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On This Day in History — November 4
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Highlights of November 4
- 2025 — A UPS Airlines plane crashed in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least twelve people. Read more
- 2016 — The Paris Agreement, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, came into effect. Read more
- 2008 — Barack Obama (pictured) became the first person of biracial or African-American descent to be elected President of the United States. Read more
- 1995 — Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin (pictured) was assassinated by Yigal Amir, a right-wing extremist, at a peace rally at Kings of Israel Square in Tel Aviv. Read more
- 1970 — Authorities in California discovered a 13-year-old feral child, pseudonymously known as Genie, who had spent nearly her entire life in social isolation. Read more
- 1964 — Ruhollah Khomeini was arrested by SAVAK, the Iranian secret police, and exiled to Turkey. Read more
- 1952 — Robert A. Lovett, United States Secretary of Defense, issued a memorandum establishing the National Security Agency, with responsibility for all communications intelligence for the government. Read more
- 1944 — Second World War: Allied forces completed Operation Pheasant, a major operation to clear German troops from the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands. Read more
- 1938 — The Hlinka Guard and Slovakian police began the deportation of several thousand Jews from the country. Read more
- 1924 — In a special election in Wyoming, Nellie Tayloe Ross became the first woman to be elected as a governor in the United States. Read more
- 1922 — The tomb of Tutankhamun (pictured) was discovered by a team led by British Egyptologist Howard Carter. Read more
- 1922 — The tomb of Tutankhamun (pictured) was discovered by a team led by British Egyptologist Howard Carter. Read more
- 1921 — The remains of an unknown soldier were buried with an eternal flame at the Altare della Patria in Rome. Read more
- 1912 — The keel of USS Nevada was laid down, beginning construction on the United States Navy's first "super-dreadnought". Read more
- 1890 — The City and South London Railway (carriage pictured), the first deep-level underground railway in the world, officially opened, running 3.2 mi (5.1 km) between the City of London and Stockwell. Read more
- 1864 — American Civil War: Nathan Bedford Forrest led a cavalry division in an attack on a Union Army supply base at Johnsonville, Tennessee, resulting in the capture of 150 prisoners. Read more
- 1780 — Túpac Amaru II led a rebellion of Aymara, Quechua, and mestizo peasants in protest against the Bourbon Reforms in the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru. Read more
Events
- 2025 — UPS Airlines Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F crashes into multiple buildings during takeoff at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, killing 15 people, including the 3 crew members. Read more
- 2022 — The Khash massacre, which refers to the repression of protesters by Iranian security forces, resulting in 18 deaths and more than 20 injuries. Read more
- 2020 — The Tigray War begins with Tigrayan rebels launching attacks on Ethiopian command centers. Read more
- 2015 — A cargo plane crashes shortly after takeoff from Juba International Airport in Juba, South Sudan, killing at least 37 people. Read more
- 2015 — A building collapses in the Pakistani city of Lahore resulting in at least 45 deaths and at least 100 injuries. Read more
- 2010 — Aero Caribbean Flight 883 crashes into Guasimal, Sancti Spíritus; all 68 passengers and crew are killed. Read more
- 2010 — Qantas Flight 32, an Airbus A380, suffers an uncontained engine failure over Indonesia shortly after taking off from Singapore, crippling the jet. The crew manage to safely return to Singapore, saving all 469 passengers and crew. Read more
- 2008 — Barack Obama becomes the first person of biracial or African-American descent to be elected as President of the United States. Read more
- 2002 — Chinese authorities arrest cyber-dissident He Depu for signing a pro-democracy letter to the 16th Communist Party Congress. Read more
