1942 – The completion of the Alaska Highway (also known as the Alcan Highway) is celebrated (however, the highway is not usable by standard road vehicles until 1943).

1953 – The Natural History Museum, London announces that the "Piltdown Man" skull, initially believed to be one of the most important fossilized hominid skulls ever found, is a hoax.

1959 – American disc jockey Alan Freed, who had popularized the term "rock and roll" and music of that style, is fired from WABC-AM radio over allegations he had participated in the payola scandal.

1961 – The "La Ronde" opens in Honolulu, first revolving restaurant in the United States.

1964 – The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opens to traffic. At the time it is the world's longest bridge span.

1969 – U.S. President Richard Nixon and Japanese Premier Eisaku Satō agree on the return of Okinawa to Japanese control in 1972. The U.S. retains rights to bases on the island, but these are to be nuclear-free.

1969 – The first permanent ARPANET link is established between UCLA and SRI.

1977 – Minister of Internal Affairs Allan Highet announces that the national anthems of New Zealand shall be the traditional anthem "God Save the Queen" and "God Defend New Zealand".

1986 – National Security Council member Oliver North and his secretary start to shred documents allegedly implicating them in the Iran–Contra affair.

1992 – A major tornado strikes the Houston, Texas area during the afternoon. Over the next two days the largest tornado outbreak ever to occur in the US during November spawns over 100 tornadoes.

1995 – The Dayton Agreement is initialed at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, Ohio, ending three and a half years of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

2004 – The second round of the Ukrainian presidential election is held, giving rise to massive protests and controversy over the election's integrity.

2013 – Massive protests start in Ukraine after President Viktor Yanukovych suspended signing the Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement.

2017 – Robert Mugabe formally resigns as President of Zimbabwe, after thirty-seven years in office.

…and if today is your birthday, happy birthday to you! You share this special day with…

1694 – Voltaire, French historian, playwright, and philosopher (d. 1778)

1840 – Victoria, Princess Royal of England (d. 1901)

1852 – Francisco Tárrega, Spanish guitarist and composer (d. 1909)

1898 – René Magritte, Belgian painter (d. 1967)

1902 – Isaac Bashevis Singer, Polish-American novelist and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1991)

1904 – Coleman Hawkins, American saxophonist and clarinet player (d. 1969)

1937 – Marlo Thomas, American actress, producer, and activist

1940 – Dr. John, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 2019)

1944 – Harold Ramis, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2014)

1945 – Goldie Hawn, American actress, singer, and producer

1948 – George Zimmer, American businessman, founded Men's Wearhouse

1950 – Livingston Taylor, American singer-songwriter and musician

1965 – Björk, Icelandic singer-songwriter

1969 – Ken Griffey Jr., American baseball player and actor

Almanac - Thursday 11/21/19

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