What Happened On
Attica Prison Riot Memorial in front of the prison
Photo Credit: Bronayur
Attica Prison Riot Memorial in front of the prisonPhoto Credit: Bronayur
Attica Prison Riot
September 9, 1971
1,200 prisoners revolt at a New York state prison killing a guard. State police were able to take back control of most of the prison later that day, but 1,281 prisoners occupied an exercise field where they held 39 hostages. Four days later, the police launched a raid using helicopters to drop tear gas on the yard and then fired 3,000 rounds into the haze. Ten hostages and 29 inmates were killed in the raid. It was initially claimed that the inmates slit the hostages' throats, but autopsies showed the hostages had been shot by police.
Elvis singing Ready Teddy
Elvis singing Ready Teddy
Elvis Presley on Ed Sullivan
September 9, 1956
Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, singing Don't Be Cruel, Love Me Tender, Ready Teddy, and Hound Dog. When Elvis sang Ready Teddy and began to dance, the camera zoomed in showing him only from the waist up. The show was viewed by 60.7 million viewers with an 82.6% share of the television audience, both television records at that time.
Ed Sullivan had previously vowed to never allow Elvis on his show due to his "obscene" dance moves. Sullivan finally relented after Elvis' success on other shows and paid him an unprecedented $50,000 for three appearances. Sullivan had previously refused an offer for Elvis to perform on his show for only $5,000.
Neither Sullivan nor Elvis were in the New York City studio for this episode. Sullivan was recovering from an automobile accident and Elvis' segments were telecast from California where he was filming his first movie Love Me Tender at the time.
Grace Hopper (3rd from left) at Univac I with three other programmers (1957) and log page with moth
Grace Hopper (3rd from left) at Univac I with three other programmers (1957) and log page with moth
First Computer Bug
September 9, 1947
A team led by Grace Hopper finds a moth trapped in a relay's contacts causing their computer to malfunction. Though the term "bug" had been used in engineering since the 1800s, this is the first recorded instance of a literal "computer bug." The moth can be seen in their log book at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.
Japanese pilot Fujita and his plane
Japanese pilot Fujita and his plane
WWII - Only Air Bombing Attacks on Continental U.S.
September 9, 1942
The first of the only two air raid attacks on the continental U.S. during WWII occurs when a Japanese plane drops two incendiary bombs near Brookings, Oregon in an attempt to start a forest fire. The plane had been launched from a Japanese submarine. A lookout saw the plane and the ensuing smoke and was sent along with others to put out the fire. The bomb was dropped from the wrong height and failed to cause any significant damage. On September 29, the same pilot flew another mission using Cape Blanco Light as a beacon. He dropped his bombs and reported seeing flames, but they were not noticed by U.S. personnel.
Twenty years later, the Japanese pilot, Nobuo Fujita, visited Brookings and served as Grand Marshal for the local Azalea Festival. At the festival, he presented his family's 400-year-old samurai sword to the city as a symbol of regret.
Dunlop on a bicycle with his tires
Dunlop on a bicycle with his tires
Pneumatic Rubber Tire
September 9, 1890
John Boyd Dunlop receives a patent for his pneumatic rubber tire (pressurized by air). Although, it was later discovered that the principle of the pneumatic tire had been patented in 1846. Dunlop originally developed pneumatic tires for his son's tricycle and soon had them made commercially in Scotland. A cyclist using his tires began winning all his races and drew the attention of Harvey Du Cros, who then went into business with Dunlop.
Earlier bicycle tires were iron bands on wooden wheels, followed later by solid rubber tires.
Hurricane Katrina
September 9, 2005
"Now tell me the truth boys, is this kind of fun?" - House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), to three young hurricane evacuees at the Houston Astrodome.
First Private Rocket
September 9, 1982
Conestoga I by Space Services Inc. successfully carries its payload into space.
Ashe in 1975
Photo Credit: Bogaerts, Rob / Anefo
Ashe in 1975Photo Credit: Bogaerts, Rob / Anefo
First Black Male to Win a Major Tennis Title
September 9, 1968
Arthur Ashe wins the men's singles division of the first U.S. Open championship.
