What Happened on November 24?
November 24 is National Sardines Day — a salute to the mighty little fish — on the same date Darwin's On the Origin of Species appeared in 1859, Black Beauty was published in 1877, and Apollo 12 returned from the Moon in 1969.
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1642 — Abel Tasman sights Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania)
On November 24, 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight the island later named Tasmania. Read the full story →
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1835 — Texas authorizes a mounted ranger force
On November 24, 1835, Texas's provisional government authorized a horse-mounted force that became the Texas Rangers. Read the full story →
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1859 — Darwin's On the Origin of Species is published
On November 24, 1859, Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species went on sale — explaining evolution by natural selection. Read the full story →
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1877 — Anna Sewell's Black Beauty is published
On November 24, 1877, Anna Sewell's novel Black Beauty was published — a horse's-eye story that boosted animal-welfare awareness. Read the full story →
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1969 — Apollo 12 returns safely from the Moon
On November 24, 1969, Apollo 12 splashed down in the Pacific — ending the second crewed Moon landing mission. Read the full story →
Famous birthdays
Zachary Taylor (1784–1850) · Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901) · Scott Joplin (1868–1917) · Dale Carnegie (1888–1955)
Days & observances
National Sardines Day · Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day · National Use Even If It's the Good China Day · Evolution Day