This Week in History: Week 39

September 23 – September 29

Over 105 historical moments took place during these 7 days of the calendar year. Explore our curated digest of the most world-changing events, iconic births, and notable deaths.

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Major Events (September 23 – September 29)(20)

1962 – 2019

1962⚡ Event

North Yemen Civil War Begins

The North Yemen Civil War began when Abdullah al-Sallal declared Yemen a republic.

warpolitics

1964⚡ Event

Warren Commission report released

The Warren Commission released its report to the U.S. president, concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

politicslaw

1975⚡ Event

First ascent of Mount Everest's Southwest Face

Dougal Haston and Doug Scott became the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest by ascending its Southwest Face.

exploration

1977⚡ Event

First Modern Chicago Marathon Held

About 4,200 people took part in the first modern Chicago Marathon.

sports

1981⚡ Event

Sandra Day O'Connor Appointed to Supreme Court

Sandra Day O'Connor became the first female justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

politicslaw

1983⚡ Event

Maze Prison escape

Thirty-eight Provisional Irish Republican Army prisoners hijacked a meals lorry and escaped from HM Prison Maze in Northern Ireland. This was one of the largest prison escapes in British history.

politicslaw

1983⚡ Event

Stanislav Petrov False Alarm

Soviet lieutenant colonel Stanislav Petrov averted a potential nuclear war by correctly identifying a missile attack warning as a false alarm.

politicswartechnology

1990⚡ Event

Ram Rath Yatra begins

The Ram Rath Yatra, a political-religious rally, began in Gujarat, India. It was organized to erect a temple to the Hindu deity Rama on the site of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

politicsreligion

1992⚡ Event

Oba Chandler arrested for triple murder

Oba Chandler was arrested for a triple murder in Florida, three years after the crime, when his neighbor identified handwriting samples from local billboards.

law

1993⚡ Event

Norodom Sihanouk becomes King of Cambodia

Norodom Sihanouk became King of Cambodia with the restoration of the monarchy after a 23-year interregnum.

politics

2002⚡ Event

Firefox Web Browser Released

The first version of the web browser Firefox was released by the Mozilla Organization.

technologyentertainment

2008⚡ Event

Kauhajoki School Shooting

A gunman shot and killed ten students at the Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences in Finland. The perpetrator then committed suicide.

disaster

2008⚡ Event

Yves Rossy English Channel Flight

Swiss pilot and inventor Yves Rossy flew across the English Channel using a jet-powered wingpack.

technologyexploration

2010⚡ Event

Teresa Lewis Executed in Virginia

Teresa Lewis became the first woman executed by Virginia since 1912. She was also the first woman in the state to be executed via lethal injection.

law

2010⚡ Event

Linda Norgrove Kidnapping

Scottish aid worker Linda Norgrove and three Afghan colleagues were kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

politicswar

2014⚡ Event

Ayotzinapa Students Disappearance

Forty-three students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College in Mexico were kidnapped.

politicslaw

2016⚡ Event

German Rape Law Reforms

Following several high-profile sexual assaults, Germany enacted significant reforms to strengthen its rape laws. These changes aimed to provide greater protection and justice for victims.

lawpolitics

2016⚡ Event

Ecnomiohyla rabborum Extinction

The Ecnomiohyla rabborum frog species became extinct when the last known individual died in captivity.

2019⚡ Event

Thomas Cook Group Ceases Operations

The British travel company Thomas Cook Group ceased operations with immediate effect. This left approximately 600,000 tourists stranded worldwide.

economicsdisaster

2019⚡ Event

UK Supreme Court rules Parliament prorogation unlawful

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom unanimously ruled that advice given by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Queen Elizabeth II that Parliament should be prorogued was unlawful.

politicslaw