On This Day in History – September 18

Major Events

• 1793 — George Washington lays the cornerstone of the United States Capitol, marking a symbolic start to the federal city’s permanent seat of government.
• 1810 — Chile’s First Government Junta convenes in Santiago, launching the independence process from Spain (celebrated today as Chile’s Independence Day).
• 1851 — The first issue of the “New-York Daily Times” is published; it will later become The New York Times.
• 1870 — The Washburn–Langford–Doane expedition records and popularizes Old Faithful geyser in present-day Yellowstone, helping spur U.S. conservation and park creation.
• 1931 — The Mukden Incident occurs in Manchuria, providing Japan a pretext to invade and occupy the region and reshaping East Asian geopolitics.
• 1947 — The U.S. National Security Act takes effect, creating the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Council, and the United States Air Force.
• 1977 — Voyager 1 captures the first single frame showing the Earth and Moon together, a perspective-setting image in the early age of planetary exploration.
• 1981 — France’s National Assembly votes to abolish the death penalty, a landmark in European human rights legislation.
• 1988 — A military coup in Burma (Myanmar) installs the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), ending the 8888 Uprising and ushering in years of military rule.
• 2014 — Scotland’s independence referendum records a historic turnout; voters choose to remain in the United Kingdom, shaping subsequent constitutional debates across Britain.

Famous Birthdays

• Trajan (Roman emperor, 53–117) — Expansionist ruler under whom the Roman Empire reached its greatest territorial extent.
• Samuel Johnson (English writer and lexicographer, 1709–1784) — Author of “A Dictionary of the English Language.”
• Léon Foucault (French physicist, 1819–1868) — Demonstrated Earth’s rotation with the Foucault Pendulum.
• Greta Garbo (Swedish-American actress, 1905–1990) — Iconic star of classic cinema.
• Jack Warden (American actor, 1920–2006) — Character actor known for film and television.
• Frankie Avalon (American singer and actor, b. 1940) — Teen idol of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
• James Gandolfini (American actor, 1961–2013) — Emmy-winning star of “The Sopranos.”
• Aisha Tyler (American actress and host, b. 1970) — Performer and director across TV and gaming culture.
• Jada Pinkett Smith (American actress and producer, b. 1971) — Film and television performer and entrepreneur.
• Jason Sudeikis (American actor and comedian, b. 1975) — Emmy-winning star and co-creator of “Ted Lasso.”
• Ronaldo Nazário (Brazilian footballer, b. 1976) — Two-time World Cup winner and Ballon d’Or recipient.

Notable Deaths

• Domitian (Roman emperor) — Died 96; born 51.
• Louis VII of France (king of France) — Died 1180; born 1120.
• Leonhard Euler (Swiss mathematician) — Died 1783; born 1707.
• Dag Hammarskjöld (UN Secretary-General) — Died 1961; born 1905.
• Sean O’Casey (Irish playwright) — Died 1964; born 1880.
• Jimi Hendrix (American guitarist and songwriter) — Died 1970; born 1942.
• Katherine Anne Porter (American author) — Died 1980; born 1890.
• Santiago Carrillo (Spanish politician) — Died 2012; born 1915.
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg (U.S. Supreme Court Justice) — Died 2020; born 1933.
• Jean-Jacques Sempé (French cartoonist, “Le Petit Nicolas”) — Died 2022; born 1932.

Holidays

• Chile — Independence Day (Fiestas Patrias).
• International Equal Pay Day — Global observance promoting pay equity (UN-recognized date).
• World Bamboo Day — International observance promoting bamboo’s sustainability.
• United States — U.S. Air Force Birthday (established 1947).
• United States — National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day.

Fun Facts

• The U.S. Air Force marks its official birthday on September 18, tied to the National Security Act taking effect in 1947.
• The New York Times began life as the “New-York Daily Times” on this date in 1851.
• Old Faithful’s fame traces to a September 18 expedition account; while “faithful,” its intervals vary and have lengthened slightly over time.
• Voyager 1’s Earth-and-Moon portrait (1977) helped popularize the idea of Earth as a small, shared home in space.
• Chile’s Fiestas Patrias typically span multiple days of parades, cueca dancing, and asados, making it one of Latin America’s liveliest national celebrations.