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On This Day in History — September 2

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Highlights of September 2

2011 — Bad weather caused a Chilean Air Force aircraft to crash into the Pacific Ocean, killing all 21 people on board. Read more
1998 — A fire in the cockpit on Swissair Flight 111, en route from New York City to Geneva, caused the aircraft to crash into the Atlantic Ocean near Canada, killing all 229 people on board. Read more
1992 — An earthquake registering 7.7 Mw off the coast of Nicaragua became the first tsunami earthquake to be captured on modern broadband seismic networks. Read more
1985 — Hurricane Elena, an unpredictable and damaging tropical cyclone that affected eastern and central portions of the United States Gulf Coast, made landfall near Biloxi, Mississippi, as a Category 3 major hurricane. Read more
1967 — Paddy Roy Bates proclaimed HM Fort Roughs, a former World War II Maunsell Sea Fort in the North Sea off the coast of Suffolk, England, as an independent sovereign state: the Principality of Sealand (pictured). Read more
1957 — South Vietnamese president Ngô Đình Diệm began an official visit to Australia, the first by a foreign incumbent head of state to the country. Read more
1946 — The interim government of India, headed by Jawaharlal Nehru, was formed to assist the transition of India from British rule to independence. Read more
1945 — On the deck of the U.S. Navy battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay, representatives from the Empire of Japan and the Allied powers signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender , formally ending World War II. Read more
1912 — Arthur Rose Eldred became the first person to attain the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. Read more
1901 — U.S. vice president Theodore Roosevelt first publicly used the phrase "speak softly and carry a big stick" (cartoon pictured) at the Minnesota State Fair, describing his philosophy of negotiating peacefully while simultaneously threatening to use military force. Read more
1885 — White miners in Rock Springs, Wyoming, attacked Chinese-American immigrants, killing at least 28 Chinese miners and causing approximately $150,000 in property damage. Read more
1870 — Franco-Prussian War: Prussian forces captured Napoleon III at the Battle of Sedan, which led to the collapse of the Second French Empire within days. Read more
1792 — French Revolution: Due to an overwhelming fear that foreign armies would attack Paris and prisoners would revolt, revolutionaries began the summary execution of more than a thousand prisoners. Read more
1789 — The United States Department of the Treasury was founded following financial concerns in the new nation. Read more
1666 — A large fire began in London's Pudding Lane and burned for five days, destroying St Paul's Cathedral and the homes of 70,000 of the city's 80,000 inhabitants. Read more

