On This Day in History — November 9

Highlights of November 9

• 2019 — Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor, a visa-free border crossing connecting the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib to the India–Pakistan border. Read more
• 2019 — The Alabama Crimson Tide and LSU Tigers football teams, both with undefeated records thus far that season, played in a "Game of the Century". Read more
• 2016 — A tram derailment in Croydon, London, killed seven people. Read more
• 1993 — Bosnian War: Croatian Defence Council forces destroyed the Stari Most, a 16th-century bridge crossing the river Neretva in the city of Mostar (rebuilt bridge pictured). Read more
• 1989 — East German official Günter Schabowski mistakenly announced the immediate opening of the inner German border, resulting in the fall of the Berlin Wall that night (border crossing pictured). Read more
• 1985 — At age 22, Garry Kasparov became the then-youngest World Chess Champion by defeating then-champion Anatoly Karpov. Read more
• 1967 — The first issue of Rolling Stone, an American magazine focusing on music, politics and popular culture, was published. Read more
• 1939 — World War II: A covert Sicherheitsdienst operation captured two British agents of the Secret Intelligence Service near Venlo in the Netherlands. Read more
• 1938 — Kristallnacht began as SA stormtroopers and civilians destroyed and ransacked Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues in Germany and Austria, resulting in at least 90 deaths and the deportation of 30,000 men to concentration camps. Read more
• 1928 — The Great Mecca Feast, the first documentary film on the Hajj, premiered in the Netherlands. Read more
• 1918 — The government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic adopted a tricolour national flag (pictured), which is again in use today, with slight modifications, by the present-day Republic of Azerbaijan. Read more
• 1914 — World War I: Off the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Australian light cruiser Sydney sank Emden, the last active German warship in the Indian Ocean, at the Battle of Cocos. Read more
• 1913 — A severe blizzard reached its maximum intensity in the Great Lakes Basin of North America, destroying 19 ships and 68,300 tons of cargo, and killing more than 250 people. Read more
• 1888 — Mary Jane Kelly, widely believed to be the fifth and final victim of the notorious unidentified serial killer Jack the Ripper, was murdered in London. Read more
• 1822 — USS Alligator engaged three pirate schooners off the coast of Cuba in one of the West Indies anti-piracy operations of the United States. Read more

