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On This Day in History — November 2
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Highlights of November 2
- 2008 — Lewis Hamilton (pictured) overtook Timo Glock in the final corners of the Brazilian Grand Prix to win the Formula One championship by one point. Read more
- 2000 — As members of Expedition 1, American astronaut William Shepherd and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko (all pictured) became the first resident crew to arrive at the International Space Station. Read more
- 1997 — Tropical Storm Linda made landfall in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, causing more than 3,000 deaths. Read more
- 1994 — A lightning strike ruptured three oil tanks near Dronka, Egypt, causing a flood that killed 469 people. Read more
- 1984 — The serial killer Velma Barfield became the first woman to be executed in the United States since 1962. Read more
- 1963 — President Ngô Đình Diệm of South Vietnam was assassinated, marking the culmination of a coup d'état led by Dương Văn Minh. Read more
- 1957 — A large number of people witnessed a fiery object in the sky near Levelland, Texas, which the United States Air Force said was ball lightning. Read more
- 1949 — The Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference ended with the Netherlands agreeing to transfer sovereignty of the Dutch East Indies to the United States of Indonesia. Read more
- 1943 — World War II: A U.S. Navy task force turned away an Imperial Japanese Navy formation at the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, thus protecting the landings at Cape Torokina. Read more
- 1932 — The Australian military began a "war against emus", flightless native birds blamed for widespread damage to crops in Western Australia. Read more
- 1917 — The British government issued the Balfour Declaration in support of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, then an Ottoman region with a small Jewish minority. Read more
- 1880 — James A. Garfield was elected as president of the United States; the election is the closest to date by popular vote margin. Read more
- 619 — Emperor Gaozu of Tang allowed the assassination of a khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate by Eastern Turkic rivals, one of the earliest events in the Tang campaigns against the Western Turks. Read more
Events
- 2022 — A peace agreement is signed between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, ending the Tigray War. Read more
- 2020 — In Vienna's Innere Stadt district, an ISIL sympathizer shoots and kills four people and injures 23 more, before being shot and killed by the police. Read more
- 2016 — The Chicago Cubs defeat the Cleveland Indians in the World Series, ending the longest Major League Baseball championship drought at 108 years. Read more
- 2008 — Lewis Hamilton secured his maiden Formula One Drivers' Championship Title by one point ahead of Felipe Massa at the Brazilian Grand Prix, after a pass for fifth place against the Toyota of Timo Glock on the final lap of the race. Read more
- 2000 — Expedition 1 arrived at the International Space Station for the first long-duration stay onboard. From this day to present, a continuous human presence in space on the station remains uninterrupted. Read more
- 1999 — Honolulu shootings: In the worst mass murder in the history of Hawaii, a gunman shoots at eight people in his workplace, killing seven. Read more
- 1997 — Tropical Storm Linda makes landfall in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, causing more than 3,000 deaths. Read more
- 1990 — British Satellite Broadcasting and Sky Television plc merge to form BSkyB as a result of massive losses. Read more
- 1988 — The Morris worm, the first Internet-distributed computer worm to gain significant mainstream media attention, is launched from MIT. Read more
- 1988 — LOT Polish Airlines Flight 703 crashes in Białobrzegi, Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Poland, killing one person and injuring several more. Read more
- 1986 — Lebanon hostage crisis: U.S. hostage David Jacobsen is released in Beirut after 17 months in captivity. Read more
- 1984 — Capital punishment: Velma Barfield becomes the first woman executed in the United States since 1962. Read more
- 1983 — U.S. President Ronald Reagan signs a bill creating Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Read more
- 1982 — Channel 4, the British free-to-air public broadcast television channel funded by its commercial activities, starts broadcasting. Read more
- 1973 — Aeroflot Flight 19 is hijacked and diverted to Vnukovo International Airport, where the aircraft is stormed by authorities. Read more
- 1967 — Vietnam War: US President Lyndon B. Johnson and "The Wise Men" conclude that the American people should be given more optimistic reports on the progress of the war. Read more
- 1966 — The Cuban Adjustment Act comes into force, allowing 123,000 Cubans the opportunity to apply for permanent residence in the United States. Read more
- 1965 — Norman Morrison, a 31-year-old Quaker, sets himself on fire in front of the river entrance to the Pentagon to protest the use of napalm in the Vietnam war. Read more
- 1964 — King Saud of Saudi Arabia is deposed by a family coup, and replaced by his half-brother Faisal. Read more
