On Nov. 20, 1910, Francisco Madero led a revolt against Mexican President Porfirio Díaz, marking the beginning of the decade-long Mexican Revolution.
Today in History: Mexican Revolution begins
Category: History
Today in History: Lincoln delivers Gettysburg Address
On Nov. 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of a national cemetery at the site of the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania.
Column: Efforts to document Underground Railroad sites in the south suburbs gains momentum
A taskforce of state legislators and historians will ask the General Assembly to create the Illinois Freedom Trails Commission.
Today in History: More than 900 die at Jonestown
On Nov. 18, 1978, U.S. Rep. Leo J. Ryan of California and four others were killed on an airstrip in Jonestown, Guyana, by members of the Peoples Temple; the killings were followed by a night of mass murder and suicide resulting in the deaths of more than 900 cult members.
A gold pocket watch given to the captain who rescued Titanic survivors sells for record price
A gold pocket watch given to the ship captain who rescued 700 survivors from the Titanic sold at auction for nearly $2 million, setting a record for memorabilia from the ship wreck.
Today in History: NFL’s infamous ‘Heidi Game’
On Nov. 17, 1968, the last minutes of a tense NFL matchup on NBC between the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders were preempted by the children’s film “Heidi.” The network received thousands of calls from angry viewers and formally apologized.
Today in History: ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ premieres in theaters
On Nov. 16, 2001, the first film in the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (U.S. title: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”) debuted in theaters around the world.
Today in History: Union troops begin ‘Sherman’s March’
On Nov. 15, 1864, late in the U.S. Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman began their “March to the Sea” from Atlanta; the campaign ended with the capture of Savannah, Georgia on Dec. 21.
Today in History: Herman Melville’s ‘Moby-Dick’ published
On Nov. 14, 1851, Herman Melville’s novel “Moby-Dick; Or, The Whale” was published in the United States, almost a month after being released in Britain.
Today in History: 259 men and boys killed in Illinois coal mine fire
On Nov. 13, 1909, 259 men and boys were killed when fire erupted inside a coal mine in Cherry, Illinois.