- 1995 — Israel-Palestinian conflict: Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin is assassinated by an extremist Israeli. Read more
- 1993 — China Airlines Flight 605, a brand-new 747-400, overruns the runway at Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport. Read more
- 1980 — Ronald Reagan is elected as the 40th President of the United States, defeating incumbent Jimmy Carter. Read more
- 1979 — Iran hostage crisis: A group of Iranian college students overruns the U.S. embassy in Tehran and takes 90 hostages. Read more
- 1973 — The Netherlands experiences the first car-free Sunday caused by the 1973 oil crisis. Highways are used only by cyclists and roller skaters. Read more
- 1970 — Vietnam War: The United States turns over control of the air base at Bình Thủy in the Mekong Delta to South Vietnam. Read more
- 1970 — Salvador Allende takes office as President of Chile, the first Marxist to become president of a Latin American country through open elections. Read more
- 1967 — Iberia Flight 062 crashes in Blackdown, West Sussex, killing all 37 people on board including British actress June Thorburn. Read more
- 1966 — The Arno River floods Florence, Italy, to a maximum depth of 6.7 m (22 ft), leaving thousands homeless and destroying millions of masterpieces of art and rare books. Venice is also submerged on the same day at its record all-time acqua alta of 194 cm (76 in). Read more
- 1962 — The United States concludes Operation Fishbowl, its final above-ground nuclear weapons testing series, in anticipation of the 1963 Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Read more
- 1960 — At the Kasakela Chimpanzee Community in Tanzania, Jane Goodall observes chimpanzees creating tools, the first-ever observation in non-human animals. Read more
- 1956 — Soviet troops enter Hungary to end the Hungarian revolution against the Soviet Union that started on October 23. Thousands are killed, more are wounded, and nearly a quarter million leave the country. Read more
- 1952 — The United States government establishes the National Security Agency, or NSA. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: The 7th Macedonian Liberation Brigade liberates Bitola for the Allies. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: Operation Pheasant, an Allied offensive to liberate North Brabant in the Netherlands, ends successfully. Read more
- 1942 — World War II: Disobeying a direct order by Adolf Hitler, General Field Marshal Erwin Rommel begins a retreat of his forces after a costly defeat during the Second Battle of El Alamein. The retreat would ultimately last five months. Read more
- 1939 — World War II: U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt orders the United States Customs Service to implement the Neutrality Act of 1939, allowing cash-and-carry purchases of weapons by belligerents. Read more
- 1936 — Spanish Civil War: Largo Caballero reshuffles his war cabinet, persuading the anarcho-syndicalist CNT to join the government. Read more
- 1924 — Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming becomes the first female elected as governor in the United States. Read more
- 1922 — In Egypt, British archaeologist Howard Carter and his men find the entrance to Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Read more
- 1921 — The Saalschutz Abteilung (hall defense detachment) of the Nazi Party is renamed the Sturmabteilung (storm detachment) after a large riot in Munich. Read more
- 1921 — Japanese prime minister Hara Takashi is assassinated in Tokyo. Read more
- 1918 — World War I: The Armistice of Villa Giusti between Italy and Austria-Hungary is implemented. Read more
- 1890 — City and South London Railway: London's first deep-level tube railway opens between King William Street and Stockwell. Read more
- 1868 — Camagüey, Cuba, revolts against Spain during the Ten Years' War. Read more
- 1864 — American Civil War: Confederate troops bombard a Union supply base and destroy millions of dollars in materiel at the Battle of Johnsonville. Read more
- 1852 — Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, becomes the prime minister of Piedmont-Sardinia, which soon expands to become Italy. Read more
- 1847 — Sir James Young Simpson, a Scottish medical doctor, discovers the anaesthetic properties of chloroform. Read more