Events

• 2023 — U.S. surgeons at NYU Langone Health announce the world's first whole eye transplant. Read more
• 2020 — Second Nagorno-Karabakh War: An armistice agreement is signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. Read more
• 2014 — A non-binding self-determination consultation is held in Catalonia, asking Catalan citizens their opinion on whether Catalonia should become a state and, if so, whether it should be an independent state. Read more
• 2012 — A train carrying liquid fuel crashes and bursts into flames in northern Myanmar, killing 27 people and injuring 80 others. Read more
• 2012 — At least 27 people are killed and dozens are wounded in conflicts between inmates and guards at Welikada prison in Colombo. Read more
• 2011 — The first national test of the Emergency Alert System is activated in the United States at 2:00 p.m. EST. Read more
• 2005 — The Venus Express mission of the European Space Agency is launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Read more
• 2005 — Suicide bombers attack three hotels in Amman, Jordan, killing at least 60 people. Read more
• 2004 — Firefox 1.0 is released. Read more
• 2000 — Uttarakhand officially becomes the 27th state of India, formed from thirteen districts of northwestern Uttar Pradesh. Read more
• 1999 — TAESA Flight 725 crashes after takeoff from Uruapan International Airport in Uruapan, Michoacán, Mexico, killing all 18 people on board. Read more
• 1998 — A U.S. federal judge, in the largest civil settlement in American history, orders 37 U.S. brokerage houses to pay US$1.03 billion to cheated NASDAQ investors to compensate for price fixing. Read more
• 1998 — Capital punishment in the United Kingdom, already abolished for murder, is completely abolished for all remaining capital offences. Read more
• 1994 — The chemical element darmstadtium is discovered. Read more
• 1993 — Stari Most, the "old bridge" in the Bosnian city of Mostar, built in 1566, collapses after several days of bombing by Croat forces during the Croat–Bosniak War. Read more
• 1989 — Cold War: Fall of the Berlin Wall: East Germany opens checkpoints in the Berlin Wall, allowing its citizens to travel to West Berlin. Read more
• 1985 — Garry Kasparov, 22, of the Soviet Union, becomes the youngest World Chess Champion by beating fellow Soviet Anatoly Karpov. Read more
• 1979 — Cold War: Nuclear false alarm: The NORAD computers and the Alternate National Military Command Center in Fort Ritchie, Maryland, detect a purported massive Soviet nuclear strike. After reviewing the raw data from satellites and checking the early-warning radars, the alert is cancelled. Read more
• 1971 — American banker John List murdered his wife, mother, and three children with a pair of handguns. Read more
• 1970 — Vietnam War: The Supreme Court of the United States votes 6–3 against hearing a case to allow Massachusetts to enforce its law granting residents the right to refuse military service in an undeclared war. Read more
• 1967 — Apollo program: NASA launches the unmanned Apollo 4 test spacecraft, atop the first Saturn V rocket, from Florida's Cape Kennedy. Read more
• 1965 — Several U.S. states and parts of Canada are hit by a series of blackouts lasting up to 13 hours in the Northeast blackout of 1965. Read more
• 1965 — A Catholic Worker Movement member, Roger Allen LaPorte, protesting against the Vietnam War, sets himself on fire in front of the United Nations building. Read more
• 1963 — At a coal mine in Miike, Japan, an explosion kills 458 and hospitalises 839 with carbon monoxide poisoning. Read more
• 1963 — The Tsurumi rail accident on the Tōkaidō Main Line in Yokohama kills 162 people. Read more
• 1960 — Robert McNamara is named president of the Ford Motor Company, becoming the first non-Ford family member to serve in that post. He resigns a month later to join the newly elected John F. Kennedy administration. Read more
• 1953 — Cambodia gains independence from France. Read more
• 1945 — Soo Bahk Do and Moo Duk Kwan martial arts are founded in Korea. Read more
• 1943 — An agreement for the founding of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration is signed by 44 countries in the White House, Washington, D.C. Read more
• 1942 — Battle of Stalingrad: German forces of the 6th Army under general Friedrich Paulus reach the river bank of the Volga, capturing 90% of the ruined city of Stalingrad and splitting the remaining Soviet forces into two narrow pockets. Read more
• 1940 — Warsaw is awarded the Virtuti Militari by the Polish government-in-exile. Read more
• 1938 — Kristallnacht occurs, instigated by the Nazis using the killing of German diplomat Ernst vom Rath by Herschel Grynszpan as justification. Read more
• 1937 — Second Sino-Japanese War: The Chinese Army withdraws from the Battle of Shanghai. Read more
• 1936 — American fashion designer Ruth Harkness seeks and captures a nine-week-old panda cub in Sichuan; named Su Lin, he becomes the first live giant panda to enter the United States. Read more
• 1935 — The Committee for Industrial Organization, the precursor to the Congress of Industrial Organizations, is founded in Atlantic City, New Jersey, by eight trade unions belonging to the American Federation of Labor. Read more
• 1923 — In Munich, police and government troops crush the Nazi Beer Hall Putsch. Read more
• 1921 — The National Fascist Party (Partito Nazionale Fascista or PNF) is founded in Italy. Read more
• 1918 — Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany abdicates after the German Revolution, and Germany is proclaimed a Republic. Read more
• 1917 — The Balfour Declaration is published in The Times newspaper. Read more
• 1914 — SMS Emden is sunk by HMAS Sydney in the Battle of Cocos. Read more
• 1913 — The Great Lakes Storm of 1913, the most destructive natural disaster ever to hit the lakes, reaches its greatest intensity after beginning two days earlier. The storm destroys 19 ships and kills more than 250 people. Read more
• 1907 — The Cullinan Diamond is presented to King Edward VII on his birthday. Read more
• 1906 — Theodore Roosevelt is the first sitting President of the United States to make an official trip outside the country, doing so to inspect progress on the Panama Canal. Read more
• 1905 — The Province of Alberta, Canada, holds its first general election. Read more
• 1901 — Prince George, Duke of Cornwall (later George V of the United Kingdom), becomes Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester. Read more
• 1900 — Russian invasion of Manchuria: Russia completes its occupation of Manchuria with 100,000 troops. Read more
• 1888 — Jack the Ripper murders Mary Jane Kelly, his final victim in the Whitechapel murders. Read more
• 1887 — The United States receives rights to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Read more
• 1881 — Mapuche rebels attack the fortified Chilean settlement of Temuco. Read more
• 1880 — A major earthquake strikes Zagreb and destroys many buildings, including Zagreb Cathedral. Read more
• 1872 — The Great Boston Fire of 1872. Read more
• 1870 — The Battle of Coulmiers ends in a Pyrrhic victory for the French army during the Franco-German War of 1870. Read more
• 1867 — The Tokugawa shogunate hands back power to the Emperor of Japan, starting the Meiji Restoration. Read more
• 1862 — American Civil War: Union General Ambrose Burnside assumes command of the Army of the Potomac, after George B. McClellan is removed. Read more
• 1851 — Kentucky marshals abduct abolitionist minister Calvin Fairbank from Jeffersonville, Indiana, and take him to Kentucky to stand trial for helping a slave escape. Read more
• 1799 — Napoleon Bonaparte leads the Coup of 18 Brumaire ending the Directory government, and becoming First Consul of the successor Consulate Government. Read more
• 1791 — The Dublin Society of United Irishmen is founded. Read more
• 1780 — American Revolutionary War: In the Battle of Fishdam Ford a force of British and Loyalist troops fail in a surprise attack against the South Carolina Patriot militia under Brigadier General Thomas Sumter. Read more
• 1729 — Spain, France and Great Britain sign the Treaty of Seville. Read more
• 1720 — The synagogue of Judah HeHasid is burned down by Arab creditors, leading to the expulsion of the Ashkenazim from Jerusalem. Read more

