1960: Kennedy elected

Senator John F. Kennedy was elected the 35th President of the United States today, the youngest president to be elected in the nation's history. At the age of 43, the Democratic candidate received 56.5 percent of the electoral votes, defeating Republican nominee and Vice President Richard M. Nixon. Kennedy was also the first and only Roman Catholic to be elected to the nation's presidential office.

"Vice President Richard M. Nixon in Los Angeles formally conceded the election of Kennedy. The dramatic concession announcement came at 9:47 a.m. PST, a few minutes after Kennedy had cinched election by winning Minnesota's 11 electoral votes," reported the Star-News on November 9, 1960. Nixon sent this telegram to his Democratic rival: 'I want to repeat through this wire congratulations and best wishes I extended to you on television last night. I know you will have the united support of all Americans as you lead the nation in the cause of peace and freedom in the next four years.'"

NOTE: Kennedy did not complete his full term as president, as he was assassinated on November 22, 1963. For more information about the Kennedy assassination, read additional newspaper articles at the Kennedy Assassination Archive.

Links to the Past
Kennedy is Winner; Dick Set to Concede
Independent, November 9, 1960

Continued: Jack in; Nixon Set to Concede


Minnesota Puts Senator over Top
Star-News, November 9, 1960

Continued: Victory


Kennedy Jumping with Joy at News
The Daily Oklahoman, November 9, 1960

Continued: Kennedy Leaps with Joy from Election News

Shooting at Fort Hood

A sole gunman has survived a shoot-out with authorities after killing 13 and wounding dozens more at Fort Hood, Texas on Thursday. Military experts are now calling this the worst mass shooting at a military base in America's history. Unfortunately, this is not the first time there has been a mass shooting in Killeen.

A Historical Perspective

On October 16, 1991, George Jo Hennard drove through the front window of Luby's Cafeteria and opened fire on patrons and staff. "Diners screamed in terror and cowered behind counters as a man with a high-powered pistol methodically moved through a crowded cafeteria Wednesday and killed 22 people in the nation's deadliest shooting rampage," reported the Syracuse Herald Journal on October 17, 1991. "The killer, a 35-year-old loner who had expressed bitterness toward women, drove his pickup through a window at a crowded Killeen cafeteria shortly before 1 p.m. and began shooting. When police closed in, he hid in a bathroom and took his own life, authorities said. He died with 28 rounds still in his gun, police said."

It was the deadliest shooting in America until the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007.

The Fort Hood massacre also brings to mind the "Fort Dix Six" when six armed gunman plotted to kill as many Fort Dix soldiers as possible. "Six Islamic radicals, four of them from Cherry Hill [New Jersey] and one from Philadelphia, have been arrested and charged with planning a heavily armed attack against soldiers at Fort Dix," explained the Bucks County Courier Times on May 9, 2007. "The men planned to 'kill as many soldiers as possible' in the attack, which was described as motivated by a religious jihad, or 'holy war,' but has not been connected to any international terror organizations such as al-Qaida." Five of the men were found guilty on charges of conspiracy to harm US military personnel and acquitted on the charge of attempted murder.

Links to the Past
Loner cooly massacres 22
Syracuse Herald Journal, October 17, 1991

Fort Dix attack foiled
Bucks County Courier Times, May 9, 2007

1987: Remembrance Day Bombing

“A bomb killed 11 people and injured 61 Sunday at a Remembrance Day ceremony for Britain's war dead in the worst Irish terrorist attack in five years,” reported The Daily Intelligencer on November 9, 1987. NOTE: This attack occurred during the “Troubles” between Britain and Ireland, and was considered by many as one of the worst attacks in the history of the IRA.

Links to the Past
Blow For Blow
Syracuse Herald Journal, November 9, 1987

11 killed by Irish bomb
The Daily Intelligencer, November 9, 1987

Continued: Bomb kills 11 during war memorial service

1966: First African American elected to Senate

Edward Brooke, the former Massachusetts Attorney General, became the first African American to be elected to the U.S. Senate today. "The election of Edward W. Brooke as the first Negro in the United States Senate since Reconstruction means that another liberal Republican voice is going to be heard in Washington," reported Lincoln Evening Journal and Nebraska State Journal on November 9, 1966. "It also means that Massachusetts voters have demonstrated their tolerance of the race issue by choosing the popular, 47-year-old attorney general over his Democratic opponent, 46-year-old former Gov. Endicott (Chub) Peabody."

Links to the Past
GOP Picks up 3 Senate Seats Brooke First Negro Elected
The Edwardsville Intelligencer, November 9, 1966

Edward Brookes Election is Boost for Liberal GOP
Lincoln Evening Journal and Nebraska State Journal, November 9, 1966

'White Backlash' Minor Factor in Election, King Declares
Playground Daily News, November 10, 1966

1939: Hitler escapes assassination attempt

"Nazis announced with rage today that the bomb which wrecked their beer hall shrine at Munich, killing eight and wounding more than 60 persons, had missed Adolf Hitler by only 10 minutes and had piled up 10 feet of debris on the spot where he had made a 57-minute speech," informed the Syracuse Herald Journal on November 9, 1939. "The Nazis announced officially that the explosion occurred at the exact moment when Hitler would have been starting his speech if the program of previous years had been followed."

Links to the Past
Bomb Wrecks Munich Hall After Address
The Circleville Herald, November 9, 1939

Continued: Hitler Misses Death as Bomb Wrecks Hall


Blast Wrecks Beer Hall Shortly After Hitler Leaves Crowded Room
Syracuse Herald Journal, November 9, 1939

Continued: Hitler Escapes Bomb; 7 Die; 60 Are Hurt

1933: Roosevelt approves Civil Works Administration

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced plans for an organization that will create 4 million additional jobs for the unemployed today. "Federal relief activities were ordered expanded today by President Roosevelt in an effort to give employment by December 15 to 4,000,000 men now out of work," reported the Oakland Tribune on November 8, 1933. "For this purpose, he made available $400,000,000 of public works funds. It will be used by a newly created civil works administration headed by Harry L. Hopkins, the emergency relief administrator."

Links to the Past
US to Take Two Million Families off Relief Rolls
The Daily Times-News, November 8, 1933

Civil Works to Replace Relief Rolls
Oakland Tribune, November 8, 1933

Continued: 4,000,000 Jobs Aim of Roosevelt