Home › Almanac › On This Day
On This Day in History — November 20
‹ November 19The AlmanacNovember 21 ›
Highlights of November 20
- 2003 — Suicide bombers blew up the British consulate and the headquarters of HSBC Bank in Istanbul, killing 31 people, including consul general Roger Short and actor Kerem Yılmazer. Read more
- 1994 — In accordance with the Lusaka Protocol, the Angolan government signed a ceasefire with UNITA rebels in a failed attempt to end the Angolan Civil War. Read more
- 1991 — First Nagorno-Karabakh War: An Azerbaijani military helicopter carrying a peacekeeping mission team was shot down in Nagorno-Karabakh, disrupting ongoing peace talks. Read more
- 1990 — Andrei Chikatilo, one of the Soviet Union's most prolific serial killers, was arrested in Novocherkassk. Read more
- 1985 — Windows 1.0, the first version of Microsoft Windows available to the public, was released. Read more
- 1979 — Armed insurgents attacked and took over the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, declaring that one of their leaders was the Mahdi, the prophesied redeemer of Islam. Read more
- 1969 — A group of Native American activists began a 19-month occupation (graffiti pictured) of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. Read more
- 1947 — Princess Elizabeth, daughter of King George VI, married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, who was given the title Duke of Edinburgh. Read more
- 1945 — The Nuremberg trials (defendants pictured) of 24 leading Nazis involved in the Holocaust and various war crimes during World War II began in Nuremberg, Germany. Read more
- 1917 — First World War: The Battle of Cambrai began with British forces having initial success over Germany's Hindenburg Line. Read more
- 1820 — The American whaleship Essex sank 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km) west of the western coast of South America after it was attacked by a sperm whale, an event which inspired the novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville (pictured). Read more
- 1776 — American Revolutionary War: The Battle of Fort Lee saw the invasion of New Jersey by British and Hessian forces and the subsequent general retreat of the Continental Army. Read more
- 1739 — War of Jenkins' Ear: A British naval force arrived at the settlement of Portobello in the Spanish Main, capturing it the next day. Read more
Events
- 2022 — The 2022 FIFA World Cup begins in Qatar. This is the first time the tournament was held in the Middle East. Read more
- 2016 — Jimmie Johnson wins his seventh NASCAR Cup Series championship to tie Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most all-time. Read more
- 2015 — Following a hostage siege, at least 19 people are killed in Bamako, Mali. Read more
- 2003 — After the November 15 bombings, a second day of the 2003 Istanbul bombings occurs in Istanbul, Turkey, destroying the Turkish head office of HSBC Bank AS and the British consulate. Read more
- 1998 — A court in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan declares accused terrorist Osama bin Laden "a man without a sin" in regard to the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. Read more
- 1998 — The first space station module component, Zarya, for the International Space Station is launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Read more
- 1996 — A fire breaks out in an office building in Hong Kong, killing 41 people and injuring 81. Read more
- 1994 — The Angolan government and UNITA rebels sign the Lusaka Protocol in Zambia, ending 19 years of civil war. (Localized fighting resumes the next year.) Read more
- 1993 — Savings and loan crisis: The United States Senate Ethics Committee issues a stern censure of California senator Alan Cranston for his "dealings" with savings-and-loan executive Charles Keating. Read more
- 1993 — North Macedonia's deadliest aviation disaster occurs when Avioimpex Flight 110, a Yakovlev Yak-42, crashes near Ohrid Airport, killing all 116 people on board. Read more
- 1992 — In England, a fire breaks out in Windsor Castle, badly damaging the castle and causing over £50 million worth of damage. Read more
- 1991 — An Azerbaijani MI-8 helicopter carrying 19 peacekeeping mission team with officials and journalists from Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan is shot down by Armenian military forces in Khojavend District of Azerbaijan. Read more