- 1963 — South Vietnamese President Ngô Đình Diệm is assassinated following a military coup. Read more
- 1960 — Penguin Books is found not guilty of obscenity in the trial R v Penguin Books Ltd, the Lady Chatterley's Lover case. Read more
- 1959 — Quiz show scandals: Twenty-One game show contestant Charles Van Doren admits to a Congressional committee that he had been given questions and answers in advance. Read more
- 1959 — The first section of the M1 motorway, the first inter-urban motorway in the United Kingdom, is opened between the present junctions 5 and 18, along with the M10 motorway and M45 motorway. Read more
- 1956 — Hungarian Revolution: Nikita Khrushchev meets with leaders of other Communist countries to seek their advice on the situation in Hungary, selecting János Kádár as the country's next leader on the advice of Josip Broz Tito. Read more
- 1956 — Suez Crisis: Israel occupies the Gaza Strip. Read more
- 1951 — Canada in the Korean War: A platoon of The Royal Canadian Regiment defends a vital area against a full battalion of Chinese troops in the Battle of the Song-gok Spur. The engagement lasts into the early hours the next day. Read more
- 1949 — The Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference ends with the Netherlands agreeing to transfer sovereignty of the Dutch East Indies to the United States of Indonesia. Read more
- 1947 — In California, designer Howard Hughes performs the maiden (and only) flight of the Hughes H-4 Hercules (also known as the "Spruce Goose"), the largest fixed-wing aircraft ever built until Scaled Composites rolled out their Stratolaunch in May 2017. Read more
- 1940 — World War II: First day of Battle of Elaia–Kalamas between the Greeks and the Italians. Read more
- 1936 — The BBC Television Service, the world's first regular, "high-definition" (then defined as at least 200 lines) service begins. Renamed BBC1 in 1964, the channel still runs to this day. Read more
- 1920 — The Ocoee massacre commences in Orange County, Florida on the day of the 1920 United States presidential election. Read more
- 1920 — In the United States, KDKA of Pittsburgh starts broadcasting as the first commercial radio station. The first broadcast is the result of the 1920 United States presidential election. Read more
- 1917 — The Balfour Declaration proclaims British support for the "establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people" with the clear understanding "that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities". Read more
- 1917 — The Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet, in charge of preparation and carrying out the Russian Revolution, holds its first meeting. Read more
- 1914 — World War I: The Russian Empire declares war on the Ottoman Empire and the Dardanelles is subsequently closed. Read more
- 1912 — Bulgaria defeats the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lule Burgas, the bloodiest battle of the First Balkan War, which opens her way to Constantinople. Read more
- 1899 — The Boers begin their 118-day siege of British-held Ladysmith during the Second Boer War. Read more
- 1889 — North Dakota and South Dakota are admitted as the 39th and 40th U.S. states. Read more
- 1882 — The great fire destroys a large part of Oulu's city center in Oulu Province, Finland. Read more
- 1868 — Time zone: New Zealand officially adopts a standard time to be observed nationally. Read more
- 1795 — The French Directory, a five-man revolutionary government, is created. Read more
- 1707 — Four British naval vessels run aground on the Isles of Scilly because of faulty navigation. In response, the first Longitude Act is enacted in 1714. Read more
- 1675 — Plymouth Colony governor Josiah Winslow leads a colonial militia against the Narragansett during King Philip's War. Read more
- 1410 — The Peace of Bicêtre suspends hostilities in the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War. Read more
- 619 — A qaghan of the Western Turkic Khaganate is assassinated in a Chinese palace by Eastern Turkic rivals after the approval of Tang emperor Gaozu. Read more
Born on November 2
- 2001 — Moisés Caicedo, Ecuadorian footballer Read more
- 1999 — Park Woo-jin, South Korean singer Read more
- 1998 — Jordan Love, American football player Read more
- 1997 — Filip Hronek, Czech ice hockey player Read more
- 1997 — Davis Keillor-Dunn, English footballer Read more
- 1995 — Hanna Öberg, Swedish biathlete Read more
- 1994 — Shaq Coulthirst, English footballer Read more
- 1991 — Jimmy Garoppolo, American football player Read more
- 1990 — Christopher Dibon, Austrian footballer Read more
- 1990 — Kendall Schmidt, American singer, songwriter, and actor Read more
- 1989 — Tibor Pleiß, German basketball player Read more
- 1989 — Natalie Pluskota, American tennis player Read more
- 1989 — Luke Schenn, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1988 — Lisa Bowman, Irish netball player Read more
- 1988 — Julia Görges, German tennis player Read more
- 1987 — Danny Cipriani, English rugby player Read more
- 1986 — Andy Rautins, American-Canadian basketball player Read more
- 1985 — Danny Amendola, American football player Read more
- 1983 — Ebonette Deigaeruk, Nauruan weightlifter Read more
- 1983 — Darren Young, American wrestler Read more
- 1982 — Yunel Escobar, Cuban-American baseball player Read more