George of the Jungle
September 9, 1967
The cartoon George of the Jungle debuts on ABC. "Watch out for that tree!" It ran for 17 episodes, with each episode featuring three unrelated cartoons: George of the Jungle, Tom Slick, and Super Chicken.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
September 9, 1965
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is established.
Dwight D. Eisenhower Signing the Civil Rights Act
Civil Rights Act of 1957
September 9, 1957
The U.S. Congress enacts the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Its purpose was to show the federal government's support for racial equality after the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. In 1957, only about 20% of blacks were registered to vote in the Southern United States, having been effectively disenfranchised by discriminatory voter registration rules and laws in those states. In a failed attempt to the block the bill, Senator Strom Thurmond sustained a filibuster of 24 hours and 18 minutes, the longest continuous one-person speaking filibuster in U.S. history. Thurmond read every U.S. state's election laws, excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, Washington's Farewell Address, and even Thurmond's grandmother's biscuit recipe.
This was the first federal civil rights legislation passed by the U.S. Congress since the Civil Rights Act of 1875.
World War II - Allied Invasion of the European Mainland
September 9, 1943
The Allies land in Italy, starting the first Allied invasion of the European mainland.
Boys Town
September 9, 1938
The movie Boys Town is released, starring Spencer Tracy as Father Flanagan. "There is no such thing as a bad boy." The film earned Tracy an Oscar. The Academy also created a special Oscar that was donated to the Boys Town orphanage, inscribed, "To Father Flanagan, whose great humanity, kindly simplicity, and inspiring courage were strong enough to shine through my humble effort. Spencer Tracy."
The American Bowling Congress
September 9, 1895
The American Bowling Congress is formed. Its purpose was to promote the sport.
California
September 9, 1850
California becomes the 31st state.
Bill of Rights
September 9, 1789
House of Representatives recommends the adoption by the states 12 amendments to the Constitution. Ten were adopted, becoming the Bill of Rights.
The Bill of Rights provides guarantees of personal freedoms and rights, clear limitations on the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, and explicit declarations that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved to the states or the people.
United States
September 9, 1776
The name "United States" is adopted by the Continental Congress. It replaced the previous term "United Colonies."
Birthdays
Photo Credit: Dave Stewart
Photo Credit: Dave Stewart
David Stewart (David Allan Stewart)
Born September 9, 1952
British Hall of Fame songwriter, singer with the Eurythmics. Music: Sweet Dreams (1982, #1).
Otis Redding
Born September 9, 1941 d. 1967
American singer, "The King of Soul." Music: (Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay (1968), his only Billboard #1, which was recorded two days before he died in a plane crash. The song was released after his death, becoming the first posthumously-released song to reach #1 on the U.S. charts.
KFC logo (1952-78)
KFC logo (1952-78)
Colonel Sanders (Harland David Sanders)
Born September 9, 1890 d. 1980
American restaurateur. Founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (1952). In 1930 Sanders began selling fried chicken and other food from a gas station. In 1939 he was dissatisfied with the 35 minutes it took to fry chicken in an iron frying pan. Since he believed deep frying lowered the quality, he came up with the idea of deep frying them in a pressure cooker, a new invention of the day. This could cook chicken as fast a deep fryer yet he felt it retained the quality of pan frying. The following year, he finalized his "Original Recipe" of 11 herbs and spices.
Bligh and his men being set adrift
Bligh and his men being set adrift
Mutiny On the Bounty
Captain Bligh (William Bligh)
Born September 9, 1754 d. 1817
English naval officer. The crew, led by Fletcher Christian, of the HMS Bounty mutinied (1789), setting Bligh and 18 of his men adrift. Bligh survived a 47-day 3,600-mile voyage to safety. Christian and the mutineers landed at Pitcairn Island where they lived out their lives.
Henry Thomas
Born September 9, 1971
American actor. Film: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982, Elliot).
Angela Cartwright
Born September 9, 1952
English-born actress. TV: Lost in Space (1965-68, Penny Robinson).
