Cartoonist Al Capp, creator of the Li’l Abner cartoon strip, conceived of a day in fictitious Dogpatch, USA, when all unmarried ladies (including the character Sadie Hawkins) could pursue their men. If the men were caught, marriage was unavoidable. The idea took off in real life, and in November 1938, the first recorded “girls-ask-boys” Sadie Hawkins Day dance was held. Today, this quirky holiday is usually celebrated in November. The Almanac uses the first Saturday in November, but the date can vary by state. Learn more about Sadie Hawkins Day.
Daily Calendar for Saturday, November 7, 2026
Daily Calendar
View daily calendar information including holidays, advice, and daily features.
Saturday, November 7, 2026
Born
- Marie Curie (chemist) –
- Dean Jagger (actor) –
- Albert Camus (writer) –
- Billy Graham (evangelist) –
- Al Hirt (musician) –
- Barry Newman (actor) –
- Johnny Rivers (singer) –
- Joni Mitchell (singer) –
- Christopher Knight (actor) –
- Jason London (actor) –
- Jeremy London (actor) –
- Lorde (singer) –
Died
- Alfred Russel Wallace (naturalist) –
- Eleanor Roosevelt (U.S. First Lady) –
- Gene Tunney (boxer) –
- Steve McQueen (actor) –
- Howard Keel (actor) –
- Joe Frazier (boxer) –
- Roy Halladay (baseball player) –
Events
- Alexander Mackenzie became the second prime minister of Canada –
- In a cartoon by Thomas Nast, the elephant was first used to represent the Republican party –
- Last spike of the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway driven at Craigellachie, British Columbia –
- The state of Colorado granted women residents the right to vote –
- Bette Davis became the first woman elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Hollywood –
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt was re-elected for a fourth term –
- UN approved United Nations Emergency Force –
- Elston Howard won American League’s Most Valuable Player award –
- Magic Johnson announced his retirement from basketball because he tested positive for the HIV virus –
- The first female Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, was elected –
- A magnitude-6.3 earthquake struck off the coast of Vancouver Island, Canada –
Weather
- The “Galloping Gertie” bridge in Tacoma collapsed in a windstorm four months after its grand opening –
- 98-mph winds recorded at Block Island, Rhode Island –
- Thermometers in Islip, New York, read a toasty 77.4F. –