- 1839 — Newport Rising: The last large-scale armed rebellion against authority in mainland Britain. Read more
- 1798 — The Russo-Ottoman siege of Corfu begins. Read more
- 1791 — Northwest Indian War: The Western Confederacy of American Indians wins a major victory over the United States in the Battle of the Wabash. Read more
- 1783 — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Symphony No. 36 is performed for the first time in Linz, Austria. Read more
- 1780 — The Rebellion of Túpac Amaru II against Spanish rule in the Viceroyalty of Peru begins. Read more
- 1737 — The Teatro di San Carlo, the oldest working opera house in Europe, is inaugurated in Naples, Italy. Read more
- 1677 — The future Mary II marries William, Prince of Orange; they later jointly reign over England, Scotland, and Ireland as William and Mary. Read more
- 1576 — Eighty Years' War: In Flanders, Spain captures Antwerp (which is nearly destroyed after three days). Read more
- 1501 — Catherine of Aragon (later Henry VIII's first wife) meets Arthur, Prince of Wales, Henry VIII's older brother – they would later marry. Read more
- 1493 — Christopher Columbus reaches the Leeward Islands. Read more
- 1429 — Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War: Joan of Arc liberates Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier. Read more
- 1354 — War of the Straits: The Genoese fleet under Paganino Doria defeats and captures the entire Venetian fleet under Niccolò Pisani at the Battle of Sapienza. Read more
- 512 — Following Byzantine emperor Anastasius' deposition of Chalcedonian patriarchs and attempts to make Monophysite changes to liturgy, riots break out in Constantinople with a mob trying to proclaim Areobindus as emperor. Read more
Born on November 4
- 2006 — Darja Varfolomeev, Russian-German rhythmic gymnast Read more
- 2000 — Tyrese Maxey, American basketball player Read more
- 2000 — Sun Yingsha, Chinese table tennis player Read more
- 1999 — Emma Maltais, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1998 — Achraf Hakimi, Moroccan footballer Read more
- 1996 — Kaitlin Hawayek, American ice dancer Read more
- 1996 — Michael Christian Martinez, Filipino figure skater Read more
- 1996 — John Olive, Australian rugby league player Read more
- 1996 — Eric Paschall, American basketball player Read more
- 1994 — Billy Stanlake, Australian cricketer Read more
- 1993 — Ce'Aira Brown, American middle-distance runner Read more
- 1993 — Elisabeth Seitz, German gymnast Read more
- 1993 — Taylor Tomlinson, American stand-up comedian Read more
- 1992 — Yurii Bieliaiev, Belarusian ice dancer Read more
- 1992 — Hiroki Nakada, Japanese footballer Read more
- 1992 — Julian Wießmeier, German footballer Read more
- 1991 — Alon Day, Israeli race car driver Read more
- 1991 — Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove, Dutch tennis player Read more
- 1990 — Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Canadian actor Read more
- 1988 — Dez Bryant, American football player Read more
- 1988 — David Mead, Papua New Guinean rugby league player Read more
- 1988 — Nathan Ross, Australian rugby league player Read more
- 1987 — Tim Breukers, Dutch footballer Read more
- 1987 — Laura Geitz, Australian netball player Read more
- 1987 — Artur Jędrzejczyk, Polish footballer Read more
- 1986 — Suhas Gopinath, Indian businessman Read more
- 1986 — Alexz Johnson, Canadian actress and singer-songwriter Read more
- 1986 — Szymon Pawłowski, Polish footballer Read more
- 1986 — Adrian Zaugg, South African race car driver Read more
- 1985 — Marcell Jansen, German footballer Read more
- 1985 — Miki Miyamura, Japanese tennis player Read more
- 1984 — Dustin Brown, American ice hockey player Read more
- 1984 — Ayila Yussuf, Nigerian footballer Read more
- 1983 — Anton Buslov, Russian astrophysicist and journalist (died 2014) Read more
- 1982 — Devin Hester, American football player Read more
- 1982 — Kamila Skolimowska, Polish hammer thrower (died 2009) Read more
- 1981 — Guy Martin, English motorcycle racer Read more
- 1981 — Vince Wilfork, American football player Read more
- 1980 — Jerry Collins, Samoan-New Zealand rugby player (died 2015) Read more
- 1980 — Richard Owens, American football player and coach Read more
Died on November 4
- 2024 — Bernard Marcus, American billionaire businessman and philanthropist (born 1929) Read more
