Today in History

Today is Wednesday, Nov. 4, the 309th day of 2020. There are 57 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 4, 2008, Democrat Barack Obama was elected the first Black president of the United States, defeating Republican John McCain.

On this date:

In 1842, Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd in Springfield, Illinois.

In 1916, CBS newsman Walter Cronkite was born in Saint Joseph, Missouri.

In 1922, the entrance to King Tutankhamen's tomb was discovered in Egypt.

In 1956, Soviet troops moved in to crush the Hungarian Revolution.

In 1979, the Iran hostage crisis began as militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran, seizing its occupants; for some of them, it was the start of 444 days of captivity.

In 1980, Republican Ronald Reagan won the White House as he defeated President Jimmy Carter by a strong margin.

In 1985, to the shock and dismay of U-S officials, Soviet defector Vitaly Yurchenko announced he was returning to the Soviet Union, charging he had been kidnapped by the C-I-A.

In 1991, Ronald Reagan opened his presidential library in Simi Valley, California; attending were President George H.W. Bush and former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Gerald R. Ford and Richard Nixon -- the first-ever gathering of five past and present U.S. chief executives.

In 1995, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a right-wing Israeli minutes after attending a festive peace rally.

In 2001, NBC's "The West Wing" took eight honors at the twice-delayed Emmy Awards, including best dramatic series; HBO's "Sex and the City" won best comedy series.

In 2008, California voters approved Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage, overturning a state Supreme Court decision that gave gay couples the right to wed just months earlier.

In 2014, riding a powerful wave of voter discontent, resurgent Republicans captured control of the Senate and tightened their grip on the House.

Ten years ago: Australian airline Qantas grounded all six of its Airbus A380 superjumbo jets after one of them blew out an engine over Indonesia; the plane made a safe emergency return to Singapore with 469 people aboard. An AeroCaribbean ATR 72 crashed in a mountainous area of Cuba, killing all 68 people on board. Hall of Fame baseball team manager Sparky Anderson died in Thousand Oaks, California, at age 76.

Five years ago: Justin Trudeau was sworn in as Canada's new Liberal prime minister. A factory building collapsed in Lahore, Pakistan, killing more than 50 people. At the Country Music Association Awards, Chris Stapleton won for male vocalist, new artist and album of the year for "Traveller." Hollywood screenwriter Melissa Mathison ("E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial") died in Los Angeles at age 65.

One year ago: The Trump administration said it had formally notified the United Nations that the United States had begun the process of pulling out of the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Iran broke further away from the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers by doubling the number of advanced centrifuges it operated. New York Police Commissioner James O'Neill, who'd been increasingly under fire amid a tug-of-war between reform advocates and police unions, announced his retirement. Former President Bill Clinton was among the speakers at the Detroit funeral of longtime U.S. Rep. John Conyers.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Loretta Swit is 83. Rhythm-and-blues singer Harry Elston (Friends of Distinction) is 82. Blues singer Delbert McClinton is 80. Former first lady Laura Bush is 74. Actor Ivonne Coll is 73. Actor Markie Post is 70. Rock singer-musician Chris Difford (Squeeze) is 66. Country singer Kim Forester (The Forester Sisters) is 60. Actor-comedian Kathy Griffin is 60. Actor Ralph Macchio is 59. "Survivor" host Jeff Probst is 59. Saxophonist Tim Burton is 57. Actor Matthew McConaughey is 51. Rapper-producer Sean "Puffy" Combs is 51. Talk show host Bethenny Frankel is 50. Actor Anthony Ruivivar is 50. Soul/jazz singer Gregory Porter is 49. Rhythm-and-blues singer Shawn Rivera (Az Yet) is 49. Celebrity chef Curtis Stone is 45. Actor Heather Tom is 45. Rhythm-and-blues/gospel singer George Huff is 40. Actor Emme Rylan is 40. Actor Chris Greene (Film: "Loving") is 38.