“The Fire of Moscow,” by A. Smirnov (1813)

Today in History

• The Mayflower starts its voyage to the New World (1620)
• The Fire of Moscow began as Napoleon’s troops enter the city (1812)
• GM is founded (1908)
• A coup unseats Argentine president Juan Perón (1955)
• The first Xerox machine is demonstrated on live TV (1959)
• Papua New Guinea becomes independent (1975)
• The Sabra and Shatila Massacre takes place (1982)
• Manuel Noriega goes on trial (1911)
• Blackwater mercenaries kill 17 Iraqis in Baghdad (2007)

Birthdays

• Mikhail Kutuzov, Russian field marshal (1745)
• J. C. Penney, department store founder (1875)
• Jacob Schick, razor entrepreneur (1877)
• Alfred Noyes, author (1880)
• Jean Arp, sculptor (1886)
• W. O. Bentley, car manufacturer (1888)
• Karl Dönitz, German admiral and post-Hitler German president (1891)
• Alexander Korda, filmmaker (1893)
• Albert Szent-Györgyi, Nobel-winning biochemist (1893)
• Milt Franklyn, composer (1897)
• H. A. Rey, co-created Curious George (1898)
• “Fighting” Jack Churchill, British colonel (1906)
• Allen Funt, hosted Candid Camera (1914)
• Janis Paige, actress (1922)
• Lauren Bacall, actress (1924)
• Charlie Byrd, jazz musician (1925)
• B. B. King, singer-songwriter (1925)
• Peter Falk, actor (1927)
• Anne Francis, actress (1930)
• George Chakiris, actor (1934)
• Ed Begley, Jr., actor (1949)
• Henry Louis Gates, Jr., historian (1950)
• Mickey Rourke, actor (1952)Maria
• David Copperfield, magician (1956)
• Orel Hershiser, baseball player (1958)
• Jennifer Tilly, actress (1958)
• Molly Shannon, comedian (1964)
• Amy Poehler, comedian (1971)

Deaths

• James II of England, monarch (1701)
• Daniel Fahrenheit, invented the thermometer (1736)
• Louis XVIII of France, monarch (1824)
• Fred Quimby, animator (1965)
• Maria Callas, soprano (1977)
• Jean Piaget, psychologist (1980)
• Richard Brautigan, author (1984)
• Sheb Wooley, singer-songwriter (2003)
• Mary Travers, member of Peter, Paul, and Mary (2009)
• Edward Albee, director and playwright (2016)

Holidays and Observances

• Owain Glyndwr Day (celebrating the last Welshman to be Prince of Wales(
• Cry of Dolores (Mexico)
• Independence Day (Papua New Guinea)
• International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (
• Armed Forces Day (Malaysia, Singapore)
• Martyr’s Day (Libya)
• National Heroes Day (Saint Kitts and Nevis)
• National Guacamole Day (US)
• Stay Away from Seattle Day (Chase’s Calendar of Events)

September 16 is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years). There are 106 days remaining until the end of the year.