Today in History: Herman Melville’s ‘Moby-Dick’ published

Today is Thursday, Nov. 14, the 319th day of 2024. There are 47 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Nov. 14, 1851, Herman Melville’s novel “Moby-Dick; Or, The Whale” was published in the United States, almost a month after being released in Britain.

Also on this date:

In 1889, journalist Nellie Bly began an attempt to travel around the world in 80 days; she would successfully complete the journey in a little more than 72 days.

In 1910, Eugene B. Ely became the first aviator to take off from a ship as his Curtiss pusher rolled off a sloping platform on the deck of the scout cruiser USS Birmingham off Hampton Roads, Virginia.

In 1940, during World War II, German bombing raids destroyed much of the English city of Coventry.

In 1960, 6-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first Black child to desegregate William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans.

In 1965, the U.S. Army’s first major military operation of the Vietnam War began with the start of the five-day Battle of Ia Drang.

In 1969, Apollo 12 blasted off for the moon, three months after Apollo 11 became the first manned mission to land on it.

In 1970, a chartered Southern Airways plane crashed while trying to land in West Virginia, killing all 75 people on board, including the Marshall University football team and its coaching staff.

In 1972, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above the 1,000 level for the first time, ending the day at 1,003.16.

In 1993, Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula became the NFL’s all-time winningest coach with a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

In 2020, supporters of President Donald Trump unwilling to accept Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory gathered in cities across the country including Washington, D.C., where thousands rallied.

Today’s Birthdays: Britain’s King Charles III is 76. Filmmaker Zhang Yimou is 74. Musician Yanni is 70. Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is 70. Five-time Tour de France winner Bernard Hinault is 70. Basketball Hall of Famer Jack Sikma is 69. Former presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett is 68. Rapper Joseph Simmons (Reverend Run of Run-DMC) is 60. News anchor Bill Hemmer is 60. Actor Josh Duhamel is 52. Rock drummer Travis Barker is 49. Actor-comedian Vanessa Bayer is 43. Tennis player Sofia Kenin is 26.