September 19th
- Today in 1676,rebels under Nathaniel Bacon set Jamestown, Virginia on fireduring Bacon’s Rebellion.
- Today in 1777,during the Revolutionary War, American soldierswon the first Battle of Saratoga.
- Today in 1796,President Washington's farewell addresswas published. In it, the first chief executive of the U.S. advised, "Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all."
- Today in 1849,the first commercial laundrywas established in Oakland, California.
- Today in 1881,President James Garfielddied in Elberon, New Jerseyof gunshot wounds inflicted July 2ndby a disgruntled office-seeker. Vice President Chester Arthur was sworn in as his successor.
- Today in 1959,Soviet Prime Minister Nikita Krushchevbecame angry when he was told that he couldn’t visit Disneylandin LA because of security problems. He was allowed to visit a movie set and an Iowa farm.
- Today in 1962,the TV show "The Virginian," the first 90-minute western series,began its nine-year run on NBC.
- Today in 1964,the TV adventure show, "Flipper,"debuted on NBC.
- Today in 1964,Randy Wicker, Jefferson Poland, and eight other members of the Sexual Freedom League, six of them straight,gathered outside the army's induction centerat 39 Whitehall Street in New York City to protest the armed forces's anti-gay discrimination and complicity in witch hunts. Their voices were for the most part ignored that day, but we all know that in the end they won: the army's official discrimination against gay and lesbian members ended in 2011. While we're on the subject of Whitehall Street induction center, here's some bonus history: the location became so notorious during the Vietnam draft that it found its way into Arlo Guthrie's classic "Alice's Restaurant": "They got a building down New York City, it's called Whitehall Street/Where you walk in, you get injected, inspected, detected, infected/Neglected and selected." The center was such a symbol of military might that it became a target for an anti-war bombings in 1968 and 1969. The damage was minimal, but the centermoved to Varick Streetin 1972.
- Today in 1970,"The Mary Tyler Moore Show"was seen for the first time on CBS-TV.
- Today in 1975,theFBI arrested newspaper heiress Patti Hearst in San Francisco, 19 months after she’d been kidnapped and “brainwashed” by the Symbionese Liberation Army. She was charged with bank robbery and sentenced to 7 years in prison. She served only two, and was then pardoned by President Jimmy Carter.
- Today in 1984,TV's "Highway To Heaven,"debuted on NBC.
- Today in 1985,the Mexico City areawas struck by an earthquakemeasuring at a magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter scale, the first of two devastating quakes that claimed some 6,000 lives.
- Today in 1989,a Paris-bound DC-10 belonging to the French airline UTA disappearedafter a stopover in Chad while carrying 170 people. (The plane's wreckage was found the next day in Niger; a bomb was believed responsible.)
- Today in 1994,"ER"premiered on NBC.
- Today in 1995,the “New York Times” and “Washington Post”published the Unabomber's manifesto.
- Today in 1996,IBMannounced it would extend health benefits to the partners of its gay and lesbian employees.
- Today in 1997,the movie, "L.A. Confidential," starring Kevin Spacey and Russell Crowe,opened in theaters nationwide.
- Today in 1999,the TV show, “Judging Amy,”premiered on CBS.
- Today in 2002,around 750 rebel soldiersattempted to overthrow the government on the Ivory Coast. U.S. troops landed on September 25thto help move foreigners – including Americans – to safer areas.
- Today in 2008,Greg Madduxpitched his 5,000thcareer inning against San Francisco Giants.
- Today in 2008,in its efforts to stave off financial catastrophe,the Bush administration laid out a radical bailout plancalling for a takeover of a half-trillion dollars or more in worthless mortgages and other bad debt held by tottering institutions. Relieved investors sent stocks soaring on Wall Street and around the globe.
- Today in 2011,Ashton Kutcher debuted on "Two and a Half Men", replacing Charlie Sheen –and drew big viewer numbers in the process.
- Today in 2016,a aid convoy into Urum al-Kubra, Syriaattacked by a government air strike.
- Today in 2017,a 1 earthquakesouth east of Mexico City killed over 300.
- Today in 2017,we got a new MLB record for most home runs in a season, no. 5,694hit by Alex Gordon of the Kansas City Royals.
- Today in 2017,President Donald Trumpaddressed the United Nations vowing to “totally destroy North Korea”if threatens the US.