Today September 16th 2009 this day in history Read more below to view events, deaths, births, Holidays observances and video clips. Last database updated: Jan 17th, 2009
Events
1400 – Owain Glyndwr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers.
1701 – James Francis Edward Stuart, sometimes called the Old Pretender, becomes the Jacobite claimant to the thrones of England and Scotland.
1776 – American Revolutionary War: the Battle of Harlem Heights is fought.
1795 – United Kingdom conquers Cape Town, South Africa.
1810 – With the Grito de Dolores, Father Miguel Hidalgo begins Mexico s fight for independence from Spain
1812 – Russians set fire to Moscow shortly after midnight – the city burns down completely days later.
1863 – Robert College of Istanbul-Turkey, the first American educational institution outside the United States, is founded by Christopher Robert, an American philanthropist.
1887 – The first game of softball was played in Chicago, Illinois
1893 – Settlers race in Oklahoma for prime land in the Cherokee Strip.
1901 – Alturas, California, is incorporated as the only city in Modoc County.
1908 – General Motors is founded.
1919 – The American Legion is incorporated.
1920 – The Wall Street bombing: a bomb in a horse wagon explodes in front of the J.P.Morgan building in New York City – 38 are killed and 400 injured.
1940 – Sam Rayburn is elected Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He is widely regarded as the most effective Speaker of the House in American history.
1941 – World War II: concerned that Reza Pahlavi the Shah of Persia was to align his petroleum-rich country with Germany during World War II, the United Kingdom and the USSR invade Iran in late August and force him to resign in favor of his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
1947 – Typhoon Kathleen hit Saitama, Tokyo and Tone River erea, at least 1,930 killed.
1955 – Juan Perón is deposed in Argentina.
1963 – Malaysia is formed from Malaya, Singapore, British North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak.
1966 – The Metropolitan Opera House opens at Lincoln Center in New York City with the world premiere of Samuel Barber s opera, Antony and Cleopatra.
1970 – King Hussein of Jordan declares military rule following the hijacking of four civilian airliners by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). This results in the formation of the Black September Palestinian paramilitary unit.
1975 – Papua New Guinea gains its independence from Australia.
1975 – The first prototype of the MiG-31 interceptor makes its maiden flight.
1976 – Shavarsh Karapetyan saves 20 people from the trolleybus that had fallen into Erevan reservoir.
1978 – An earthquake hits the city of Tabas, Iran measuring 7.5-7.9 on the Richter scale killing about 25,000 people.
1982 – Sabra and Shatila massacre in Lebanon.
1987 – The Montreal Protocol is signed to protect the ozone layer from depletion.
1991 – The trial of Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega begins in the United States.
1992 – Black Wednesday: the Pound Sterling is forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism by currency speculators and is forced to devalue against the Deutschmark.
2005 – Camorra boss Paolo Di Lauro is arrested in Naples.
2007 – One-Two-GO Airlines Flight 269 carrying 128 crew and passengers crashes in Thailand killing 89 people.
Births
16 – Drusilla, daughter of Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder (d. 38)
1098 – Hildegard of Bingen, German magistra and the first composer whose biography is known (d. 1179)
1387 – King Henry V of England, (d. 1422)
1507 – Jiajing, Emperor of China (d. 1567)
1557 – Jacques Mauduit, French composer (d. 1627)
1651 – Engelbert Kaempfer, German physician and traveler (d. 1716)
1666 – Antoine Parent, French mathematician (d. 1716)
1678 – Henry St John, English statesman and philosopher (d. 1751)
1722 – Gabriel Christie, British general (d. 1799)
1725 – Nicolas Desmarest, French geologist (d. 1815)
1745 – Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, Russian field marshal (d. 1813)
1782 – Daoguang, Emperor of China (d. 1850)
1823 – Francis Parkman, American historian (d. 1893)
1827 – Jean Albert Gaudry, French geologist (d. 1908)
1853 – Albrecht Kossel, German physician, Nobel laureate (d. 1927)
1858 – Andrew Bonar Law, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1923)
1859 – Yuan Shikai, Chinese politician (d. 1916)
1875 – James C. Penney, American department store founder (d. 1971)
