On This Day in History — September 30

Highlights of September 30

• 2019 — President Martín Vizcarra dissolved the Congress of Peru, resulting in a constitutional crisis. Read more
• 2009 — A 7.6 MW earthquake struck off the southern coast of Sumatra, Indonesia (damage pictured), killing 1,115 and impacting an estimated 1.2 million people. Read more
• 2005 — The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published controversial editorial cartoons depicting Muhammad, sparking protests across the Islamic world by many who viewed them as Islamophobic and blasphemous. Read more
• 2000 — Twelve-year-old Muhammad al-Durrah was shot dead in the Gaza Strip; the Israel Defense Forces initially accepted responsibility but retracted it five years later. Read more
• 1998 — The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a nonprofit organization that manages the assignment of domain names and IP addresses in the Internet, was incorporated. Read more
• 1982 — Cheers, an American television sitcom, debuted with its pilot episode on NBC. Read more
• 1975 — The Boeing AH-64 Apache (example pictured), the primary attack helicopter for a number of countries, made its first flight. Read more
• 1955 — American film actor James Dean suffered fatal injuries in a head-on car accident near Cholame, California. Read more
• 1939 — NBC broadcast the first televised American football game, between the Fordham Rams and the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets. Read more
• 1939 — Second World War: General Władysław Sikorski (pictured) became the first prime minister of the Polish government-in-exile. Read more
• 1938 — Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Neville Chamberlain, and Édouard Daladier signed the Munich Agreement, stipulating that Czechoslovakia must cede the Sudetenland to Germany. Read more
• 1920 — Times Square Theater (pictured) opened on Broadway with a production of The Mirage, a play written by its owner, Edgar Selwyn. Read more
• 1918 — Nestor Makhno and Fedir Shchus led insurgents to successfully ambush the Central Powers that occupied southern Ukraine during World War I. Read more
• 1882 — The Vulcan Street Plant in Appleton, Wisconsin, the first hydroelectric central station to serve a system of private and commercial customers in North America, went online. Read more
• 1863 — Georges Bizet's opera Les pêcheurs de perles premiered at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris. Read more
• 1791 — Mozart conducted the premiere of his last opera, The Magic Flute, in Vienna. Read more
• 1551 — Sue Takafusa, a retainer of the Ōuchi clan in western Japan, led a coup against the daimyō Ōuchi Yoshitaka, leading to the latter's forced suicide. Read more
• 1342 — An Anglo-Breton army defeated a far larger Franco-Breton force in the first land battle of the Hundred Years' War. Read more
• 1139 — A violent earthquake struck the Caucasus near Ganja, killing up to an estimated 300,000 people. Read more
• 737 — Muslim conquest of Transoxiana: Türgesh tribesmen attacked and captured the exposed baggage train of the Umayyad army, sent ahead of the main force. Read more

