Major Events of November 1995: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from November 1995 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

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Major Events of November 1995: Key Historical Moments from the Month


  • 01 Nov 1995 Historic South African Local Elections: South Africa holds its first all-race local government elections, a landmark moment symbolizing the definitive end of the apartheid system and marking a crucial step towards democratic representation and racial equality.
  • 02 Nov 1995 Bosnian Peace Negotiations: Leaders of Bosnia, Serbia, and Croatia are invited to the United States for peace talks, reflecting international diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing Balkan conflicts of the 1990s.
  • 03 Nov 1995 South African Apartheid-Era Murder Charges: The former South African Defence Minister and ten retired military officers are formally charged with the murder of 13 people in a black township near Durban, representing ongoing legal accountability for apartheid-era crimes.
  • 04 Nov 1995 Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin: Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by Yigal Amir, a right-wing Jewish extremist, during a peace rally in Tel Aviv. This tragic event marked a significant turning point in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
  • 05 Nov 1995 Attempted Assassination of Canadian Prime Minister: André Dallaire attempted to assassinate Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, but was thwarted when the Prime Minister's wife quickly locked the door, preventing a potential national security crisis.
  • 06 Nov 1995 Funeral of Yitzhak Rabin: Israel mourns the loss of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, assassinated by a right-wing extremist who opposed his peace efforts with Palestinians. His funeral represents a pivotal moment in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and national trauma.
  • 07 Nov 1995 Funeral of Yitzhak Rabin: Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated, was laid to rest in Jerusalem. His funeral marked a somber moment in Israeli history, symbolizing the ongoing tensions and challenges in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
  • 08 Nov 1995 Howard Stern Radio Show Debuts in Pittsburgh: The Howard Stern Radio Show launched on WXDX 105.9 FM in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, marking another expansion of the controversial radio personality's media presence.
  • 09 Nov 1995 Kasparov Wins World Chess Championship: 22-year-old Russian chess prodigy Gary Kasparov won the 13th World Chess Championship, defeating Anatoly Karpov and becoming the youngest World Chess Champion in history at that time. This victory further solidified Kasparov's reputation as one of the greatest chess players of all time.
  • 10 Nov 1995 Execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa by Nigerian Government: On November 10, 1995, Nigerian playwright and environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa was hanged by government forces, along with eight other members of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP). This controversial execution sparked international outrage and led to a global boycott of Shell Oil Company for its exploitative practices in Ogoni land. Saro-Wiwa had been a vocal critic of the Nigerian government and multinational oil corporations, highlighting environmental destruction and human rights abuses in the Niger Delta region.
  • 11 Nov 1995 Arafat's Condolence Visit to Rabin's Family: PLO leader Yasser Arafat makes a surprising and significant diplomatic gesture by visiting Israel to pay respects to the family of assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, symbolizing potential peace efforts.
  • 12 Nov 1995 Ongoing Investigation into Rabin Assassination: Israeli authorities continued their investigation into the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, arresting two more suspects as the nation mourned the loss of its leader.
  • 13 Nov 1995 Riyadh Terrorist Bombing: A truck-bomb attack targeted a US-operated Saudi Arabian National Guard training center in Riyadh, killing five Americans and two Indians. The Islamic Movement for Change claimed responsibility for this terrorist incident, escalating regional tensions.
  • 14 Nov 1995 U.S. Government Shutdown Due to Budget Impasse: A significant budget standoff between Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress resulted in a partial federal government shutdown. The conflict led to the temporary closure of national parks and museums, with most government offices operating with minimal staffing. This event highlighted the deep political divisions and budgetary disagreements between the two major political parties.
  • 15 Nov 1995 Space Shuttle Atlantis Docks with Mir Space Station: The Space Shuttle Atlantis successfully docked with the Russian space station Mir, marking another significant milestone in international space cooperation during the mid-1990s. This mission represented an important moment of collaboration between the United States and Russia in space exploration, occurring just a few years after the end of the Cold War.
  • 16 Nov 1995 Dayton Agreement to End Bosnian War: The Dayton Agreement is reached at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, laying the groundwork for ending the devastating Bosnian War, to be officially signed on December 14.