- 1990 — Andrei Chikatilo, one of the Soviet Union's most prolific serial killers, is arrested; he eventually confesses to 56 killings. Read more
- 1989 — Velvet Revolution: The number of protesters assembled in Prague, Czechoslovakia, swells from 200,000 the day before to an estimated half-million. Read more
- 1985 — Microsoft Windows 1.0, the first graphical personal computer operating environment developed by Microsoft, is released. Read more
- 1980 — Lake Peigneur in Louisiana drains into an underlying salt deposit. A misplaced Texaco oil probe had been drilled into the Diamond Crystal Salt Mine, causing water to flow down into the mine, eroding the edges of the hole. Read more
- 1979 — Grand Mosque seizure: About 200 Sunni Muslims revolt in Saudi Arabia at the site of the Kaaba in Mecca during the pilgrimage and take about 6,000 hostages. The Saudi government receives help from French special forces to put down the uprising. Read more
- 1977 — Egyptian President Anwar Sadat becomes the first Arab leader to officially visit Israel, when he meets Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin and speaks before the Knesset in Jerusalem, seeking a permanent peace settlement. Read more
- 1974 — The United States Department of Justice files its final anti-trust suit against AT&T Corporation. This suit later leads to the breakup of AT&T and its Bell System. Read more
- 1974 — The first fatal crash of a Boeing 747 occurs when Lufthansa Flight 540 crashes while attempting to takeoff from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, killing 59 out of the 157 people on board. Read more
- 1969 — Vietnam War: The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) publishes explicit photographs of dead villagers from the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam. Read more
- 1969 — Occupation of Alcatraz: Native American activists seize control of Alcatraz Island until being ousted by the U.S. Government on June 11, 1971. Read more
- 1968 — A total of 78 miners are killed in an explosion at the Consolidated Coal Company's No. 9 mine in Farmington, West Virginia in the Farmington Mine disaster. Read more
- 1962 — Cuban Missile Crisis ends: In response to the Soviet Union agreeing to remove its missiles from Cuba, U.S. President John F. Kennedy ends the quarantine of the Caribbean nation. Read more
- 1959 — The Declaration of the Rights of the Child is adopted by the United Nations. Read more
- 1947 — The Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen) marries Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, who becomes the Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey in London. Read more
- 1946 — Indonesian National Revolution: 96 Indonesian including I Gusti Ngurah Rai were killed during the Battle of Margarana with Dutch forces. Read more
- 1945 — Nuremberg trials: Trials against 24 Nazi war criminals start at the Palace of Justice at Nuremberg. Read more
- 1943 — World War II: Battle of Tarawa (Operation Galvanic) begins: United States Marines land on Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands and suffer heavy fire from Japanese shore guns and machine guns. Read more
- 1940 — World War II: Hungary becomes a signatory of the Tripartite Pact, officially joining the Axis powers. Read more
- 1936 — José Antonio Primo de Rivera, founder of the Falange, is killed by a republican execution squad. Read more
- 1917 — World War I: Battle of Cambrai begins: British forces make early progress in an attack on German positions but are later pushed back. Read more
- 1910 — Mexican Revolution: Francisco I. Madero issues the Plan de San Luis Potosí, denouncing Mexican President Porfirio Díaz, calling for a revolution to overthrow the government of Mexico, effectively starting the Mexican Revolution. Read more
- 1900 — The French actress Sarah Bernhardt receives the press at the Savoy Hotel in New York at the outset of her first visit since 1896. She talked about her impending tour with a troupe of more than 50 performers and her plans to play the title role in Hamlet. Read more
- 1873 — Garnier Expedition: French forces under Lieutenant Francis Garnier captured Hanoi from the Vietnamese. Read more
- 1861 — American Civil War: A secession ordinance is filed by Kentucky's Confederate government. Read more
- 1845 — Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata: Battle of Vuelta de Obligado. Read more