Events

2024 — Four people are killed in a mass shooting targeting homeless people on a Chicago Transit Authority train in Forest Park, Illinois, United States. Read more
2024 — A suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, kills six people and injures 13. Read more
2024 — At least 129 inmates are killed and 59 more injured in an attempted prison break at Makala Prison in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Read more
2023 — India's first solar observation mission: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launches Aditya-L1 from Satish Dhawan space centre. Read more
2022 — Eighteen people are killed and 23 others are injured by a suicide bombing at a Sunni mosque in Herat, Afghanistan. Read more
2019 — Hurricane Dorian, a category 5 hurricane, devastates the Bahamas, killing at least five. Read more
2019 — The dive boat MV Conception catches fire and sinks near Santa Cruz Island, killing 34. Read more
2018 — National Museum of Brazil fire: A massive fire destroys most of the Paço de São Cristóvão, which houses the National Museum of Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro. The museum holds important archaeοlogical and anthropological objects, including the remains of the Luzia Woman, Marajoara vases and Egyptian mummies. Read more
2013 — The Eastern span replacement of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge opens at 10:15 pm at a cost of $6.4 billion, after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake damaged the old span. Read more
2010 — Israel-Palestinian conflict: the 2010 Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are launched by the United States. Read more
2009 — The Andhra Pradesh, India helicopter crash occurs near Rudrakonda Hill, 40 nautical miles (74 km) from Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India. Fatalities include Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Read more
2008 — Google launches its Google Chrome web browser. Read more
1998 — Swissair Flight 111 crashes near Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia; all 229 people on board are killed. Read more
1998 — The UN's International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda finds Jean-Paul Akayesu, the former mayor of a small town in Rwanda, guilty of nine counts of genocide. Read more
1992 — The 7.7 Mw Nicaragua earthquake affects the west coast of Nicaragua. With a Ms–Mw disparity of half a unit, this tsunami earthquake triggers a tsunami that causes most of the damage and casualties, with at least 116 killed. Typical runup heights were 3–8 meters (9.8–26.2 ft). Read more
1990 — Transnistria is unilaterally proclaimed a Soviet republic; the Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev declares the decision null and void. Read more
1987 — In Moscow, the trial begins for 19-year-old pilot Mathias Rust, who flew his Cessna airplane into Red Square in May. Read more
1985 — Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Tamil politicians and former MPs M. Alalasundaram and V. Dharmalingam are shot dead. Read more
1984 — Seven people are shot and killed and 12 wounded in the Milperra massacre, a shootout between the rival motorcycle gangs Bandidos and Comancheros in Sydney, Australia. Read more
1970 — NASA announces the cancellation of two Apollo missions to the Moon, Apollo 15 (the designation is re-used by a later mission), and Apollo 19. Read more
1970 — Aeroflot Flight 3630, a Tupolev Tu-124 en route from southern Russia to Lithuania, crashes after the pilots lost control of the aircraft at cruise altitude between Rostov-on-Don Airport and Vilnius Airport, on the second leg of the flight; all 37 passengers and crew are killed. Read more
1968 — Operation OAU begins during the Nigerian Civil War. Read more
1963 — CBS Evening News becomes U.S. network television's first half-hour weeknight news broadcast, when the show is lengthened from 15 to 30 minutes. Read more
1960 — The first election of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. The Tibetan community observes this date as Democracy Day. Read more
1958 — A USAF RC-130 is shot down by fighters over Armenia when it strays into Soviet airspace while conducting a sigint mission. All crew members are killed. Read more
1957 — President Ngô Đình Diệm of South Vietnam becomes the first foreign head of state to make a state visit to Australia. Read more
1946 — The Interim Government of India is formed, headed by Jawaharlal Nehru as vice president with the powers of a Prime Minister. Read more
1945 — World War II: The Japanese Instrument of Surrender is signed by Japan and the major warring powers aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, thus marking the official end to the war. Read more
1945 — Communist leader Ho Chi Minh proclaims the Democratic Republic of Vietnam after the end of the Nguyễn dynasty. Read more
1944 — The last execution of a Finn in Finland takes place when soldier Olavi Laiho is executed by shooting in Oulu. Read more
1939 — World War II: Following the start of the invasion of Poland the previous day, the Free City of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland) is annexed by Nazi Germany. Read more
1935 — The Labor Day Hurricane, the most intense hurricane to strike the United States, makes landfall at Long Key, Florida, killing at least 400. Read more
1923 — Kantō Massacre: Amid rumors that Koreans had been conducting acts of sabotage in the aftermath of the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, lynch mobs of Japanese begin massacring thousands of civilians over the course of several weeks, mainly ethnic minorities such as Koreans and Chinese. Read more
1912 — Arthur Rose Eldred is awarded the first Eagle Scout award of the Boy Scouts of America. Read more
1901 — Vice President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt utters the famous phrase, "Speak softly and carry a big stick" at the Minnesota State Fair. Read more
1898 — Battle of Omdurman: British and Egyptian troops defeat Sudanese tribesmen and establish British dominance in Sudan. Read more
1885 — Rock Springs massacre: In Rock Springs, Wyoming, 150 white miners, who are struggling to unionize so they could strike for better wages and work conditions, attack their Chinese fellow workers, killing 28, wounding 15 and forcing several hundred more out of town. Read more
1870 — Franco-Prussian War: Battle of Sedan: Prussian forces take Napoleon III of France and 100,000 of his soldiers prisoner. Read more
1867 — Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji of Japan, marries Masako Ichijō, thereafter known as Empress Shōken. Read more
1864 — American Civil War: Union forces enter Atlanta as the city surrenders, ending the Atlanta campaign as a victory for General William T. Sherman. Read more
1862 — American Civil War: United States President Abraham Lincoln reluctantly restores Union General George B. McClellan to full command after General John Pope's disastrous defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run. Read more
1859 — The Carrington Event is the strongest geomagnetic storm on record. Read more
1856 — The Tianjing incident takes place in Nanjing, China. Read more
1807 — Napoleonic Wars: The British Royal Navy bombards Copenhagen with fire bombs and phosphorus rockets to prevent Denmark from surrendering its fleet to Napoleon. Read more
1806 — A massive landslide destroys the town of Goldau, Switzerland, killing 457. Read more
1792 — During what became known as the September Massacres of the French Revolution, rampaging mobs slaughter three Roman Catholic bishops, more than two hundred priests, and prisoners believed to be royalist sympathizers. Read more
1789 — The United States Department of the Treasury is founded. Read more
1752 — Great Britain, along with its overseas possessions, adopts the Gregorian calendar. Read more
1666 — The Great Fire of London breaks out and burns for three days, destroying 10,000 buildings, including Old St Paul's Cathedral. Read more
1649 — The Italian city of Castro is completely destroyed by the forces of Pope Innocent X, ending the Wars of Castro. Read more
1601 — 4th Spanish Armada makes landfall in Ireland at Kinsale. Read more
1595 — An imperial army retakes the city of Esztergom from the Ottoman Empire. Read more
1561 — Entry of Mary, Queen of Scots into Edinburgh, a spectacular civic celebration for the Queen of Scotland, marred by religious controversy. Read more
1192 — The Treaty of Jaffa is signed between Richard I of England and Saladin, leading to the end of the Third Crusade. Read more
911 — The Byzantine Empire and the Kievan Rus sign a treaty regulating trade. Read more
31 BC — Final War of the Roman Republic: Battle of Actium: Off the western coast of Greece, forces of Octavian defeat troops under Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Read more
44 BC — Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Read more
44 BC — Cicero launches the first of his Philippicae (oratorical attacks) on Mark Antony. He will make 14 of them over the following months. Read more

