On This Day in History – September 27

Major Events

• 1821 – Mexico formally gains independence from Spain after 11 years of conflict.
• 1905 – The physics journal Annalen der Physik publishes Albert Einstein’s paper introducing the equation E=mc².
• 1937 – The last Balinese rajah surrenders to Dutch colonial forces in Indonesia.
• 1939 – Warsaw surrenders to Nazi Germany during World War II.
• 1940 – Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact, creating the Axis Powers.
• 1964 – The Warren Commission report on President John F. Kennedy’s assassination is made public.
• 1996 – The Taliban capture Kabul, Afghanistan, and execute former president Mohammad Najibullah.
• 2008 – SpaceX launches Falcon 1 successfully into orbit, marking the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to achieve this milestone.
• 2015 – NASA confirms the presence of seasonal water flows on Mars.

Famous Birthdays

• 1722 – Samuel Adams, American Founding Father (d. 1803)
• 1840 – Thomas Nast, German-American political cartoonist (d. 1902)
• 1896 – Archibald Vivian Hill, English physiologist, Nobel laureate (d. 1977)
• 1918 – Martin Ryle, English radio astronomer, Nobel laureate (d. 1984)
• 1920 – William Conrad, American actor (d. 1994)
• 1922 – Arthur Penn, American director (d. 2010)
• 1927 – Jacques Chirac, President of France (d. 2019)
• 1932 – Oliver E. Williamson, American economist, Nobel laureate (d. 2020)
• 1936 – Don Cornelius, American TV host and producer (d. 2012)
• 1947 – Meat Loaf, American rock musician (d. 2022)
• 1972 – Gwyneth Paltrow, American actress
• 1984 – Avril Lavigne, Canadian singer-songwriter

Notable Deaths

• 1590 – Pope Urban VII (b. 1521)
• 1660 – Vincent de Paul, French Catholic priest and saint (b. 1581)
• 1917 – Edgar Degas, French painter (b. 1834)
• 1944 – Aimee Semple McPherson, Canadian-American evangelist (b. 1890)
• 1965 – Clara Bow, American actress (b. 1905)
• 1986 – Cliff Burton, American bassist for Metallica (b. 1962)
• 1991 – Dr. Seuss, American children’s author (b. 1904)
• 2010 – Arthur Penn, American film director (b. 1922)
• 2018 – Marty Balin, American singer-songwriter (b. 1942)

Holidays

• World Tourism Day (International)
• Meskel in Ethiopia and Eritrea
• French Community Holiday in Belgium
• Inventors’ Day in Argentina

Fun Facts

1. Einstein’s famous equation E=mc² was published on this date in 1905, changing our understanding of physics.
2. SpaceX’s Falcon 1 success paved the way for private space exploration and the rise of commercial spaceflight.
3. World Tourism Day is observed globally to promote sustainable tourism and cultural exchange.
4. The surrender of Warsaw in 1939 marked a major turning point in the early days of World War II.