Today in History

Today is Saturday, Nov. 25, the 329th day of 2017. There are 36 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 25, 2016, Fidel Castro, who led his rebels to victorious revolution in 1959, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half-century of rule in Cuba, died at age 90.

On this date:

In 1783, the British evacuated New York during the Revolutionary War.

In 1864, during the Civil War, Confederate agents set a series of arson fires in New York; the blazes were quickly extinguished.

In 1915, a new version of the Ku Klux Klan, targeting blacks, Jews, Catholics and immigrants, was founded by William Joseph Simmons.

In 1920, radio station WTAW of College Station, Texas, broadcast the first play-by-play description of a football game, between Texas University and the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. (Texas won, 7-3.)

In 1947, movie studio executives meeting in New York agreed to blacklist the "Hollywood Ten" who'd been cited for contempt of Congress the day before.

In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower suffered a slight stroke.

In 1963, the body of President John F. Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery; his widow, Jacqueline, lighted an "eternal flame" at the gravesite.

In 1974, former U.N. Secretary-General U Thant died in New York at age 65.

In 1987, Harold Washington, the first black mayor of Chicago, died in office at age 65.

In 1992, the movie "The Bodyguard," starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, was released by Warner Bros.

In 1999, Elian Gonzalez, a 5-year-old Cuban boy, was rescued by a pair of sport fishermen off the coast of Florida, setting off an international custody battle.

In 2002, President George W. Bush signed legislation creating the Department of Homeland Security, and appointed Tom Ridge to be its head.

Ten years ago: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returned from exile to an ecstatic welcome from thousands of supporters and immediately stepped up the pressure on U.S.-backed military ruler Pervez Musharraf to end emergency rule. Kevin Dubrow, lead singer for the heavy metal band Quiet Riot, was found dead in his Las Vegas home; he was 52. Actor Neil Hope died in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada at age 35.

Five years ago: Rioters stormed a Muslim Brotherhood headquarters building in northern Egypt on the third day of street battles following a power grab by President Mohammed Morsi. YouTube announced that "Gangnam Style" by South Korean rapper PSY had become the site's most viewed video to that time, with more than 805 million viewings.

One year ago: President-elect Donald Trump pressed forward with two more administration picks: Fox News analyst Kathleen Troia "KT" McFarland to serve as deputy national security adviser and campaign attorney Donald McGahn as White House counsel. Actor Ron Glass, best known for his role as the gregarious, sometimes sardonic detective Ron Harris in the long-running cop comedy "Barney Miller," died in Los Angeles at age 71.

Today's Birthdays: Playwright Murray Schisgal is 91. Actress Kathryn Crosby is 84. Actor Christopher Riordan is 80. Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs is 77. Singer Bob Lind is 75. Author, actor and economist Ben Stein is 73. Actor John Larroquette is 70. Actor Tracey Walter is 70. Movie director Jonathan Kaplan is 70. Author Charlaine Harris is 66. Retired MLB All-Star Bucky Dent is 66. Dance judge Bruno Tonioli (TV: "Dancing with the Stars") is 62. Singer Amy Grant is 57. Former NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar is 54. Rock musician Eric Grossman (K's Choice) is 53. Rock singer Mark Lanegan is 53. Rock singer-musician Tim Armstrong is 52. Actor Steve Harris is 52. Actor Billy Burke is 51. Singer Stacy Lattisaw is 51. Rock musician Rodney Sheppard (Sugar Ray) is 51. Rapper-producer Erick Sermon is 49. Actress Jill Hennessy is 48. Actress Christina Applegate is 46. Actor Eddie Steeples is 44. Actress Kristian Nairn is 42. Former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb is 41. Actress Jill Flint is 40. Actor Jerry Ferrara is 38. Actor Joel Kinnaman is 38. Actress Valerie Azlynn is 37. Former first daughter Barbara Pierce Bush is 36. Former first daughter Jenna Bush Hager is 36. Actress Katie Cassidy is 31. Neo-soul musician Ben Griner (St. Paul & the Broken Bones) is 27. Contemporary Christian singer Jamie Grace is 26.

Thought for Today: "Self is the only prison that can ever bind the soul." -- Henry van Dyke, American clergyman (1852-1933).