- 1820 — An 80-ton sperm whale attacks and sinks the Essex (a whaling ship from Nantucket, Massachusetts) 3,200 kilometres (2,000 mi) from the western coast of South America. (Herman Melville's 1851 novel Moby-Dick was in part inspired by this incident.) Read more
- 1815 — The Second Treaty of Paris is signed, returning the French frontiers to their 1790 extent, imposing large indemnities, and prolonging the occupation by troops of Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia for several more years. Read more
- 1805 — Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio, premieres in Vienna. Read more
- 1789 — New Jersey becomes the first U.S. state to ratify the Bill of Rights. Read more
- 1776 — American Revolutionary War: British forces land at the Palisades and then attack Fort Lee. The Continental Army starts to retreat across New Jersey. Read more
- 1739 — Start of the Battle of Porto Bello between British and Spanish forces during the War of Jenkins' Ear. Read more
- 1695 — Zumbi, the last of the leaders of Quilombo dos Palmares in early Brazil, is executed by the forces of Portuguese bandeirante Domingos Jorge Velho. Read more
- 1441 — The Peace of Cremona ends the war between the Republic of Venice and the Duchy of Milan, after the victorious Venetian enterprise of military engineering of the Galeas per montes. Read more
- 1407 — John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, and Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans, agree to a truce, but Burgundy would kill Orléans three days later. Read more
- 1194 — Palermo is conquered by Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor. Read more
- 762 — During the An Shi Rebellion, the Tang dynasty, with the help of Huihe tribe, recaptures Luoyang from the rebels. Read more
- 284 — Diocletian is chosen as Roman emperor. Read more
Born on November 20
- 2002 — Madisyn Shipman, American actress Read more
- 2001 — Caty McNally, American tennis player Read more
- 2001 — Adrien Truffert, French footballer Read more
- 2000 — Connie Talbot, English singer-songwriter Read more
- 1997 — Levi García, Trinidadian footballer Read more
- 1996 — Blaž Janc, Slovenian handballer Read more
- 1996 — Denis Zakaria, Swiss footballer Read more
- 1995 — Timothy Cheruiyot, Kenyan athlete Read more
- 1995 — Shaolin Sándor Liu, Hungarian short track speed skater Read more
- 1995 — Kyle Snyder, American wrestler Read more
- 1994 — Timothy Kitum, Kenyan middle-distance runner Read more
- 1993 — Anna Prugova, Russian ice hockey player Read more
- 1992 — Amit Guluzade, Azerbaijani footballer Read more
- 1992 — Zoltán Harcsa, Hungarian boxer Read more
- 1992 — Kristiina Mäkelä, Finnish triple jumper Read more
- 1992 — Jenna Prandini, American track and field athlete Read more
- 1991 — Irene Esser, Venezuelan actress and model Read more
- 1991 — Grant Hanley, Scottish footballer Read more
- 1990 — Haley Anderson, American swimmer Read more
- 1990 — Mark Christian, Manx cyclist Read more
- 1990 — Aleksandra Król, Polish snowboarder Read more
- 1989 — Babita Kumari, Indian wrestler Read more
- 1989 — Cody Linley, American actor and singer Read more
- 1989 — Sergei Polunin, Ukrainian ballet dancer Read more
- 1989 — Eduardo Vargas, Chilean footballer Read more
- 1988 — Marie-Laure Brunet, French biathlete Read more
- 1988 — Aya Medany, Egyptian modern pentathlete. Read more
- 1988 — Max Pacioretty, American ice hockey player Read more
- 1988 — Dariga Shakimova, Kazakhstani boxer Read more
- 1988 — Dušan Tadić, Serbian footballer Read more
- 1988 — Rhys Wakefield, Australian actor and director Read more
- 1987 — Amelia Rose Blaire, American actress Read more
- 1987 — Mylène Lazare, French swimmer Read more
- 1987 — Nathan Lyon, Australian cricketer Read more
- 1987 — Joëlle Numainville, Canadian cyclist Read more
- 1986 — Ashley Fink, American actress and singer Read more
- 1986 — Kōhei Horikoshi, Japanese manga artist Read more
- 1986 — Oliver Sykes, English singer-songwriter Read more
- 1985 — Greg Holland, American baseball player Read more
- 1985 — Maria Mukhortova, Russian skater Read more
Died on November 20
- 2024 — Ursula Haverbeck, German Holocaust denier (born 1928) Read more
- 2024 — Andy Paley, American songwriter (born 1952) Read more
- 2024 — John Prescott, British sailor and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (born 1938) Read more
