What Happened on November 9?

November 9 is World Freedom Day — remembering the Berlin Wall's opening in 1989 — on the same date the Northeast Blackout hit in 1965, Apollo 4 flew the first Saturn V in 1967, and Kasparov became chess champion in 1985.

• 1906 — Theodore Roosevelt becomes the first sitting U.S. president to travel abroad

  On November 9, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt sailed to inspect the Panama Canal dig — the first time a sitting U.S. president left the country while in office. Read the full story →

• 1953 — Cambodia gains independence from France

  On November 9, 1953, Cambodia celebrated independence from French colonial rule under King Norodom Sihanouk. Read the full story →

• 1965 — The Great Northeast Blackout plunges millions into darkness

  On November 9, 1965, a cascading power failure blacked out New York and much of the Northeast and parts of Canada during evening rush hour. Read the full story →

• 1967 — NASA launches Apollo 4 on the first Saturn V flight

  On November 9, 1967, NASA's uncrewed Apollo 4 mission lofted the giant Saturn V rocket on its first flight — a key step toward the Moon. Read the full story →

• 1985 — Garry Kasparov becomes the youngest world chess champion

  On November 9, 1985, 22-year-old Garry Kasparov defeated Anatoly Karpov to become the youngest men's world chess champion. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Carl Sagan (1934–1996) · Hedy Lamarr (1914–2000) · Ivan Turgenev (1818–1883) · Lou Ferrigno (1951)

Days & observances

World Freedom Day · National Scrapple Day · Go to an Art Museum Day · World Adoption Day