- 2024 — Murray Sinclair, Canadian lawyer and politician (born 1951) Read more
- 2023 — Akbar Golpayegani, Iranian vocalist (born 1934) Read more
- 2020 — Ken Hensley, English rock singer-songwriter and musician (born 1945) Read more
- 2019 — Gay Byrne, Irish broadcaster (born 1934) Read more
- 2017 — Isabel Granada, Filipino-Spanish actress and singer (born 1976) Read more
- 2017 — Ned Romero, American actor and opera singer (born 1926) Read more
- 2016 — Catherine Davani, first female Papua New Guinean judge (born 1960) Read more
- 2016 — Mansour Pourheidari, Iranian football player and coach (born 1946) Read more
- 2015 — Piotr Domaradzki, Polish-American historian and journalist (born 1946) Read more
- 2015 — René Girard, French-American historian, philosopher, and critic (born 1923) Read more
- 2015 — Károly Horváth, Romanian-Hungarian cellist, flute player, and composer (born 1950) Read more
- 2015 — Lee Robinson, American lawyer and politician (born 1943) Read more
- 2014 — Enrique Olivera, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 2nd Chief of Government of the City of Buenos Aires (born 1940) Read more
- 2014 — George Edgar Slusser, American author and academic (born 1939) Read more
- 2014 — S. Donald Stookey, American physicist and chemist, invented CorningWare (born 1915) Read more
- 2013 — John D. Hawk, American sergeant, Medal of Honor recipient (born 1924) Read more
- 2013 — Leonid Stolovich, Russian-Estonian philosopher and academic (born 1929) Read more
- 2013 — Ray Willsey, Canadian-American football player and coach (born 1928) Read more
- 2012 — David Resnick, Brazilian-Israeli architect, designed Yad Kennedy (born 1924) Read more
- 2011 — Arnold Green, Latvian-Estonian soldier and politician (born 1920) Read more
- 2011 — Andy Rooney, American author, critic, journalist, and television personality (born 1919) Read more
- 2010 — Sparky Anderson, American baseball player and manager (born 1934) Read more
- 2009 — Hubertus Brandenburg, German bishop (born 1923) Read more
- 2008 — Michael Crichton, American medical doctor, author, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1942) Read more
- 2008 — Rosella Hightower, American ballerina (born 1920) Read more
- 2008 — Juan Camilo Mouriño, French-Mexican economist and politician, Mexican Secretary of the Interior (born 1971) Read more
- 2007 — Karl Rebane, Estonian physicist and academic (born 1926) Read more
- 2007 — Peter Viertel, German-American author and screenwriter (born 1920) Read more
- 2006 — Frank Arthur Calder, Canadian lawyer and politician (born 1915) Read more
- 2006 — Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, American author (born 1908) Read more
- 2005 — Nadia Anjuman, Afghan journalist and poet (born 1980) Read more
- 2005 — Sheree North, American actress and dancer (born 1932) Read more
- 2005 — Graham Payn, South African-born English actor and singer (born 1918) Read more
- 2005 — Hiro Takahashi, Japanese singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1964) Read more
- 2003 — Charles Causley, Cornish author and poet (born 1917) Read more
- 2003 — Richard Wollheim, English philosopher, author, and academic (born 1923) Read more
- 1999 — Malcolm Marshall, Barbadian cricketer and coach (born 1958) Read more
- 1997 — Richard Hooker, American novelist (born 1924) Read more
- 1995 — Gilles Deleuze, French philosopher and scholar (born 1925) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Charles Borromeo (Roman Catholic Church); Christian feast day:
Emeric of Hungary; Christian feast day:
Felix of Valois; Christian feast day:
Joannicius the Great; Christian feast day:
Modesta; Christian feast day:
Our Lady of Kazan (Russian Orthodox Church); Christian feast day:
Pierius; Christian feast day:
Blessed Teresa Manganiello; Christian feast day:
Vitalis and Agricola; Christian feast day:
November 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Community Service Day (Dominica); Flag Day (Panama); National Tonga Day (Tonga); National Unity and Armed Forces Day or Giorno dell'Unità Nazionale e Festa delle Forze Armate (Italy); Unity Day (Russia); Yitzhak Rabin Memorial (unofficial, but widely commemorated)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “November 4”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.