Born on September 2

2002 — Bradley Barcola, French footballer Read more
1998 — Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Canadian basketball player Read more
1998 — Choi Ye-bin, South Korean actress Read more
1998 — Eetu Luostarinen, Finnish ice hockey player Read more
1997 — 645AR, American rapper Read more
1997 — Brandon Ingram, American basketball player Read more
1996 — Austin Abrams, American actor Read more
1995 — Willy Adames, Dominican baseball player Read more
1995 — Aleksander Barkov, Russian-Finnish ice hockey player Read more
1995 — Deimantas Petravičius, Lithuanian footballer Read more
1994 — Ishika Taneja, Indian beautician. Read more
1994 — Linda Dallmann, German professional footballer Read more
1993 — Tom Anderson, English footballer Read more
1993 — Zaza Nadiradze, Georgian sprint canoeist Read more
1993 — Robert Rooba, Estonian ice hockey player Read more
1992 — Xenia Knoll, Swiss tennis player Read more
1992 — Nenad Lukić, Serbian footballer Read more
1992 — Alberto Masi, Italian footballer Read more
1992 — Emiliano Martínez, Argentine footballer Read more
1992 — Ella Toone, English footballer Read more
1991 — Christian Bethancourt, Panamanian baseball player Read more
1991 — Mareks Mejeris, Latvian basketball player Read more
1991 — Gyasi Zardes, American footballer Read more
1990 — Marcus Ericsson, Swedish race car driver Read more
1990 — Shayla Worley, American gymnast Read more
1989 — Marcus Morris, American basketball player Read more
1989 — Markieff Morris, American basketball player Read more
1989 — Alexandre Pato, Brazilian footballer Read more
1989 — Zedd, Russian-German record producer, DJ, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Read more
1988 — Keisuke Kato, Japanese actor and singer Read more
1988 — Javi Martínez, Spanish footballer Read more
1988 — Ibrahim Šehić, Bosnian footballer Read more
1988 — Ishant Sharma, Indian cricketer Read more
1988 — Ishmeet Singh, Indian singer (died 2008) Read more
1987 — Scott Moir, Canadian ice dancer Read more
1987 — Spencer Smith, American musician Read more
1986 — Gélson Fernandes, Swiss footballer Read more
1986 — Kyle Hines, American basketball player Read more
1985 — Keith Galloway, Australian rugby league player Read more
1985 — Allison Miller, American actress Read more

