Historical anniversaries are great for “On This Day in History” features and anniversary tie-ins. They’re popular with readers and viewers, editors and producers love them, they’re easy to research, and you can easily turn them into newspaper and magazine articles, films, TV/radio/theater shows, and more.
Here are 30 newsworthy and notable historical anniversaries coming up in November 2022 (so you have time to write about them!)
We’ve randomly picked one anniversary for each day of the month from The Date-A-Base Book 2022. You’ll find hundreds more in the book. The 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 editions are also available if you work further ahead, and the 2027 edition will be available from August 2022.
Nov 1, 1952 – 70 years ago
The USA carried out the first successful detonation of a hydrogen bomb, in a test on the Pacific island of Elugelab, Marshall Islands. The island was completely destroyed and no longer exists.
Nov 2, 1772 – 250 years ago
The Morning Post newspaper was first published in the UK. It ran until 1937 when it merged with The Daily Telegraph.
Nov 3, 1957 – 65 years ago
The Soviet Union launched its Sputnik 2 spacecraft. It was the second spacecraft launched into orbit, and the first to carry a living animal – a dog named Laika, who died from overheating after a few hours. The spacecraft re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere and burned up in April 1958.
Nov 4, 1922 – 100 years ago
British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen. On November 26th he reached a second sealed doorway and discovered the famous treasures.
Nov 5, 1872 – 150 years ago
Women’s rights activist Susan B. Anthony voted in the U.S. presidential election (in which the incumbent Ulysses S. Grant was re-elected). She was arrested (on November 18th) and fined $100, generating national controversy. This was a key moment in the women’s suffrage movement.
Nov 6, 1947 – 75 years ago
The first episode of the news/current affairs television show Meet the Press was broadcast on NBC in the USA. It is still running and is the world’s longest-running TV program.
Nov 7, 1932 – 90 years ago
The first episode of the science fiction series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was broadcast on CBS radio in the USA.
Nov 8, 1622 – 400 years ago
Birth of Charles X Gustav, King of Sweden (1654–60).
Nov 9, 1872 – 150 years ago
The Great Boston Fire, Massachusetts, USA. Most of the downtown and financial districts were destroyed and 13 people were killed. It caused $1.4 billion worth of damage (in today’s money).
Nov 10, 1982 – 40 years ago
Death of Leonid Brezhnev, leader of the Soviet Union (1964–82). Succeeded by Yuri Andropov.
Nov 11, 1922 – 100 years ago
Birth of Kurt Vonnegut, American novelist, playwright and short story writer. (Died 2007.)
Nov 12, 1992 – 30 years ago
The first episode of the TV comedy series Absolutely Fabulous was broadcast in the UK.
Nov 13, 1982 – 40 years ago
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., USA was dedicated.
Nov 14, 1922 – 100 years ago
The BBC launched its daily radio service on the radio station 2LO.
Nov 15, 2002 – 20 years ago
Death of Myra Hindley, British serial killer. One of the notorious “Moors Murderers,” along with Ian Brady.
Nov 16, 1272 – 750 years ago
Death of Henry III, King of England (1216–72). Succeeded by his son Edward I.
Nov 17, 1962 – 60 years ago
Washington Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., USA was dedicated.
Nov 18, 1922 – 100 years ago
Death of Marcel Proust, French novelist. Best known for his 7-volume novel In Search of Lost Time (or Remembrance of Things Past).
Nov 19, 2007 – 15 years ago
Amazon released its first Kindle e-book reader.
Nov 20, 1947 – 75 years ago
The marriage of Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) and Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey in London.
Nov 21, 1897 – 125 years ago
Birth of Vito Genovese, Italian-born American mobster. He played a leading role in the rise of the Mafia and organized crime in the USA, and was a Mafia enforcer.
Nov 22, 1997 – 25 years ago
Death of Michael Hutchence, Australian rock singer and songwriter (INXS). (Found hanged, aged 37.)
Nov 23, 1942 – 80 years ago
World War II: the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARS) was established.
Nov 24, 1947 – 75 years ago
The “Hollywood Ten” were blacklisted by film studios for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. A wider “Hollywood Blacklist” came into effect on November 25th.
Nov 25, 1947 – 75 years ago
New Zealand became a fully independent sovereign state when the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act received Royal Assent.
Nov 26, 1922 – 100 years ago
Birth of Charles M. Schulz, American cartoonist. Creator of the Peanuts comic strip, which ran for almost 50 years. (Died 2000.)
Nov 27, 1942 – 80 years ago
Birth of Jimi Hendrix, American rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. (Died 1970.)
Nov 28, 1942 – 80 years ago
The Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The nightclub was destroyed and 492 people were killed.
Nov 29, 1972 – 50 years ago
Pong, the first commercially successful video game, was released by Atari as a coin-operated arcade game. The first machine was installed without any fanfare in a bar in Sunnyvale, California, USA.
Nov 30, 1982 – 40 years ago
Michael Jackson’s album Thriller was released.
More anniversaries:
You’ll find hundreds more anniversaries for this month in The Date-A-Base Book 2022. The 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 editions are also available if you work further ahead, and the 2027 edition will be available from August 2022.
Find out more at ideas4writers.com.