Tom Wopat
Born September 9, 1951
American actor. TV: Dukes of Hazzard (Luke Duke).
Joe Theismann
Born September 9, 1949
American football player.
Cliff Robertson
Born September 9, 1923 d. 2011
American Oscar-Emmy-winning actor. Film: PT-109 (1963, John F. Kennedy-he was handpicked for the role by the real JFK), Charly (1968, Oscar for his portrayal of a mentally handicapped person), and Spider-Man Trilogy (2002-07, Uncle Ben Parker).
"Jimmy the Greek" Snyder (Dimetrios Georgios Synodinos)
Born September 9, 1918 d. 1996
American oddsmaker. In 1988 he was fired by CBS for stating that blacks are better athletes due to selective breeding by slave owners.
Royal Earl House
Born September 9, 1814 d. 1895
American inventor. He patented a printing telegraph (1846), and was the first to use stranded wire for telegraph lines.
Deaths
Mao Tse-tung
Died September 9, 1976 b. 1893
Chinese Communist leader. "Founding Father" of the People's Republic of China and ruled as the Chairman of the Communist Party of China from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976.
James Earl Jones
Died September 9, 2024 b. 1931
American Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy-winning actor. Film: Dr. Strangelove (1964, Lt. Lothar Zogg), Star Wars (1977, voice of Darth Vader), and The Lion King (1994, voice of Mufasa). TV: Tarzan (1967-68, Chief Bella).
Edward Teller
Died September 9, 2003 b. 1908
Hungarian-born American physicist. He was the principal creator of the hydrogen bomb.
Ruth Roman (Norma Roman)
Died September 9, 1999 b. 1922
American actress. She played the title role in the 1945 thirteen-episode serial Jungle Queen. TV: Knots Landing (Sylvia Lean).
Burgess Meredith
Died September 9, 1997 b. 1907
American actor. TV: Batman (1966-68, The Penguin), The Twilight Zone (1959, Time Enough at Last - The book lover who finds himself blissfully alone with his books after a nuclear war). Film: Rocky (1976, Rocky Balboa's trainer Mickey). He was blacklisted from films by the Senator Joseph McCarthy hearings in the 1950s.
Patrick O'Neal
Died September 9, 1994 b. 1927
American actor of TV and film.
Helen O'Connell
Died September 9, 1993 b. 1920
American big band singer, popularized the songs Green Eyes, Tangerine, and I Remember You. She hosted the Miss Universe pageant for nine years.
Griffin in disguise as a black man
Griffin in disguise as a black man
Black Like Me
John Howard Griffin
Died September 9, 1980 b. 1920
American author. His best-seller Black Like Me (1961) was based on his travels through the South after chemically darkening his skin to appear as a black man.
Jack Leonard Warner
Died September 9, 1978 b. 1892
Canadian-American film executive. He and his brothers Harry, Sam, and Albert founded Warner Bros. Pictures (1923).
Consuelo Northrop Bailey
Died September 9, 1976 b. 1899
American lawyer, politician. First woman lieutenant governor (1955-57, Vermont).
In 1950, Bailey was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives and served as the first woman Speaker of the Vermont House (1953-55).
Spalding Sports Equipment
Albert Goodwill Spalding
Died September 9, 1915 b. 1850
American Hall of Fame baseball player. As manager of the Chicago club, he won the first National League Pennant (1876). He and his brother founded the sporting goods company bearing their name (1876).
Sir Humphrey Gilbert
Died September 9, 1583 b. circa 1539
English explorer, navigator. He established the first English colony in North America (1583, St. Johns, Newfoundland).
Banned Golf, But Later Became a Golfer Himself
James IV
Died September 9, 1513 b. 1473
King of Scotland (1488-1513). In 1491, he reaffirmed a ban on golf that had started in 1457 when James II banned golf and football to preserve the skills of archery. The ban was lifted in 1502 with the signing of the Treaty of Perpetual Peace between England and Scotland. James soon became a golfer himself and made the first recorded purchase of golf equipment, a set of golf clubs from a bow-maker in Perth.
William the Conqueror
Died September 9, 1087 b. circa 1027
King of England (1066-87).