In 1889, North and South Dakota became the 39th and 40th states of the union.
In 1920, in the first significant news broadcast, KDKA in Pittsburgh reported the U.S. presidential election results in Warren G. Harding's win over James Cox.
In 1947, Howard Hughes built and piloted the world's largest airplane, the 200-ton flying boat Spruce Goose, on its only flight, at Long Beach, Calif. The Goose remained airborne for just under 1 mile.
In 1948, U.S. President Harry S. Truman defeated Republican challenger Thomas Dewey.
In 1959, Charles Van Doren told a U.S. congressional investigation he had been given questions and answers in advance of appearances on a television game show.
In 1962, U.S. President John Kennedy announced that Soviet missile bases in Cuba were being dismantled.
In 1976, Democrat Jimmy Carter, former governor of Georgia, was elected the 39th U.S. president, defeating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford.
In 1983, U.S. President Ronald Reagan signed the bill establishing a national holiday to mark the birthday anniversary of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1992, legendary filmmaker Hal Roach died at age 100. He was credited with discovering the comedy team of Laurel and Hardy and producing the "Our Gang" comedies.
In 1996, Britain announced a plan to ban ownership of large-caliber handguns.
In 2001, the U.S. Labor Department announced that October unemployment jumped to 5.4 percent, highest in five years and that 415,000 non-farm jobs had been lost, highest monthly figure since 1980.
In 2004, U.S. President George W. Bush was re-elected in a race with Democrat John Kerry.
In 2008, Rupiah Banda was elected president of the African nation of Zambia.
In 2013, two French journalists, Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, were kidnapped and killed after interviewing a rebel leader in northern Mali. President Francois Hollande expressed "indignation at this odious act."
A thought for the day: After winning the 1997 Masters tournament, golfer Tiger Woods said: ''I'm the first [African-American winner] but I wasn't the pioneer. Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder, Teddy Rhodes, those guys paved the way for me to be here. I thank them."