Events

• 2016 — Hurricane Matthew becomes a Category 5 hurricane, making it the strongest hurricane to form in the Caribbean Sea since 2007. Read more
• 2016 — Two paintings with a combined value of $100 million are recovered after having been stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in 2002. Read more
• 2009 — The 7.6 Mw Sumatra earthquake leaves 1,115 people dead. Read more
• 2005 — Controversial drawings of Muhammad are printed in a Danish newspaper. Read more
• 2000 — Israeli–Palestinian conflict: Twelve-year-old Muhammad al-Durrah is shot and killed on the second day of the Second Intifada. Read more
• 1999 — The Tokaimura nuclear accident causes the deaths of two technicians in Japan's second-worst nuclear accident. Read more
• 1994 — Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on STS-68. Read more
• 1993 — The 6.2 Mw Latur earthquake shakes Maharashtra, India with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe) killing 9,748 and injuring 30,000. Read more
• 1980 — Ethernet specifications are published by Xerox working with Intel and Digital Equipment Corporation. Read more
• 1978 — Finnair Flight 405 is hijacked by Aarno Lamminparras in Oulu, Finland. Read more
• 1975 — Malév Flight 240 crashes into the Mediterranean Sea while on approach to Beirut International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 60. Read more
• 1970 — Jordan makes a deal with the PFLP for the release of the remaining hostages from the Dawson's Field hijackings. Read more
• 1968 — The Boeing 747 is rolled out and shown to the public for the first time. Read more
• 1966 — Bechuanaland declares its independence, and becomes the Republic of Botswana. Read more
• 1960 — The Flintstones, the first prime-time animated sitcom, premieres on ABC television. Read more
• 1954 — The U.S. Navy submarine USS Nautilus is commissioned as the world's first nuclear-powered vessel. Read more
• 1949 — The Berlin Airlift ends. Read more
• 1947 — The 1947 World Series begins. It is the first to be televised, to include an African-American player, to exceed $2 million in receipts, to see a pinch-hit home run, and to have six umpires on the field. Read more
• 1947 — Pakistan joins the United Nations. Read more
• 1945 — The Bourne End rail crash, in Hertfordshire, England, kills 43. Read more
• 1944 — World War II: the Germans commence a counter offensive to retake the Nijmegen salient, this having been captured by the allies during Operation Market Garden. Read more
• 1943 — The United States Merchant Marine Academy is dedicated by President Roosevelt. Read more
• 1941 — World War II: The Babi Yar massacre comes to an end. Read more
• 1939 — World War II: General Władysław Sikorski becomes prime minister of the Polish government-in-exile. Read more
• 1939 — NBC broadcasts the first televised American football game. Read more
• 1938 — Britain, France, Germany and Italy sign the Munich Agreement, whereby Germany annexes the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia. Read more
• 1938 — The League of Nations unanimously outlaws "intentional bombings of civilian populations". Read more
• 1936 — American journalists Herbert R. Ekins, reporter for the New York World-Telegram, Dorothy Kilgallen of the New York Journal and Leo Kieran of The New York Times start the race to travel around the world on commercial airline flights. The race takes 18 ½ days. Read more
• 1935 — The Hoover Dam, astride the border between the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada, is dedicated. Read more
• 1919 — The Elaine massacre in Arkansas commences. Read more
• 1918 — Ukrainian War of Independence: Insurgent forces led by Nestor Makhno defeats the Central Powers at the battle of Dibrivka. Read more
• 1915 — World War I: Radoje Ljutovac becomes the first soldier in history to shoot down an enemy aircraft with ground-to-air fire. Read more
• 1909 — The Cunard Line's RMS Mauretania makes a record-breaking westbound crossing of the Atlantic, that will not be bettered for 20 years. Read more
• 1907 — The McKinley National Memorial, the final resting place of assassinated U.S. President William McKinley and his family, is dedicated in Canton, Ohio. Read more
• 1906 — The Royal Galician Academy, the Galician language's biggest linguistic authority, is established in La Coruña, Spain. Read more
• 1895 — Friedrich Nietzsche finished writing The Antichrist, with the 7 propositions Law Against Christianity, marked by him as a Day of Salvation, Day and Year 1 of a new calendar. Read more
• 1888 — Jack the Ripper kills his third and fourth victims, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes. Read more
• 1882 — Thomas Edison's first commercial hydroelectric power plant, the Vulcan Street Plant, begins operation. Read more
• 1863 — Georges Bizet's opera Les pêcheurs de perles, premieres in Paris. Read more
• 1791 — The first performance of Mozart's opera The Magic Flute takes place two months before his death. Read more
• 1791 — France's National Constituent Assembly is dissolved, to be replaced the next day by the National Legislative Assembly. Read more
• 1744 — War of the Austrian Succession: France and Spain defeat Sardinia at the Battle of Madonna dell'Olmo, but soon have to withdraw from Sardinia. Read more
• 1736 — The Lebanese Council of 1736 begins, a major turning point in the reform of the Maronite Church. In the following three days, the assembled Maronite and Latin clergy presided by Yusuf ibn Siman as-Simani discuss various reforms and elaborate rules and canons. Read more
• 1687 — The Venetians under Girolamo Corner take the city of Herceg Novi from the Ottoman Empire. Read more
• 1551 — A coup by the military establishment of Japan's Ōuchi clan forces their lord to commit suicide, and their city is burned. Read more
• 1541 — Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto and his forces enter Tula territory in present-day western Arkansas, encountering fierce resistance. Read more
• 1520 — Suleiman the Magnificent becomes sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Read more
• 1399 — Henry IV is proclaimed king of England. Read more
• 1342 — Battle of Morlaix is fought in the Hundred Years' War. Read more
• 1139 — A magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes the Caucasus mountains in the Seljuk Empire, causing mass destruction and killing up to 300,000 people. Read more
• 1061 — Election of Pope Alexander II following the death of Pope Nicholas II two months prior. Read more
• 737 — The Türgesh drive back an Umayyad invasion of Khuttal, follow them south of the Oxus, and capture their baggage train. Read more
• 489 — The Ostrogoths under Theoderic the Great defeat the forces of Odoacer for the second time. Read more