  • 17 Nov 1995 Alan Hull: English Rock Musician Born: Alan Hull was a prominent English rock musician, best known as a key member of the folk-rock band Lindisfarne. Born in 1945, Hull was a significant figure in the British music scene, contributing to the development of folk-rock in the 1970s. He was not just a musician but also a songwriter and performer who helped define the sound of Newcastle's music landscape.
  • 18 Nov 1995 Auburn Triumphs in 60th Iron Bowl: In a thrilling college football matchup, Auburn defeated Alabama 31-27 in the 60th Iron Bowl on November 18, 1995. This intense rivalry game between two prominent Southeastern Conference teams showcased exceptional athletic performance and regional sporting pride.
  • 19 Nov 1995 Terrorist Attack on Egyptian Embassy: A suicide bomber attacks the Egyptian embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, resulting in 16 fatalities in a tragic act of terrorism.
  • 20 Nov 1995 Dayton Accords End Bosnian War: A landmark peace agreement was negotiated and signed by the presidents of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia in Dayton, Ohio, effectively bringing an end to the devastating Bosnian War that had lasted from 1992 to 1995. The Dayton Accords represented a critical diplomatic breakthrough in resolving the complex ethnic conflicts in the Balkans.
  • 21 Nov 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement Ends Bosnian War: The Dayton Peace Agreement was initialled at Wright Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, effectively ending three and a half years of devastating conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The agreement was formally ratified in Paris on December 14, 1995, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough in resolving the Bosnian War.
  • 22 Nov 1995 Toy Story Revolutionizes Animation: Buena Vista Pictures releases Toy Story, the first feature film completely animated by computers. The groundbreaking film was created using an impressive 800,000 hours of computing time across 300 Sun Microsystems microprocessors, marking a pivotal moment in cinematic and technological history.
  • 23 Nov 1995 Uneventful Day in Global History: While no major global events were recorded for November 23, 1995, this does not necessarily mean nothing of significance occurred. Many important developments in science, technology, politics, and culture might have been happening behind the scenes or in localized contexts not widely documented.
  • 24 Nov 1995 Ireland Legalizes Divorce After 70-Year Prohibition: In a historic referendum, Ireland voted to end its long-standing ban on divorce, marking a significant social and legal transformation. The vote was incredibly close, with 50.28% supporting the referendum and 49.72% opposing it. This narrow margin reflected the deep societal divisions around marriage, divorce, and personal freedoms in a traditionally conservative Catholic country. The referendum represented a major milestone in Ireland's social evolution, challenging long-established religious and cultural norms.
  • 25 Nov 1995 Ireland Legalizes Divorce in Historic Referendum: In a landmark moment for Irish social policy, Ireland voted to legalize divorce by an extremely narrow margin of less than one percent. This referendum represented a significant shift in the predominantly Catholic nation's stance on marriage dissolution, challenging long-standing traditional social norms and marking a pivotal point in the country's progressive social transformation.
  • 26 Nov 1995 Ireland Legalizes Divorce: In a historic referendum, Ireland voted to end its 58-year ban on divorce, with 50.3% of voters supporting the constitutional amendment. This marked a significant social and legal transformation for the traditionally conservative Catholic country.
  • 27 Nov 1995 Pixar's Groundbreaking Animated Film 'Toy Story' Premieres: On November 27, 1995, Pixar Animation Studios revolutionized the film industry by releasing 'Toy Story', the world's first feature-length computer-animated film. Directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, the movie marked a pivotal moment in cinema technology and storytelling. The film follows the adventures of Woody, a pull-string cowboy doll, and Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger action figure, exploring themes of friendship, identity, and belonging. Its innovative computer-generated imagery (CGI) techniques set a new standard for animation and demonstrated the immense potential of digital filmmaking.
  • 28 Nov 1995 Barcelona Treaty Signed: Twenty-seven nations signed the Barcelona Treaty, establishing the foundation for the Union for the Mediterranean, a significant diplomatic initiative aimed at promoting regional cooperation and dialogue between European and Mediterranean countries.
  • 29 Nov 1995 CNNfn Financial Network Launch: Turner Enterprises launches CNNfn, a dedicated financial news network, expanding media coverage of financial markets and business news.
  • 30 Nov 1995 End of Operation Desert Storm: Operation Desert Storm officially concluded, marking the end of a major military intervention in the Persian Gulf War that had liberated Kuwait from Iraqi occupation in early 1991.