September 18th in History

“Old Faithful,” by Albert Bierstadt

Today in History

  • The US Congress passes the Fugitive Slave Act (1850)
  • The first issue of the New York Times (originally New-York Daily Times) is published (1851)
  • Henry Washburn observes and names “Old Faithful” Geyser during an expedition to Yellowstone (1870)
  • Booker T. Washington delivers the “Atlanta Compromise” address (1895)
  • The Mukden Incident is used as pretext for Japan to invade and occupy Manchuria (1931)
  • World War II: Lord Haw-Haw begins transmitting pro-Nazi propaganda (1939)
  • The United States Air Force becomes an independent service (1947)
  • Margaret Chase Smith becomes the first woman elected to the US Senate without completing another senator’s term (1948)

Birthdays

  • Trajan, Roman emperor (53)
  • Samuel Johnson, lexicographer (1709)
  • Léon Foucault, physicist (1819)
  • Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, actor (1905)
  • Greta Garbo, actress (1905)
  • June Foray, voice artist (1917)
  • Jack Warden, actor (1920)
  • J. D. Tippit, police officer (1924)
  • Joe Kubert, comics artist (1926)
  • Robert Blake, actor (1933)
  • Jimmie Rodgers, singer-songwriter (1935)
  • Fred Willard, actor and comedian (1939)
  • Frankie Avalon, teen idol (1940)
  • Otis Sistrunk, football player (1946)
  • Anna Deavere Smith, actress and playwright (1950)
  • Dee Dee Ramone, punk rocker (1951)
  • James Gandolfini, actor (1961)
  • Lance Armstrong, cyclist (1971)
  • Jada Pinkett Smith, actress (1971)
  • James Marsden, actor (1973)
  • Jason Sudeikis, actor and comedian (1975)
  • Jennifer Tisdale, actress and singer (1981)

Deaths

  • Domitian, Roman emperor (96)
  • Frank Morgan, actor (1949)
  • Dag Hammarskjöld, UN secretary-general (1961)
  • Sean O’Casey, dramatist (1964)
  • Jimi Hendrix, guitarist (1970)
  • Katherine Ann Porter, author (1980)
  • Jimmy Witherspoon, singer (1997)
  • Russ Meyer, filmmaker (2004)
  • Ken Norton, boxer (2013)

Holidays and Observances

  • Day of National Music (Azerbaijan)
  • International Read an eBook Day
  • Island Language Day (Okinawa)
  • Dieciocho (Chile)
  • National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (US)
  • Navy Day (Croatia)
  • World Water Monitoring Day

September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). There are 104 days remaining until the end of the year.