1881 – Clive Bell, English art critic (d. 1964)
1883 – T. E. Hulme, English writer (d. 1917)
1886 – Jean Arp, Alsatian sculptor and painter (d. 1966)
1887 – Nadia Boulanger, French composer and teacher (d. 1979)
1888 – F. E. Sillanpää, Finnish writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1964)
1891 – Stephanie von Hohenlohe, Austrian-born German spy (d. 1972)
1891 – Karl Dönitz, German naval leader (d. 1980)
1893 – Alexander Korda, Hungarian film director (d. 1956)
1893 – Albert Szent-Györgyi, Hungarian physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1986)
1898 – H.A. Rey, American children s author, creator of Curious George (d. 1977)
1905 – Vladimír Holan, Czech poet (d. 1980)
1906 – Jack Churchill, English soldier (d. 1996)
1910 – Karl Kling, German race car driver (d. 2003)
1910 – Erich Kempka, Adolf Hitler s chauffeur (d. 1975)
1914 – Allen Funt, American radio and television personality (d. 1999)
1916 – Robert Bradshaw, Saint Kitts and Nevis politician (d. 1978)
1916 – M.S. Subbulakshmi, Indian singer (d. 2004)
1916 – Frank Leslie Walcott, Barbadian labour leader (d. 1999)
1919 – Laurence J. Peter, Canadian born educator and writer (d. 1990)
1921 – Jon Hendricks, American jazz singer
1922 – Janis Paige, American actress
1922 – Marcel Mouloudji, French actor and singer (d. 1994)
1923 – Lee Kuan Yew, Minister Mentor of Singapore
1924 – Lauren Bacall, American actress
1925 – Charlie Byrd, American musician (d. 1999)
1925 – B. B. King, American musician
1925 – Charles Haughey, Prime Minister of Ireland (d. 2006)
1926 – Tommy Bond, American actor (d. 2005)
1927 – Peter Falk, American actor
1927 – Jack Kelly, American actor (d. 1992)
1928 – Lady Gwen Thompson, British occultist (d. 1986)
1930 – Anne Francis, American actress
1934 – George Chakiris, American actor
1934 – Ronnie Drew, Ex-Singer of The Dubliners and Solo Artist (d. 2008)
1935 – Carl Andre, American artist
1935 – Bob Kiley, American public transit specialist
1937 – Alexander Medved, Russian wrestler
1939 – Breyten Breytenbach, South African writer and painter
1941 – Richard Perle, American political advisor
1942 – Bernie Calvert, British musician (The Hollies)
1943 – James Alan McPherson, American writer
1944 – Winston Grennan, Jamaican American drummer
1946 – Cathee Dahmen, American fashion model
1946 – Mike Reynolds, Australian politician
1946 – Camilo Sesto, Spanish singer
1947 – Russ Abbot, British comedian
1947 – Enrique Krauze, Mexican historian and writer
1948 – Ron Blair, American bassist
1948 – Kenney Jones, English musician (The Small Faces; Faces; The Who)
1949 – Ed Begley, Jr., American actor
1950 – Loyd Grossman, American television presenter
1953 – Alan Barton, English musician (Black Lace, Smokie) (d. 1995)
1953 – Nancy Huston, Canadian-born novelist and essayist
1953 – Eric Vail, Canadian ice hockey player
1954 – Earl Klugh, American jazz guitarist
1954 – Colin Newman, English musician (Wire)
1954 – Frank Reed, American singer (Chi-Lites)
1955 – Ron Brewer, American basketball player
1955 – Janet Ellis, British television presenter
1955 – Yolandita Monge, Puerto Rican singer
1955 – Robin Yount, American baseball player
1956 – David Copperfield, American magician
1956 – Mickey Rourke, American actor
1957 – David McCreery, Irish footballer
1958 – Orel Hershiser, American baseball player
1958 – Neville Southall, Welsh footballer
1958 – Jennifer Tilly, American actress
1959 – Tim Raines, American baseball player
1959 – Dave Richardson, former South African cricketer
1960 – Danny John-Jules, British actor
1960 – Kurt Busiek, American comic book writer
1960 – Yianna Katsoulos, French singer
1961 – Bilinda Butcher, British singer (My Bloody Valentine)
1963 – Richard Marx, American singer
1964 – Molly Shannon, American actress
1964 – Mary Coustas, Austalian entertainer
1964 – Rossy de Palma, Spanish actress
1965 – Katy Kurtzman, American actress
1966 – Kevin Young, American athlete
1967 – Hiroya Oku, Japanese Manga-ka
1968 – Marc Anthony, American singer
1968 – Walt Becker, American director and writer
1969 – Justine Frischmann, English musician (Elastica)
1970 – Mark Schultz, American musician
1971 – Amy Poehler, American comedian (Saturday Night Live)
1972 – Mark Bruener, American football player
1972 – Sprent Dabwido, Nauruan politician
1973 – Alexander Vinokourov, Kazakh cyclist
1973 – Justin Haythe, American writer
1973 – George Corrie, English Footballer
1974 – Tom Dolan, American swimmer
1975 – Shannon Noll, Australian singer and songwriter
1976 – Tina Barrett, British singer (S Club)