Born on September 30

• 2003 — Alberto Moleiro, Spanish footballer Read more
• 2002 — Levi Miller, Australian actor and model Read more
• 2002 — Maddie Ziegler, American dancer and actress Read more
• 1998 — Landon Dickerson, American football player Read more
• 1998 — Yui Imaizumi, Japanese actress, singer, model, and television personality Read more
• 1998 — Trevi Moran, American YouTuber and singer Read more
• 1997 — Yana Kudryavtseva, Russian gymnast Read more
• 1997 — Max Verstappen, Dutch race car driver Read more
• 1996 — Aaron Holiday, American basketball player Read more
• 1994 — Aliya Mustafina, Russian gymnast Read more
• 1992 — Bria Hartley, French-American basketball player Read more
• 1992 — Ezra Miller, American actor and singer Read more
• 1991 — David Bakhtiari, American football player Read more
• 1991 — Joffrey Lauvergne, French basketball player Read more
• 1991 — Thomas Röhler, German javelin thrower Read more
• 1989 — Jasmine Thomas, American basketball player Read more
• 1988 — Natalie Eggermont, Belgian politician Read more
• 1987 — Aida Garifullina, Russian operatic soprano Read more
• 1987 — Kenley Jansen, Curaçaoan baseball player Read more
• 1986 — Jarron Gilbert, American footballer Read more
• 1986 — Olivier Giroud, French footballer Read more
• 1986 — Martin Guptill, New Zealand cricketer Read more
• 1986 — Ben Lovett, Welsh musician and songwriter Read more
• 1986 — Cristián Zapata, Colombian footballer Read more
• 1985 — Adam Cooney, Australian footballer Read more
• 1985 — Téa Obreht, Serbian-American author Read more
• 1985 — Cristian Rodríguez, Uruguayan footballer Read more
• 1984 — T-Pain, American rapper, producer, and actor Read more
• 1983 — Adam Jones, American football player and analyst Read more
• 1983 — Andreea Răducan, Romanian gymnast Read more
• 1982 — Lacey Chabert, American actress Read more
• 1982 — Ryane Clowe, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1982 — Kieran Culkin, American actor Read more
• 1982 — Andrew Hastie, Australian politician Read more
• 1982 — Seth Smith, American baseball player Read more
• 1981 — Cecelia Ahern, Irish author Read more
• 1981 — Dominique Moceanu, American gymnast Read more
• 1980 — Martina Hingis, Swiss tennis player Read more
• 1980 — Milagros Sequera, Venezuelan tennis player Read more
• 1980 — Toni Trucks, American actress Read more

