The following events occurred in November 1928:
Thursday, November 1, 1928
Turkey passed a law switching the country from the Arabic to the Latin-based modern Turkish alphabet. Cuba held a presidential election; incumbent President Gerardo Machado was re-elected. The LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin landed back in Friedrichshafen only 71 hours and 12 minutes after leaving the United States, a new Atlantic crossing speed record for dirigibles. The Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company was launched.
Friday, November 2, 1928
The trial of José de León Toral, the assassin of Mexican president-elect Álvaro Obregón, opened in San Ángel. Toral, a Roman Catholic, testified that he felt he could "save the church from its enemies and herself, by ridding the country of the intellectual head of this terrible state of affairs." After months of earthquakes and collapses of Mount Etna's central crater, a lateral fault located halfway up the northeast slope of the volcano ripped open. Over the course of the next three weeks, roads and a portion of the Circumetnea train track were covered in molten rock, nearly two-thousand acres of historic vineyards and agricultural space were destroyed, and the village of Mascali was buried.
Saturday, November 3, 1928
Al Smith wrapped up his presidential campaign with a speech before 23,000 in Madison Square Garden in New York City. Smith pledged to clean up political corruption and modify the Eighteenth Amendment to make it a states' rights issue. Born: Nick Holonyak, American inventor of LED, in Zeigler, Illinois (d. 2022) Osamu Tezuka, Japanese manga artist, in Toyonaka, Osaka (d. 1989)
Sunday, November 4, 1928
The Nicaraguan general election was held; José María Moncada was elected president. New York underworld figure Arnold Rothstein was shot in the stomach by unknown assailants at the Park Central Hotel. He was rushed to hospital clinging to life. The comedy-drama film The Haunted House was released. The film had no dialogue, but did feature a synchronized Vitaphone soundtrack with music and sound effects. Born: George Yardley, basketball player, in Hollywood, California (d. 2004)
Monday, November 5, 1928
Herbert Hoover and Al Smith made their final appeals to American voters with national radio addresses.
Tuesday, November 6, 1928
Herbert Hoover of the Republican Party was elected President of the United States with a decisive victory, winning 444 electoral votes to Al Smith's 87. Hoover even carried Smith's home state of New York. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected Governor of New York. Born: Peter Matz, musician, composer, arranger and conductor, in Pittsburgh (d. 2002) Died: Arnold Rothstein, 46, Jewish-American racketeer, businessman and gambler, died in a New York City hospital, of wounds from being shot two days earlier, at 10:20 in the morning.
Wednesday, November 7, 1928
The Sicilian town of Mascali was almost completely destroyed by lava from Mount Etna. Lord Cushendun told the House of Lords that the Anglo-French naval reduction pact had been abandoned. The Boston Braves and Chicago Cubs turned a major deal. The Cubs received Rogers Hornsby in exchange for Bruce Cunningham, Percy Jones, Lou Legett, Freddie Maguire, Socks Seibold and $200,000.
Thursday, November 8, 1928
José de León Toral was sentenced to death by firing squad. A nun was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment for being the "intellectual author" of the assassination. The Preble Box Toe Company explosion in Lynn, Massachusetts killed 20 people.
Friday, November 9, 1928
U.S. President Calvin Coolidge announced that president-elect Herbert Hoover would undertake a goodwill tour of South America before entering office. Born: Anne Sexton, poet, in Newton, Massachusetts (d. 1974)
Saturday, November 10, 1928
The enthronement ceremony of Emperor of Japan Hirohito was held in Kyoto, almost two years after he actually took the throne upon the death of Emperor Yoshihito. Iuliu Maniu became Prime Minister of Romania. The adventure romance film White Shadows in the South Seas was released. The film had no dialogue (other than a single instance of the word "hello") but it had a pre-recorded soundtrack with music and sound effects. The MGM lion roar was first heard at the beginning of this film. Born: Ennio Morricone, Italian composer, in Rome (d. 2020)