Updated November 8, 2012, 1:28 pm
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On Nov. 9, 1965, the great Northeast blackout occurred as several states and parts of Canada were hit by a series of power failures lasting up to 13 1/2 hours.
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On Nov. 9, 1934, Carl Sagan, the astronomer whose books and television show informed millions of Americans, was born. Following his death on Dec. 20, 1996, his obituary appeared in The Times.
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On This Date
By The Associated Press
| 1918 |
Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II announced that he would abdicate. |
| 1935 |
United Mine Workers president John L. Lewis and other labor leaders formed the Committee for Industrial Organization. |
| 1938 |
Nazis looted and burned synagogues and Jewish-owned stores and houses in Germany and Austria on Kristallnacht, the “night of broken glass.” |
| 1965 |
Several northeastern states and parts of Canada were hit by a series of power failures lasting up to 13 1/2 hours. |
| 1970 |
Former French president Charles De Gaulle died at age 79. |
| 1976 |
The United Nations General Assembly approved 10 resolutions condemning apartheid in South Africa. |
| 2001 |
The northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif fell to the northern alliance in the first major territorial advance for the rebels against the ruling Taliban. |
| 2004 |
Houston Astros pitcher Roger Clemens won his record seventh Cy Young award. |
| 2005 |
Three suicide bombers carried out nearly simultaneous attacks on three U.S.-based hotels in Amman, Jordan, killing 60 victims and wounding hundreds. |
| 2011 |
Penn State fired longtime head football coach Joe Paterno and university president Graham Spanier over their handling of child sex abuse allegations against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.. |
Current Birthdays
By The Associated Press
Actor Eric Dane (“Grey’s Anatomy”) turns 40 years old today.
AP Photo/Dan Steinberg
Actress Nikki Blonsky (“Hairspray”) turns 24 years old today.
AP Photo/Evan Agostini
| 1931 |
Whitey Herzog, Hall of Fame baseball manager, turns 81 |
| 1935 |
Bob Gibson, Baseball Hall of Famer, turns 77 |
| 1936 |
Bob Graham, Former U.S. senator, D-Fla., turns 76 |
| 1948 |
Robert David Hall, Actor (“CSI”), turns 64 |
| 1951 |
Lou Ferrigno, Actor (“The Incredible Hulk”), turns 61 |
| 1952 |
Sherrod Brown, U.S. senator, D-Ohio, turns 60 |
| 1969 |
Pepa, Rapper (Salt-N-Pepa), turns 43 |
| 1973 |
Nick Lachey, Singer (98 Degrees), turns 39 |
Historic Birthdays
| 74 |
Benjamin Banneker 11/9/1731 – 10/25/1806 American mathematician, astronomer, inventor and writer |
| 72 |
Gail Borden 11/9/1801 – 1/11/1874 American businessman |
| 34 |
Elijah Lovejoy 11/9/1802 – 11/7/1837 American abolitionist |
| 52 |
Stanford White 11/9/1853 – 6/25/1906 American architect |
| 64 |
Marie Dressler 11/9/1869 – 7/28/1934 Canadian-born American actress |
| 81 |
Florence Sabin 11/9/1871 – 10/3/1953 American anatomist |
| 79 |
Ed Wynn 11/9/1886 – 6/19/1966 American actor |
| 37 |
Mabel Normand 11/9/1892 – 2/23/1930 American actress |
| 77 |
Spiro Agnew 11/9/1918 – 9/17/1996 American politician; 39th vice president of the United States (1969-73) |
| 67 |
James Schuyler 11/9/1923 – 4/12/1991 American poet, playwright and novelist |
| 42 |
Dorothy Dandridge 11/9/1922 – 9/8/1965 American actress |
| 45 |
Anne Sexton 11/9/1928 – 10/4/1974 American poet |