On This Day in History – September 24

Major Events

• 622 – The Islamic calendar begins with the migration (Hijra) of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina.
• 1789 – The U.S. Congress passes the Judiciary Act, establishing the Supreme Court and federal judiciary system.
• 1869 – “Black Friday” occurs when a gold market collapse in the United States triggers financial panic.
• 1906 – President Theodore Roosevelt proclaims Devils Tower in Wyoming as the first U.S. National Monument.
• 1948 – The Honda Motor Company is founded in Japan.
• 1960 – The first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise, is launched in Newport News, Virginia.
• 1964 – Warren Commission report on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is presented to President Lyndon B. Johnson.
• 1979 – CompuServe begins offering the first consumer internet service, including email.
• 1996 – The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is signed by 71 nations at the United Nations.
• 2015 – World leaders adopt the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• 2019 – Global climate strikes take place in over 150 countries, inspired by youth-led movements.

Famous Birthdays

• 1896 – F. Scott Fitzgerald, American novelist (d. 1940)
• 1898 – Howard Florey, Australian pathologist, Nobel laureate (d. 1968)
• 1911 – Konstantin Chernenko, Soviet politician (d. 1985)
• 1921 – Jim McKay, American sportscaster (d. 2008)
• 1930 – John W. Young, American astronaut (d. 2018)
• 1936 – Jim Henson, American puppeteer and creator of The Muppets (d. 1990)
• 1942 – Linda McCartney, American photographer and musician (d. 1998)
• 1951 – Pedro Almodóvar, Spanish film director
• 1957 – Brad Bird, American filmmaker
• 1961 – John Logan, American screenwriter and playwright
• 1964 – Kevin Sorbo, American actor
• 1982 – Erik Gudbranson, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1987 – Spencer Treat Clark, American actor
• 1991 – Sarah Hyland, American actress

Notable Deaths

• 1180 – Louis VII, King of France (b. 1120)
• 1902 – Levi Strauss, German-American businessman and inventor (b. 1829)
• 1940 – Eduard Buchner, German chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1860)
• 1948 – Hans Geiger, German physicist and inventor of the Geiger counter (b. 1882)
• 1970 – Erich Maria Remarque, German novelist (b. 1898)
• 1991 – Dr. Seuss, American children’s author (b. 1904)
• 1993 – Bruno Pontecorvo, Italian physicist (b. 1913)
• 2003 – Gordon Jump, American actor (b. 1932)
• 2007 – André Gorz, Austrian-French philosopher (b. 1923)
• 2014 – Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, English aristocrat and author (b. 1920)
• 2020 – Juliet Sorci, American actress (b. 1979)

Holidays

• Heritage Day in South Africa
• Republic Day in Trinidad and Tobago
• Mahidol Day in Thailand
• Armed Forces Day in Peru

Fun Facts

1. Devils Tower was the very first U.S. National Monument, established in 1906.
2. CompuServe’s 1979 consumer service offered early email and news services, a precursor to the modern internet.
3. F. Scott Fitzgerald, born on this day, penned The Great Gatsby, now considered an American classic.
4. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals replaced the Millennium Development Goals, with a 2030 completion target.