On This Day: November 9

Updated November 8, 2012, 1:28 pm

Go to Index »

See larger version »

Buy a reproduction »

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.

Go to article »

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.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

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

Carl Sagan 11/9/1934 – 12/20/1996 American astronomer.Go to obituary »

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

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..

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

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