Died on September 30

• 2026 — Esther Rantzen, English journalist and television presenter (born 1940) Read more
• 2024 — Gavin Creel, American actor, singer and songwriter (born 1976) Read more
• 2024 — Dikembe Mutombo, Congolese-American basketball player (born 1966) Read more
• 2024 — Humberto Ortega, Nicaraguan military leader (born 1947) Read more
• 2024 — Ken Page, American actor and cabaret singer (born 1954) Read more
• 2024 — Pete Rose, American baseball player and manager (born 1941) Read more
• 2021 — Koichi Sugiyama, Japanese composer and orchestrator (born 1931) Read more
• 2019 — Victoria Braithwaite, British research scientist who proved fish feel pain (born 1967) Read more
• 2018 — Kim Larsen, Danish rock musician (born 1945) Read more
• 2018 — Geoffrey Hayes, British television presenter and actor (born 1942) Read more
• 2018 — Sonia Orbuch, Polish resistance fighter during the Second World War and Holocaust educator. (born 1925) Read more
• 2017 — Monty Hall, American game show host (born 1921) Read more
• 2017 — Vladimir Voevodsky, Russian-American mathematician (born 1966) Read more
• 2015 — Guido Altarelli, Italian-Swiss physicist and academic (born 1941) Read more
• 2015 — Claude Dauphin, French businessman (born 1951) Read more
• 2015 — Göran Hägg, Swedish author and critic (born 1947) Read more
• 2014 — Martin Lewis Perl, American physicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1927) Read more
• 2013 — Janet Powell, Australian educator and politician (born 1942) Read more
• 2012 — Turhan Bey, Austrian actor and producer (born 1922) Read more
• 2012 — Barry Commoner, American biologist, academic, and politician (born 1917) Read more
• 2012 — Bobby Jaggers, American wrestler and engineer (born 1948) Read more
• 2012 — Clara Stanton Jones, American librarian (born 1913) Read more
• 2012 — Barbara Ann Scott, Canadian-American figure skater (born 1928) Read more
• 2012 — Boris Šprem, Croatian lawyer and politician, 8th Speaker of the Croatian Parliament (born 1956) Read more
• 2011 — Anwar al-Awlaki, American-Yemeni terrorist (born 1971) Read more
• 2011 — Ralph M. Steinman, Canadian-American immunologist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1943) Read more
• 2010 — Stephen J. Cannell, American screenwriter and producer (born 1941) Read more
• 2008 — J. B. Jeyaretnam, Singaporean lawyer and politician (born 1926) Read more
• 2004 — Gamini Fonseka, Sri Lankan actor, director, and politician (born 1936) Read more
• 2004 — Jacques Levy, American director and songwriter (born 1935) Read more
• 2004 — Michael Relph, English director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1915) Read more
• 2003 — Yusuf Bey, American activist, founded Your Black Muslim Bakery (born 1935) Read more
• 2003 — Ronnie Dawson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1939) Read more
• 2003 — Robert Kardashian, American lawyer and businessman (born 1944) Read more
• 2002 — Göran Kropp, Swedish race car driver and mountaineer (born 1966) Read more
• 2002 — Hans-Peter Tschudi, Swiss lawyer and politician, 63rd President of the Swiss Confederation (born 1913) Read more
• 1998 — Marius Goring, English actor (born 1912) Read more
• 1998 — Dan Quisenberry, American baseball player and poet (born 1953) Read more
• 1998 — Robert Lewis Taylor, American soldier and author (born 1912) Read more
• 1994 — André Michel Lwoff, French microbiologist and virologist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1902) Read more

Holidays & observances

Agricultural Reform (Nationalization) Day (São Tomé and Príncipe); Birth of Morelos (Mexico); Boy's Day (Poland); Christian feast day: Blessed Federico Albert; Christian feast day: Gregory the Illuminator; Christian feast day: Honorius of Canterbury; Christian feast day: Jerome; Christian feast day: September 30 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Independence Day (Botswana) or Botswana Day, celebrates the independence of Botswana from United Kingdom in 1966.; International Translation Day (International Federation of Translators); National Day for Truth and Reconciliation or Orange Shirt Day (Canada)

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