Today in History: November 5, Susan B. Anthony defies law and casts vote for president

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 5, the 310th day of 2024. There are 56 days left in the year. Today is Election Day in the United States.

Today in history:

On Nov. 5, 1872, suffragist Susan B. Anthony defied the law by casting a vote in the presidential election; she was later arrested and charged with “knowingly voting without having a lawful right to vote.” Found guilty at trial, she was fined $100, which she refused to pay.

Also on this date:

In 1605, the “Gunpowder Plot” failed as Guy Fawkes was seized before he could blow up the English Parliament.

In 1912, Democrat Woodrow Wilson was elected president, defeating Progressive Party candidate Theodore Roosevelt, incumbent Republican William Howard Taft and Socialist Eugene V. Debs.

In 1930, novelist Sinclair Lewis became the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term in office as he defeated Republican challenger Wendell L. Willkie.

In 1968, Republican Richard M. Nixon won the presidency, defeating Democratic Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey and American Independent Party candidate George C. Wallace.

In 1994, George Foreman became the oldest heavyweight boxing champion at age 45, knocking out Michael Moorer in the 10th round of their title bout.

In 1996, President Bill Clinton won a second term in the White House, defeating Republican candidate Bob Dole.

In 2006, Saddam Hussein was convicted and sentenced by the Iraqi High Tribunal to hang for crimes against humanity.

In 2009, a shooting rampage at the Fort Hood Army post in Texas left 13 people dead; Maj. Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, was later convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He has not yet been executed.

In 2017, a gunman armed with an assault rifle opened fire in a small South Texas church, killing more than two dozen people; the shooter, Devin Patrick Kelley, was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

In 2021, a crush of fans during a performance by rapper Travis Scott at a Houston music festival left 10 dead, as people were squeezed so tightly they couldn’t breathe.

Today’s Birthdays: Singer Art Garfunkel is 83. Singer Peter Noone is 77. TV personality Kris Jenner is 69. Singer Bryan Adams is 65. Actor Tilda Swinton is 64. Actor Tatum O’Neal is 61. Actor Judy Reyes is 57. Actor Seth Gilliam is 56. Actor Sam Rockwell is 56. Musician Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) is 53. Golfer Bubba Watson is 46. Olympic gold medal marathoner Eliud Kipchoge is 40. Retired NFL center Jason Kelce is 37. Musician Kevin Jonas (The Jonas Brothers) is 37. NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is 32.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up