Died on September 2

2024 — James Darren, American actor (born 1936) Read more
2024 — Rodolfo Hernández Suárez, Colombian politician (born 1945) Read more
2022 — Frank Drake, American radio astronomer and astrophysicist (born 1930) Read more
2022 — T. V. Sankaranarayanan, Indian Carnatic vocalist (born 1945) Read more
2021 — Siddharth Shukla, Indian TV and film actor (born 1980) Read more
2021 — Mikis Theodorakis, Greek composer (born 1925) Read more
2018 — Claire Wineland, American activist and author (born 1997) Read more
2016 — Jerry Heller, American music manager (born 1940) Read more
2016 — Islam Karimov, Uzbek politician, 1st President of Uzbekistan (born 1938) Read more
2015 — Ephraim Engleman, American rheumatologist, author, and academic (born 1911) Read more
2014 — F. Emmett Fitzpatrick, American lawyer and politician, 20th District Attorney of Philadelphia (born 1930) Read more
2014 — Norman Gordon, South African cricketer (born 1911) Read more
2014 — Helena Rakoczy, Polish gymnast (born 1921) Read more
2014 — Goolam Essaji Vahanvati, Indian lawyer and politician, 13th Attorney General of India (born 1949) Read more
2013 — Valérie Benguigui, French actress and director (born 1965) Read more
2013 — Terry Clawson, English rugby player and coach (born 1940) Read more
2013 — Ronald Coase, English-American economist and author, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1910) Read more
2013 — David Jacobs, English radio and television host (born 1926) Read more
2013 — Frederik Pohl, American author and publisher (born 1919) Read more
2013 — Paul Scoon, Grenadian politician, 2nd Governor-General of Grenada (born 1935) Read more
2012 — Mark Abrahamian, American guitarist (born 1966) Read more
2012 — Jack Boucher, American photographer and director (born 1931) Read more
2012 — John C. Marshall, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1941) Read more
2012 — Emmanuel Nunes, Portuguese-French composer and educator (born 1941) Read more
2011 — Roberto Bruce, Chilean journalist (born 1979) Read more
2011 — Felipe Camiroaga, Chilean television presenter (born 1966) Read more
2009 — Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Indian politician, 14th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (born 1949) Read more
2008 — Bill Melendez, Mexican-American animator, director, producer, and voice actor (born 1916) Read more
2008 — Alan Waddell, Australian walker Read more
2007 — Franz-Benno Delonge, German game designer, created TransAmerica (born 1957) Read more
2007 — Max McNab, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (born 1924) Read more
2006 — Bob Mathias, American decathlete and politician (born 1930) Read more
2006 — Willi Ninja, American dancer and choreographer (born 1961) Read more
2006 — Dewey Redman, American saxophonist (born 1931) Read more
2005 — Bob Denver, American actor (born 1935) Read more
2004 — Joan Oró, Catalan biochemist and academic (born 1923) Read more
2002 — Dick Reynolds, Australian footballer and coach (born 1915) Read more
2001 — Christiaan Barnard, South African surgeon and academic (born 1922) Read more
2001 — Troy Donahue, American actor (born 1936) Read more
2000 — Elvera Sanchez, American dancer (born 1905) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Acepsimas of Hnaita and companions (Syriac Orthodox Church); Christian feast day: Agricola of Avignon; Christian feast day: Antoninus of Pamiers; Christian feast day: Brocard; Christian feast day: Diomedes; Christian feast day: Eleazar; Christian feast day: Hieu (abbess); Christian feast day: Holy September Martyrs; Christian feast day: Ingrid of Sweden; Christian feast day: Justus of Lyon; Christian feast day: Margaret of Louvain; Christian feast day: Maxima of Rome; Christian feast day: Nonnosus; Christian feast day: William of Roskilde; Christian feast day: September 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Democracy Day (Tibet); Independence Day (Transnistria, unrecognized); Independence Day (Artsakh, unrecognized); National Blueberry Popsicle Day (United States); National Day, celebrates the independence of Vietnam from Japan and France in 1945; Victory over Japan Day (United States); Sedantag (German Empire)

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Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “September 2”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.