Born on November 9

• 1999 — Prithvi Shaw, Indian cricketer Read more
• 1996 — Momo Hirai, Japanese dancer and singer Read more
• 1995 — Finn Cole, English actor Read more
• 1995 — Daniel Naroditsky, American chess grandmaster (died 2025) Read more
• 1994 — Lyrica Okano, American actress Read more
• 1993 — Pete Dunne, English wrestler Read more
• 1990 — Nosa Igiebor, Nigerian footballer Read more
• 1989 — Baptiste Giabiconi, French model and singer Read more
• 1988 — Nikki Blonsky, American actress, singer, and dancer Read more
• 1988 — Lio Tipton, American actor and model Read more
• 1986 — Carl Gunnarsson, Swedish ice hockey player Read more
• 1985 — Bakary Soumaré, Malian footballer Read more
• 1984 — Delta Goodrem, Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress Read more
• 1984 — French Montana, Moroccan-American rapper Read more
• 1984 — Seven, South Korean singer, dancer, and actor Read more
• 1983 — Rob Elloway, German rugby player Read more
• 1983 — Ted Potter Jr., American golfer Read more
• 1983 — Michael Turner, English footballer Read more
• 1982 — Boaz Myhill, American-Welsh footballer Read more
• 1982 — Jana Pittman, Australian hurdler Read more
• 1981 — Eyedea, American rapper and producer (died 2010) Read more
• 1981 — Jobi McAnuff, Jamaican footballer Read more
• 1981 — Kane Waselenchuk, Canadian racquetball player Read more
• 1980 — Vanessa Lachey, Filipino-American television host and actress Read more
• 1980 — Dominique Maltais, Canadian snowboarder Read more
• 1979 — Dave Bush, American baseball player Read more
• 1979 — Adam Dunn, American baseball player Read more
• 1979 — Caroline Flack, English television presenter, radio presenter, and model (died 2020) Read more
• 1979 — Martin Taylor, English footballer Read more
• 1978 — Even Ormestad, Norwegian bass player and producer Read more
• 1978 — Sisqó, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor Read more
• 1977 — Chris Morgan, English footballer and manager Read more
• 1977 — Omar Trujillo, Mexican footballer Read more
• 1976 — Tochiazuma Daisuke, Japanese sumo wrestler Read more
• 1975 — Gareth Malone, English singer and conductor Read more
• 1975 — Mathew Sinclair, New Zealand cricketer Read more
• 1974 — Alessandro Del Piero, Italian footballer Read more
• 1974 — Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Italian actress Read more
• 1973 — Alyson Court, Canadian actress and producer Read more
• 1973 — Nick Lachey, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor Read more

