Today in History

Today is Sunday, Nov. 24, the 328th day of 2019. There are 37 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 24, 1963, Jack Ruby shot and mortally wounded Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President John F. Kennedy, in a scene captured on live television.

On this date:

In 1859, British naturalist Charles Darwin published "On the Origin of Species," which explained his theory of evolution by means of natural selection.

In 1941, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Edwards v. California, unanimously struck down a California law prohibiting people from bringing impoverished non-residents into the state.

In 1947, a group of writers, producers and directors that became known as the "Hollywood Ten" was cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions about alleged Communist influence in the movie industry. John Steinbeck's novel "The Pearl" was first published.

In 1969, Apollo 12 splashed down safely in the Pacific.

In 1971, a hijacker calling himself "Dan Cooper" (but who became popularly known as "D.B. Cooper") parachuted from a Northwest Orient Airlines 727 over the Pacific Northwest after receiving $200,000 in ransom; his fate remains unknown.

In 1982, Barack Hussein Obama Sr., a Kenyan government economist and father of Barack Obama, was killed in an automobile accident in Nairobi; he was 46.

In 1985, the hijacking of an Egyptair jetliner parked on the ground in Malta ended violently as Egyptian commandos stormed the plane. Fifty-eight people died in the raid, in addition to two others killed by the hijackers.

In 1987, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed on terms to scrap shorter- and medium-range missiles. (The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was signed by President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev the following month.)

In 1991, rock singer Freddie Mercury died in London at age 45 of AIDS-related pneumonia.

In 1995, voters in Ireland narrowly approved a constitutional amendment legalizing divorce.

In 2000, the U-S Supreme Court stepped into the bitter, overtime struggle for the White House, agreeing to consider George W. Bush's appeal against the hand recounting of ballots in Florida.

In 2017, militants attacked a crowded mosque in Egypt with gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades, killing more than 300 people in the deadliest-ever attack by Islamic extremists in the country. Zimbabwe swore in its new leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, after the resignation of President Robert Mugabe, who had fired his longtime deputy just two and a half weeks earlier.

Ten years ago: President Barack Obama played host at the first state dinner of his presidency to visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, an event marred by two gatecrashers, Tareq and Michaele Salahi. Kentucky officials said census worker Bill Sparkman, found bound and hanging from a tree with the word "fed" scrawled across his chest, had in fact committed suicide. Albert Pujols won the National League MVP unanimously, becoming the first player to repeat since Barry Bonds won four in a row from 2001-04.

Five years ago: Under pressure from President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel submitted his resignation amid White House concerns about his effectiveness and broader criticism from outside about the administration's Middle East crisis management. It was announced that a grand jury in St. Louis County, Missouri, had decided against indicting Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown; the decision enraged protesters who set fire to buildings and cars and looted businesses in the area where Brown had been fatally shot.

One year ago: French police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent demonstrators in Paris as thousands gathered to vent anger against rising fuel taxes. Alabama remained unbeaten with a 52-21 win over rival Auburn, as Tua Tagovailoa threw five touchdown passes and ran for another.

Today's Birthdays: Basketball Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson is 81. Country singer Johnny Carver is 79. Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue is 79. Rock drummer Pete Best is 78. Actor-comedian Billy Connolly is 77. Former White House press secretary Marlin Fitzwater is 77. Former congressman and Motion Picture Association of America Chairman Dan Glickman is 75. Singer Lee Michaels is 74. Actor Dwight Schultz is 72. Actor Stanley Livingston is 69. Rock musician Clem Burke (Blondie; The Romantics) is 65. Record producer Terry Lewis is 63. Actor/director Ruben Santiago-Hudson is 63. Actress Denise Crosby is 62. Actress Shae D'Lyn is 57. Rock musician John Squire (The Stone Roses) is 57. Rock musician Gary Stonadge (Big Audio) is 57. Actor Conleth Hill is 55. Actor-comedian Brad Sherwood is 55. Actor Garret Dillahunt is 55. Actor-comedian Scott Krinsky is 51. Rock musician Chad Taylor (Live) is 49. Actress Lola Glaudini is 48. Actress Danielle Nicolet is 46. Actor-writer-director-producer Stephen Merchant is 45. Olympic bronze medal figure skater Chen Lu is 43. Actor Colin Hanks is 42. Actress Katherine Heigl is 41. Actress Sarah Hyland is 29.

Thought for Today: "There is a great deal of difference in believing something still, and believing it again." -- W.H. Auden, British poet (1907-1973).

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