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29 fun facts for November, 17

Discover dozens of fun facts for this special day. Read the summary for a quick recap on what happened.
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Summary
November 17th is a day filled with exciting events, from the opening of the Suez Canal and the invention of the gramophone to the birth of Martin Scorsese and the debut of the rock band Led Zeppelin. With observances like Homemade Bread Day and World Prematurity Day, November 17th is a diverse and memorable day in history.
29 Fun facts
  1. November 17th is Homemade Bread Day. This is an unofficial food holiday to encourage people to bake bread at home instead of buying it at the store.
  2. The Suez Canal opened on November 17, 1869. The canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, allowing for a faster trade route between Europe and Asia.
  3. The first edition of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published on November 17, 1885. The author, Mark Twain, is celebrated as a great American novelist.
  4. In 1855, David Livingstone discovered Victoria Falls. Named after Queen Victoria, the falls are located between Zambia and Zimbabwe in southern Africa.
  5. On November 17, 1970, the Soviet Union successfully launched the Luna 17 spacecraft carrying the Lunokhod 1 rover. This was the first successful rover landing on the Moon.
  6. November 17, 1980, was when the TV series Magnum, P.I. premiered. The show starred Tom Selleck as a private investigator in Hawaii.
  7. Iceland celebrates the Day of the Icelandic Language on November 17th. This day honors the poet Dr. Jónas Hallgrímsson, who was a pioneer in modern Icelandic literature.
  8. In 1911, the Omega Psi Phi fraternity was founded at Howard University. It is the first African-American fraternity at a historically black college or university.
  9. November 17th marks the birthday of famous director Martin Scorsese in 1942, known for iconic films such as Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, and The Wolf of Wall Street.
  10. On this day in 2012, Nintendo released the Wii U console in North America. The Wii U was the first Nintendo console with HD graphics and a unique touch-screen controller.
  11. In the United States, November 17th is National Take a Hike Day. This day encourages Americans to enjoy the great outdoors and explore local hiking trails.
  12. In 1800, John Adams became the first president of the United States to move into the White House.
  13. On November 17, 1968, the infamous "Heidi Game" occurred in American football. NBC cut off the end of the game to air the movie "Heidi," resulting in viewer outrage.
  14. On this day in 1978, the "Star Wars Holiday Special" aired on CBS. The TV movie, which many fans consider to be the worst Star Wars content, features the original cast in a strange and campy story.
  15. November 17th is World Prematurity Day. This international awareness day is observed to recognize the challenges faced by premature babies and their families.
  16. The movie "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" premiered in the United States on November 17, 2001.
  17. In 1959, Three Patsy Cline songs were released posthumously. One of these songs, "Sweet Dreams," would later become one of her most famous hits.
  18. On November 17, 1973, President Richard Nixon made his infamous "I am not a crook" statement concerning the Watergate scandal.
  19. American inventor Emile Berliner patented the gramophone on this day in 1896, which marked a significant milestone in the history of recorded sound.
  20. Rock band Led Zeppelin performed for the first time at London's Marquee Club on November 17, 1968.
  21. In 2015, the World Health Organization declared Sierra Leone Ebola-free after 42 days with no new cases.
  22. On November 17, 1869, the first American Intercollegiate Football game took place between Rutgers and Princeton, kicking off the sport's long history.
  23. Jeff Buckley, renowned singer-songwriter and guitarist, performed his famous rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" for the first time in public on November 17, 1994.
  24. In 2013, the MAVEN Mars orbiter was successfully launched by NASA, with the primary mission to study the Martian atmosphere.
  25. On November 17, 2003, the Football Hall of Fame inducted 24 founding members. These members included legends such as Pelé, Maradona, and Franz Beckenbauer.
  26. November 17th is National Baklava Day in the United States, celebrating the sweet and savory Greek dessert.
  27. Actress Rachel McAdams, known for her roles in The Notebook, Mean Girls, and Doctor Strange, was born on November 17, 1978.
  28. On this day in 1934, Lyndon B. Johnson married Claudia Alta Taylor, later known as Lady Bird Johnson, the future First Lady of the United States.
  29. November 17, 1989, marks the beginning of the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, eventually leading to the non-violent transition of power and the establishment of democracy in the country.

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