Today in History

Today is Friday, Nov. 23, the 327th day of 2018. There are 38 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On November 23rd, 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed Nov. 25 a day of national mourning following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

On this date:

In 1765, Frederick County, Maryland, became the first colonial American entity to repudiate the British Stamp Act.

In 1804, the 14th president of the United States, Franklin Pierce, was born in Hillsboro, New Hampshire.

In 1889, the first jukebox made its debut in San Francisco, at the Palais Royale Saloon. (The coin-operated device consisted of four listening tubes attached to an Edison phonograph.)

In 1903, Enrico Caruso made his American debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, appearing in "Rigoletto."

In 1936, Life, the photojournalism magazine created by Henry R. Luce, was first published.

In 1959, the musical "Fiorello!," starring Tom Bosley as legendary New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, opened on Broadway.

In 1971, the People's Republic of China was seated in the U.N. Security Council.

In 1980, some 2,600 people were killed by a series of earthquakes that devastated southern Italy.

In 1996, a commandeered Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 crashed into the water off the Comoros Islands, killing 125 of the 175 people on board, including all three hijackers.

In 2000, in a setback for Al Gore, the Florida Supreme Court refused to order Miami-Dade County officials to resume hand-counting its election-day ballots. Meanwhile, Gore's lawyers argued in a brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court that the high court should stay out of the Florida election controversy.

In 2004, Dan Rather announced he would step down as principal anchorman of "The C-B-S Evening News" in March 2005.

In 2006, former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko died in London from radiation poisoning after making a deathbed statement blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ten years ago: The government unveiled a bold plan to rescue Citigroup, injecting a fresh $20 billion into the troubled firm as well as guaranteeing hundreds of billions of dollars in risky assets. Spain clinched an improbable, come-from-behind Davis Cup victory over Argentina.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama said a nuclear deal reached with Iran during talks in Geneva was an "important first step" toward addressing the world's concerns over the Islamic republic's disputed nuclear program.

One year ago: The holiday shopping season kicked off with some major retailers opening on Thanksgiving afternoon or evening, hoping for a lift from a better economy.

Today's Birthdays: Former Labor Secretary William E. Brock is 88. Actor Franco Nero is 77. Screenwriter Joe Eszterhas is 74. Actor-comedy writer Bruce Vilanch is 71. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is 68. Singer Bruce Hornsby is 64. Former Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., is 63. Actor Maxwell Caulfield is 59. Actor John Henton is 58. TV personality Robin Roberts ("Good Morning America") is 58. Rock singer-musician Ken Block (Sister Hazel) is 52. Rock musician Charlie Grover is 52. Actress Salli Richardson-Whitfield is 51. Actor Oded Fehr is 48. Rapper-actor Kurupt (Tha Dogg Pound) is 46. Actor Page Kennedy is 42. Actress Kelly Brook is 39. Actor Lucas Grabeel is 34. TV personality Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi is 31. Actress-singer Miley Cyrus is 26. Actor Austin Majors is 23. Actress Olivia Keville (TV: "Splitting Up Together") is 16.

Thought for Today: "Music expresses that which cannot be said and which cannot remain silent." -- Victor Hugo, French author (1802-1885).