Today in History

Today is Wednesday, Nov. 1, the 305th day of 2023. There are 60 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 1, 1991, Clarence Thomas took his place as the newest justice on the Supreme Court.

On this date:

In 1478, the Spanish Inquisition was established.

In 1512, Michelangelo's just-completed paintings on the ceiling of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel were publicly unveiled by the artist's patron, Pope Julius II.

In 1604, William Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello" was first presented at Whitehall Palace in London.

In 1765, the Stamp Act, passed by the British Parliament, went into effect, prompting stiff resistance from American colonists.

In 1861, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln named Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan General-in-Chief of the Union armies, succeeding Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott.

In 1870, the United States Weather Bureau made its first meteorological observations.

In 1936, in a speech in Milan, Italy, Benito Mussolini described the alliance between his country and Nazi Germany as an "axis" running between Rome and Berlin.

In 1950, two Puerto Rican nationalists tried to force their way into Blair House in Washington, D.C., in a failed attempt to assassinate President Harry S. Truman. (One of the pair was killed, along with a White House police officer.)

In 1952, the United States exploded the first hydrogen bomb, code-named "Ivy Mike," at Enewetak (en-ih-WEE'-tahk) Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

In 1989, East Germany reopened its border with Czechoslovakia, prompting tens of thousands of refugees to flee to the West.

In 1995, peace talks opened in Dayton, Ohio, with the leaders of Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia present.

In 2007, less than a week after workers ratified a new contract, Chrysler announced 12,000 job cuts, or about 15 percent of its work force.

In 2021, the global death toll from COVID-19 topped 5 million, as tallied by Johns Hopkins University.

In 2022, voters gave former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies a victory with a majority in the country's parliament.

Today's Birthdays: World Golf Hall of Famer Gary Player is 88. Country singer Bill Anderson is 86. Actor Robert Foxworth is 82. Country singer-humorist Kinky Friedman is 79. Actor Jeannie Berlin is 74. Music producer David Foster is 74. Actor Belita Moreno is 74. Country singer-songwriter-producer Keith Stegall is 69. Country singer Lyle Lovett is 66. Actor Rachel Ticotin is 65. Apple CEO Tim Cook is 63. Actor Helene Udy is 62. Pop singer-musician Mags Furuholmen (a-ha) 61. Rock singer Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 61. Rock musician Rick Allen (Def Leppard) is 60. Country singer "Big Kenny" Alphin (Big and Rich) is 60. Singer Sophie B. Hawkins is 59. Rapper Willie D (Geto Boys) is 57. Country musician Dale Wallace (Emerson Drive) is 54. Actor Toni Collette is 51. Actor-talk show host Jenny McCarthy is 51. Actor David Berman is 50. Actor Aishwarya Rai is 50. Rock singer Bo Bice is 48. Actor Matt Jones is 42. Actor Natalia Tena is 39. Actor Penn Badgley is 37. Actor Max Burkholder is 26. Actor-musician Alex Wolff is 26.