September 19 in History

Significant events that happened on this day.

Today

Historical Events

2006

Thailand's military overthrew Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a bloodless coup while he was at the UN in New York

Tanks rolled into Bangkok while Thaksin was literally giving a speech at the United Nations. He attempted to declare a state of emergency via televisi...

1982

The first emoticon was used in a computer message when Carnegie Mellon professor Scott Fahlman suggested :-) and :-(

In a message board post, Fahlman proposed using :-) to mark jokes and :-( for serious matters, noting "Read it sideways." This simple suggestion revol...

1970

The first Glastonbury Festival was held in England, with tickets costing £1 and including free milk from the farm

The day after Jimi Hendrix died, 1,500 people attended the Pilton Pop, Blues & Folk Festival at Worthy Farm. Organizer Michael Eavis was inspired by a...

1960

Cuban leader Fidel Castro stayed at the Hotel Theresa in Harlem after being kicked out of a Manhattan hotel

During his UN General Assembly visit, Castro moved his entire delegation to Harlem after complaints about his midtown hotel. He set up chickens in his...

1957

The United States conducted its first underground nuclear test in the Nevada desert

Code-named "Rainier," the test involved detonating a 1.7 kiloton nuclear device in a tunnel 900 feet underground. This marked a significant shift in n...

1928

Mickey Mouse made his first public appearance in the cartoon 'Steamboat Willie'

Major

This wasn't actually Mickey's first film—that was 'Plane Crazy'—but 'Steamboat Willie' was the first with synchronized sound, which made it a sensatio...

1893

New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote

Major

After years of campaigning led by Kate Sheppard, New Zealand's Electoral Act was signed, allowing women to vote in parliamentary elections. The suffra...

1870

Prussian forces surrounded Paris, beginning a four-month siege that would lead Parisians to eat the city's zoo animals

During the Franco-Prussian War, the Siege of Paris became so desperate that the menu at a fancy restaurant featured elephant, camel, kangaroo, and wol...

1783

The Montgolfier brothers launched the first hot air balloon with living passengers: a sheep, a duck, and a rooster

Before risking human lives, the inventors tested their balloon with an unusual crew at the Palace of Versailles. The sheep was chosen to represent hum...

1356

The Black Prince captured the King of France at the Battle of Poitiers

Major

During the Hundred Years' War, Edward the Black Prince led English forces to a stunning victory over a much larger French army. King John II of France...

Fun Facts from September 19