 |
| 1961 |
Jeff Probst, TV personality (“Survivor”), turns 51 |
| 1969 |
Diddy, Rapper, producer, turns 43 |
| 1975 |
Heather Tom, Actress (“The Bold and the Beautiful”), turns 37 |
| 66 |
Guido Reni 11/4/1575 – 8/18/1642 Italian painter |
| 86 |
Thomas Johnson 11/4/1732 – 10/26/1819 American Revolutionary War leader; governor of Maryland (1777-9); associate justice (1792-93) of U.S. Supreme Court |
| 68 |
Gaspard Gourgaud 11/4/1783 – 7/25/1852 French historian |
| 80 |
James Douglas 11/4/1837 – 6/25/1918 Canadian industrialist |
| 84 |
George Edward Moore 11/4/1873 – 10/24/1958 British philosoher |
| 71 |
Charles Despiau 11/4/1874 – 10/30/1946 French sculptor |
| 75 |
Harry George Ferguson 11/4/1884 – 10/25/1960 British designer |
| 74 |
Carlos Garcia 11/4/1896 – 6/14/1971 Philippine president (1957-61) |