On This Day in History
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Learn what happened on this day in history. Browse historical events, famous birthdays and notable deaths for any date, all sourced from Wikipedia.
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What Happened On This Day in History
Find out what happened on this day in history through today's featured event, latest article, notable birthday, and notable death. Each card opens the complete history page.
How did Stanislav Petrov avert a nuclear war in 1983?
Soviet officer Stanislav Petrov identified a nuclear missile warning as a computer error, preventing a retaliatory strike and potential nuclear war.
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T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns Eliot was a poet, essayist and playwright. He was a leading figure of modernist poetry in the English language where he altered the art through his use of pessimistic language, writing style, and verse structure.
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Baden Powell de Aquino
Baden Powell de Aquino, known professionally as Baden Powell, was a Brazilian virtuoso guitarist and composer. He combined classical techniques with popular harmony and swing.
See Died TodayOn This Day in History Articles
A new history article is published every day covering one significant event from the past. Each post explores the causes, key figures, immediate impact, and the legacy that still resonates in the world today.
How did Stanislav Petrov avert a nuclear war in 1983?
Soviet officer Stanislav Petrov identified a nuclear missile warning as a computer error, preventing a retaliatory strike and potential nuclear war.
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How did Congress define Sequoia National Park's 1890 boundaries?
On September 25, 1890, the U.S. Congress established Sequoia National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, protecting 404,064 acres of forested…
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How did fuel subsidy removal trigger the Saffron Revolution?
Buddhist monks and students led nonviolent protests in Yangon after fuel prices surged following the removal of government subsidies in 2007.
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Israel launches airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon
On September 23, 2024, Israel began Operation Northern Arrows, launching deadly airstrikes that killed 558 people in Lebanon in a single day.
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An E-3B AWACS crashes outside Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
A US Air Force E-3B Sentry crashed into a wooded area near Elmendorf AFB after ingesting Canada geese, killing all 24 crewmembers on board.
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How did the 1938 hurricane reach Category 5 strength?
On September 21, 1938 the Great Hurricane hit Long Island as a Category 3 storm, killing hundreds and destroying tens of thousands of homes across New…
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Civil unrest breaks out in Malé
Civil unrest erupted in Malé after Hassan Evan Naseem died at Maafushi Prison. Rioters set fire to government buildings and vehicles before a curfew was…
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Suspect captured after multi‑state bombings
On September 19, 2016 police shot and captured Ahmad Khan Rahimi in Linden, New Jersey after a series of bombings that wounded 33 people across New York…
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A new history article every day covering one major event, with sourced facts and key figures behind it.
Visit the BlogHistory in 60 Seconds
Short videos covering one significant historical event each, told through archival imagery and narration. A new video goes up every day alongside the daily article.
How did Congress define Sequoia National Park's 1890...
On September 25, 1890, the U.S. Congress established Sequoia National Park in the south...
Watch
How did fuel subsidy removal trigger the Saffron Rev...
Buddhist monks and students led nonviolent protests in Yangon after fuel prices surged ...
Watch
An E-3B AWACS crashes outside Elmendorf Air Force Ba...
A US Air Force E-3B Sentry crashed into a wooded area near Elmendorf AFB after ingestin...
Watch
How did the 1938 hurricane reach Category 5 strength?
On September 21, 1938 the Great Hurricane hit Long Island as a Category 3 storm, killin...
Watch
The Treaty of Fort Pitt is signed
The first formal treaty between the U.S. and a Native American tribe, the Treaty of For...
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How Did CNJ Train 3314 Plunge into Newark Bay?
A CNJ commuter train ran through signals and derailed off an open lift bridge in Newark...
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How Did Two Merging Black Holes Reveal Gravitational...
LIGO detected the first direct gravitational waves from merging black holes, confirming...
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What Happened at the Lattimer Massacre in 1897?
On September 10, 1897 a Luzerne County sheriff's posse shot dead at least 19 unarmed im...
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Historical events told through archival imagery and narration, daily.
See All VideosExplore History by Date
Click any date on the calendar to browse historical events, famous birthdays, and notable deaths from that day. Move between months to explore thousands of years of recorded history.
September
On This Day, September 26
- 2024: Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Perry, Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, killing over 250 people, causing US$78.7 billion in damage and becoming the deadliest hurricane in the mainland United States since Katrina.
- 2022: A mass shooting occurs at a school in Izhevsk, Udmurtia, Russia, resulting in the deaths of 18 people, including 11 children.
- 2014: A mass kidnapping of 43 students from a teaching college occurs in Iguala, Mexico.
- 2010: The Philippine Bar exam bombing occurs near the De La Salle University in Taft Avenue, Manila injuring 47 people.
- 2009: Typhoon Ketsana hits the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, causing 700 fatalities.
thisDay.info is a free historical events calendar where you can explore what happened on any date in history. It covers wars, discoveries, natural disasters, famous birthdays and deaths, and landmark moments in world history, all sourced from Wikipedia.
Every day a new article is published covering one significant historical event from that calendar date. Each article includes background context, key figures, a Did You Know section, a Quick Facts block, and an analysis of the lasting impact on the world. A short quiz at the end lets you test what you have learned.
All historical events, birthdays, and deaths are sourced from Wikipedia's On This Day archives. Wikipedia is one of the most thorough and regularly updated references for world history, covering events from ancient civilizations right through to the present day on every continent.
Yes. Use the calendar on this page to go to any date of the year. Clicking a date opens a page listing everything notable that happened on that day in history, from ancient times right through to recent decades.
History in 60 Seconds is a short video series published on YouTube Shorts. Each video tells the story of one historical event using archival imagery and narration. A new video goes up every day so you can keep up with this day in history wherever you are.
A new article and a new video are published every single day. The events calendar is always current with today's On This Day data from Wikipedia. Famous birthdays and notable deaths for the current date load every time you visit the site.
Yes, thisDay.info is completely free. There is no account, no subscription, and no paywall. Every article, video, event listing, and the full historical calendar are open to everyone and will stay that way.
Yes. Every date page includes a list of notable people born or who died on that day, with links to their Wikipedia biographies. You can also browse person pages on thisDay.info to read about the historical figures who appear in our daily articles.
thisDay.info covers all major topics in world history including wars and conflicts, political revolutions, scientific discoveries, space exploration, natural disasters, cultural milestones, and sporting achievements. Events range from ancient history through to the 21st century, covering every part of the world.
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