- 1982 — Charles Itandje, French footballer Read more
- 1981 — Monica Iozzi, Brazilian actress Read more
- 1981 — Katharine Isabelle, Canadian actress Read more
- 1981 — Mitchell Johnson, Australian cricketer Read more
- 1981 — Rafael Márquez Lugo, Mexican footballer Read more
- 1981 — Miryo, South Korean rapper Read more
- 1981 — Roddy White, American football player Read more
- 1981 — Esha Deol is an Indian actress who appears in Hindi films. Read more
- 1980 — Diego Lugano, Uruguayan footballer Read more
- 1980 — Amos Roberts, Australian rugby player Read more
- 1979 — Simone Puleo, Italian footballer Read more
- 1979 — Anna Sobolak, Polish politician and businessperson Read more
- 1978 — Carmen Cali, American baseball player Read more
- 1977 — Rodney Buford, American basketball player Read more
- 1977 — Konstantinos Economidis, Greek tennis player Read more
- 1977 — Reshma Shetty, British-American actress Read more
- 1977 — Leon Taylor, English diver and sportscaster Read more
- 1976 — Matt Cullen, American ice hockey player Read more
- 1976 — Thierry Omeyer, French handball goalkeeper Read more
Died on November 2
- 2024 — Janey Godley, Scottish actor, writer and comedian (born 1961) Read more
- 2024 — Alan Rachins, American actor (born 1942) Read more
- 2024 — Paul Stephenson, British civil rights activist (born 1937) Read more
- 2023 — Humaira Himu, Bangladeshi actress (born 1985) Read more
- 2022 — Atilio Stampone, Argentine pianist and composer (born 1926) Read more
- 2021 — Neal Smith, American politician (born 1920) Read more
- 2019 — Walter Mercado, Puerto Rican television personality, astrologer, actor, and dancer (born 1932) Read more
- 2018 — Raymond Chow, Hong Kong film producer (born 1927) Read more
- 2017 — Aboubacar Somparé, Guinean politician (born 1944) Read more
- 2015 — Andrzej Ciechanowiecki, Polish painter, historian, and academic (born 1924) Read more
- 2015 — Mike Davies, Welsh-American tennis player and businessman (born 1936) Read more
- 2015 — Roy Dommett, English scientist and engineer (born 1933) Read more
- 2015 — Tommy Overstreet, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1937) Read more
- 2014 — Acker Bilk, English singer and clarinet player (born 1929) Read more
- 2014 — Michael Coleman, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1956) Read more
- 2014 — Veljko Kadijević, Croatian general and politician, 5th Federal Secretary of People's Defence (born 1925) Read more
- 2014 — Herman Sarkowsky, German-American businessman and philanthropist, co-founded the Seattle Seahawks (born 1925) Read more
- 2014 — Shabtai Teveth, Israeli historian and author (born 1925) Read more
- 2013 — Walt Bellamy, American basketball player (born 1939) Read more
- 2013 — Ghislaine Dupont, French journalist (born 1956) Read more
- 2013 — Clifford Nass, American author and academic (born 1958) Read more
- 2013 — Kjell Qvale, Norwegian-American businessman (born 1919) Read more
- 2012 — Shreeram Shankar Abhyankar, Indian-American mathematician and academic (born 1930) Read more
- 2012 — Robert Morton Duncan, American soldier and judge (born 1927) Read more
- 2012 — Joe Ginsberg, American baseball player (born 1926) Read more
- 2012 — Pino Rauti, Italian journalist and politician (born 1926) Read more
- 2012 — Han Suyin, Chinese-Swiss physician and author (born 1916) Read more
- 2012 — Kinjarapu Yerran Naidu, Indian politician (born 1957) Read more
- 2011 — Boots Plata, Filipino director and screenwriter (born 1943) Read more
- 2010 — Clyde King, American baseball player and manager (born 1924) Read more
- 2009 — José Luis López Vázquez, Spanish actor, costume designer and assistant director (born 1922) Read more
- 2009 — Nien Cheng, Chinese-American author (born 1915) Read more
- 2008 — Madelyn Dunham, American banker and business executive (born 1922) Read more
- 2007 — Charmaine Dragun, Australian journalist (born 1978) Read more
- 2007 — Igor Moiseyev, Russian dancer and choreographer (born 1906) Read more
- 2007 — The Fabulous Moolah, American wrestler (born 1923) Read more
- 2005 — Ferruccio Valcareggi, Italian footballer and manager (born 1919) Read more
- 2004 — Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the 1st president and founder of the UAE (born 1918) Read more
- 2004 — Theo van Gogh, Dutch actor, director, and producer (born 1957) Read more
- 2003 — Frank McCloskey, American sergeant, lawyer, and politician (born 1939) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Agapius and companions; Christian feast day:
Domninus of Vienne; Christian feast day:
Erc of Slane (Ireland); Christian feast day:
Justus of Trieste; Christian feast day:
Victorinus of Pettau; Christian feast day:
November 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); All Souls' Day (Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Communion); Coronation of Haile Selassie (Rastafari); Day of the Dead, the second day of Day of the Dead or El Dia de los Muertos celebration (Mexico); Dziady (Belarus); Arrival of Indentured Labourers (Mauritius); International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (United Nations); Statehood Day (North Dakota and South Dakota, United States)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “November 2”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.