Died on November 9

• 2024 — Bobby Allison, American race car driver and businessman (born 1937) Read more
• 2024 — Lou Donaldson, American saxophonist (born 1926) Read more
• 2024 — Judith Jamison, American dancer and choreographer (born 1943) Read more
• 2024 — Ella Jenkins, American folk singer (born 1924) Read more
• 2023 — Junko Ohashi, Japanese singer (born 1950) Read more
• 2021 — Max Cleland, American politician (born 1942) Read more
• 2017 — Chuck Mosley, American singer songwriter (born 1959) Read more
• 2017 — Shyla Stylez, Canadian pornographic actress (born 1982) Read more
• 2016 — Greg Ballard, American basketball player and coach (born 1955) Read more
• 2015 — Carol Doda, American actress and dancer (born 1937) Read more
• 2015 — Ernst Fuchs, Austrian painter, sculptor, and illustrator (born 1930) Read more
• 2015 — Tommy Hanson, American baseball player (born 1986) Read more
• 2015 — Byron Krieger, American fencer (born 1920) Read more
• 2015 — Andy White, Scottish drummer (born 1930) Read more
• 2014 — Rubén Alvarez, Argentinian golfer (born 1961) Read more
• 2014 — Saud bin Muhammed Al Thani, Qatari prince (born 1966) Read more
• 2014 — R. A. Montgomery, American author and publisher (born 1936) Read more
• 2014 — Myles Munroe, Bahamian pastor and author (born 1954) Read more
• 2014 — Orlando Thomas, American football player (born 1972) Read more
• 2014 — Joe Walsh, Irish politician, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (born 1943) Read more
• 2013 — Savaş Ay, Turkish journalist (born 1954) Read more
• 2013 — Helen Eadie, Scottish politician (born 1947) Read more
• 2013 — Grethe Rytter Hasle, Norwegian biologist and academic (born 1920) Read more
• 2013 — Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, American saxophonist (born 1936) Read more
• 2013 — Steve Prescott, English rugby player (born 1973) Read more
• 2013 — Emile Zuckerkandl, Austrian-American biologist and academic (born 1922) Read more
• 2012 — Milan Čič, Slovak lawyer and politician, 5th Prime Minister of the Slovak Socialist Republic (born 1932) Read more
• 2012 — Joseph D. Early, American soldier and politician (born 1933) Read more
• 2012 — Sergey Nikolsky, Russian mathematician and academic (born 1905) Read more
• 2012 — James L. Stone, American colonel, Medal of Honor recipient (born 1922) Read more
• 2008 — Hans Freeman, Australian bioinorganic chemist and protein crystallographer (born 1929) Read more
• 2008 — Miriam Makeba, South African singer and activist (born 1932) Read more
• 2006 — Ed Bradley, American journalist (born 1941) Read more
• 2006 — Ellen Willis, American journalist and activist (born 1941) Read more
• 2006 — Markus Wolf, German intelligence officer (born 1923) Read more
• 2005 — K. R. Narayanan, Indian journalist and politician, 10th President of India (born 1921) Read more
• 2004 — Iris Chang, American historian, journalist, and author (born 1968) Read more
• 2004 — Emlyn Hughes, English footballer and manager (born 1947) Read more
• 2004 — Stieg Larsson, Swedish journalist and author (born 1954) Read more
• 2003 — Art Carney, American actor and comedian (born 1918) Read more

Holidays & observances

Birthday of Muhammad Iqbal (Pakistan); Christian feast day: Benignus of Armagh; Christian feast day: Dedication of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, Cathedral of the Pope (memorial feast day); Christian feast day: Margery Kempe (Church of England); Christian feast day: Martin Chemnitz (Lutheran); Christian feast day: Nectarios of Aegina; Christian feast day: Theodore of Amasea (Roman Catholic Church); Christian feast day: Virgin of Almudena (Madrid); Christian feast day: Vitonus; Christian feast day: November 9 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Day of the Skulls or Dia de los ñatitas (Bolivia); Flag Day (Azerbaijan); Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Cambodia from France in 1953.; Inventors' Day (Germany, Austria, Switzerland); Uttarakhand Day (Uttarakhand, India); World Freedom Day (United States)

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