1976 – Greg Buckner, American basketball player
1976 – Heather Hopper, American actress
1977 – Greg Ball, American politician
1978 – Dan Dickau, American basketball player
1978 – Matthew Rogers, American singer
1979 – Bobby Korecky, American baseball player
1980 – Patrik Stefan, Czech hockey player
1981 – Fan Bingbing, Chinese actress
1981 – Alexis Bledel, American actress (Gilmore Girls)
1982 – Leon Knight, English footballer
1982 – Michael McCall, Irish chemist
1983 – Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwean Olympic swimmer
1984 – Sabrina Bryan, American actress and singer
1984 – Katie Melua, Georgian-British singer
1985 – Madeline Zima, American actress
1986 – Kyla Pratt, American actress
1987 – Louis Clement Ngwat-Mahop, Cameroonian football player
1987 – Travis Wall, American Dancer/Dance Instructor
1987 – Daren Kagasoff, American actor
1988 – Teddy Geiger, American singer
1988 – Sarah Steele, American actress
1992 – Nick Jonas, American singer (Jonas Brothers)
1993 – Taylor Parks, American actress
2005 – Princess Jalilah bint Ali, of Jordan
Deaths
96 – Domitian, Roman Emperor (b. 51)
307 – Flavius Valerius Severus, deposed Roman Emperor (murder)
827 – Pope Valentine
1087 – Pope Victor III (b. 1026)
1100 – Bernold of Constance, German chronicler (b. 1054)
1345 – John IV, Duke of Brittany (b. 1295)
1380 – King Charles V of France (b. 1338)
1394 – Avignon Pope Clement VII (b. 1342)
1406 – Cyprian, Metropolitan of Moscow (b. 1336)
1498 – Tomás de Torquemada, first grand inquisitor of Spain (b. 1420)
1589 – Michael Baius, Flemish theologian (b. 1513)
1672 – Anne Bradstreet, American colonial poet (b. 1612)
1701 – James II of England and VII of Scotland (b. 1633)
1736 – Gabriel Fahrenheit, German physicist (b. 1686)
1775 – Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst, English privy councillor (b. 1684)
1782 – Farinelli, Italian castrato singer (b. 1705)
1803 – Nicolas Baudin, French explorer (b. 1754)
1824 – King Louis XVIII of France (b. 1755)
1829 – Nikolay Raevsky, Russian general and statesman (b. 1771)
1864 – John Hanning Speke, English explorer (b. 1827)
1865 – Christian Julius De Meza, Danish general (b. 1792)
1898 – Ramón Emeterio Betances, Puerto Rican politician, medical doctor and diplomat (b. 1827)
1911 – Edward Whymper, English mountain climber (b. 1840)
1925 – Alexander Alexandrovich Friedman, Russian physicist (b. 1888)
1932 – Ronald Ross, English physician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1857)
1933 – George Gore, baseball player (b. 1857)
1944 – Gustav Bauer, Chancellor of Germany (b. 1870)
1945 – John McCormack, Irish tenor (b. 1884)
1950 – Pedro de Cordoba, American actor (b. 1881)
1957 – Qi Baishi, Chinese painter (b. 1864)
1965 – Ahn Eak-tai, Korean musician, composer, and conductor (b. 1906)
1975 – Irene Hayes, Ziegfeld girl and businesswoman (b. 1896)
1977 – Marc Bolan, English musician (b. 1947)
1977 – Maria Callas, Greek-American soprano (b. 1923)
1980 – Jean Piaget, Swiss psychologist (b. 1896)
1987 – Howard Moss, American poet, dramatist, and critic (b. 1922)
1992 – Millicent Fenwick, American politician and writer (b. 1910)
1993 – Rok Petrovic, Slovenian skier (b. 1966)
1996 – McGeorge Bundy, U.S. National Security Advisor (b. 1919)
1996 – Gene Nelson, American actor (b. 1920)
2000 – Georgiy Gongadze, Ukrainian journalist (b. 1969)
2001 – Samuel Z. Arkoff, American film producer (b. 1918)
2002 – James Gregory, American actor (b. 1911)
2003 – Erich Hallhuber, German actor (b. 1951)
2003 – Sheb Wooley, singer and actor (b. 1921)
2005 – Gordon Gould, inventor of the laser (b. 1920)
2006 – Rob Levin, creator of Freenode (b. 1955)
2006 – Floyd Curry, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1925)
2007 – Robert Jordan, author of the Wheel of Time series (b. 1948)
2008 – Norman Whitfield, associated with the Temptations (b. 1940)
Holidays and observances
In ancient Greece, the third day of the Eleusinian Mysteries, when the initiates walked to the sea at Phaleron and purified themselves in the water.
RC Saints – Saint Cyprian, Pope Cornelius, Saint Ludmila, Curcodomus
Also see September 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics).
Mexico – Independence Day (from Spain; proclaimed 1810, recognised 1821, instituted 1825; See Fiestas Patrias (Mexico)).
Malaysia – Hari Malaysia (formation of Malaysia, 1963).
Papua New Guinea – Independence Day (from Australia, 1975).
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
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