- 2024 — Jodi Rell, American politician, 87th Governor of Connecticut (born 1946) Read more
- 2020 — Jan Morris, Welsh historian, author and travel writer (born 1926) Read more
- 2019 — Wataru Misaka, American basketball player (born 1923) Read more
- 2018 — James H. Billington, 13th Librarian of Congress (born 1929) Read more
- 2018 — Aaron Klug, Lithuanian-English chemist and biophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1926) Read more
- 2017 — Peter Berling, German actor, film producer and writer (born 1934) Read more
- 2016 — Gabriel Badilla, Costa Rican footballer (born 1984) Read more
- 2016 — Gene Guarilia, American basketball player (born 1937) Read more
- 2016 — Konstantinos Stephanopoulos, Greek statesman (born 1926) Read more
- 2016 — William Trevor, Irish novelist, playwright, and short story writer (born 1928) Read more
- 2015 — Keith Michell, Australian actor (born 1926) Read more
- 2015 — Jim Perry, American-Canadian singer and game show host (born 1933) Read more
- 2015 — Kitanoumi Toshimitsu, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 55th Yokozuna (born 1953) Read more
- 2014 — Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba (born 1926) Read more
- 2013 — Sylvia Browne, American author (born 1936) Read more
- 2013 — Dieter Hildebrandt, Polish-German actor and screenwriter (born 1927) Read more
- 2012 — Kaspars Astašenko, Latvian ice hockey player (born 1975) Read more
- 2012 — William Grut, Swedish pentathlete (born 1914) Read more
- 2012 — Pete La Roca, American jazz drummer (born 1938) Read more
- 2012 — Ivan Kušan, Croatian writer (born 1933) Read more
- 2010 — Chalmers Johnson, American author and scholar (born 1931) Read more
- 2009 — Lino Lacedelli, Italian mountaineer (born 1925) Read more
- 2007 — Kenneth S. Kleinknecht, NASA manager (born 1919) Read more
- 2007 — Ian Smith, Rhodesian lieutenant and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Rhodesia (born 1919) Read more
- 2006 — Robert Altman, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1925) Read more
- 2006 — Zoia Ceaușescu, Romanian mathematician and academic (born 1950) Read more
- 2006 — Donald Hamilton, American author (born 1916) Read more
- 2005 — Manouchehr Atashi, Iranian journalist and poet (born 1931) Read more
- 2005 — James King, American tenor (born 1925) Read more
- 2005 — Chris Whitley, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1960) Read more
- 2004 — Ancel Keys, American physiologist (born 1904) Read more
- 2003 — Robert Addie, English actor (born 1960) Read more
- 2003 — David Dacko, African educator and politician, 1st President of the Central African Republic (born 1930) Read more
- 2003 — Eugene Kleiner, American businessman, co-founded Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (born 1923) Read more
- 2002 — Kakhi Asatiani, Georgian footballer (born 1947) Read more
- 2000 — Mike Muuss, American computer programmer, created Ping (born 1958) Read more
- 2000 — Kalle Päätalo, Finnish author (born 1919) Read more
Holidays & observances
20-N (Spain); Africa Industrialization Day (international); Black Awareness Day (Brazil); Children's Day (World Children's Day); Christian feast day:
Agapius; Christian feast day:
Ambrose Traversari; Christian feast day:
Ampelus and Caius; Christian feast day:
Blessed Anacleto González Flores, José Sánchez del Río, and companions (Martyrs of Cristero War); Christian feast day:
Bernward of Hildesheim; Christian feast day:
Dasius of Durostorum; Christian feast day:
Edmund the Martyr; Christian feast day:
Felec (or Felix) of Cornwall; Christian feast day:
Gregory of Dekapolis; Christian feast day:
Blessed Josaphata Hordashevska (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church); Christian feast day:
Solutor, Octavius, and Adventor; Christian feast day:
Theonestus of Vercelli; Christian feast day:
November 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Earliest day on which the Feast of Christ the King can fall, while November 26 is the latest; celebrated on the last Sunday before Advent. (Roman Catholic Church); National Sovereignty Day (Argentina); Day of the Mexican Revolution (Mexico); Royal Thai Navy Day (Thailand); Saint Verhaegen (Brussels); Teachers' Day or Ngày nhà giáo Việt Nam (Vietnam); Transgender Day of Remembrance (LGBTQ community)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “November 20”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.