September 20 is the 263rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 102 days remain until the end of the year.
We have some interesting facts & historic events all about September 20th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about September 20th in history!
Table of Contents
Global Celebrations
- National Punch Day
- National Wife Appreciation Day
Historic Events
What Happened On This Day – September 20
2011: The official US military policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell” ends
The policy was instituted by the administration of Bill Clinton in 1994. Under the policy, openly gay personnel were not allowed to serve in the United States military, but they could serve as long as they did not reveal their LGBT status.
2001: American President, George W. Bush Declares War on Terror
The global military campaign against terrorism was first declared in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the United States. The phrase was used by President Bush in a speech given to the United States Congress.
1984: The Cosby Show Airs for the First Time
The popular television sitcom followed the lives of a Brooklyn-based African-American family called the Huxtables. The show ran for 8 years on NBC and was largely based on the stand up comedy of Bill Cosby, who played the role of Heathcliff “Cliff” Huxtable, the father in the show.
1973: Billie Jean King Wins the Battle of the Sexes
The mixed gender tennis match between top tennis player Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King was held in Houston, Texas after Riggs won another mixed gender match against Margaret Court earlier in the year. The matches were prompted by Riggs’ comments that even at an age of 55, he could beat any female tennis player. King beat Riggs and took home the $100,000 prize money. The match was and still is one of the most viewed tennis matches on television – it was watched by about 90 million people around the world.
1904: Wilbur Wright Makes the First Circular Flight
Wright, who with his brother Orville, is credited for inventing the first airplane, made a complete circle in 1 minute and 16 seconds on the Wright Flyer II.
1954: John Backus and his team at IBM ran the first FORTRAN program. FORTRAN stands for FORmula TRANslation and was the first high-level language and compiler developed.
1962: 20 Sept 1962- the Ford Cortina Mk1 was launched
On this day in 2005: Thefacebook shortens its name to Facebook.
1904: Sept 20th, 1904, Orville & Wilbur Wright fly a circle in their Flyer II.
Aviation was a subject of interest to Mr. Hearst, who had purchased a glider designed by Otto Lilienthal; Lilienthal’s work was instrumental to the Wright brothers invention.
Aviation was a subject of interest to Mr. Hearst, who had purchased a glider designed by Otto Lilienthal; Lilienthal’s work was instrumental to the Wright brothers invention.
1906: The ocean liner RMS Mauretania afloat after her launch from the Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson shipyard, located in Wallsend in modern-day Tyne & Wear, north-east England | 20th September 1906
Famous Birthdays
Births On This Day, September 20
1984: Brian Joubert, French figure skater
1975: Juan Pablo Montoya, Colombian race car driver
1948: George R. R. Martin, American screenwriter, author
1934: Sophia Loren, Italian actress
1899: Leo Strauss, German/American philosopher
Heartbreaking Deaths
Deaths On This Day, September 20
2005: Simon Wiesenthal, Austrian Holocaust survivor
2004: Brian Clough, English footballer, manager
1973: Jim Croce, American singer-songwriter
1933: Annie Besant, English activist, author
1930: Gombojab Tsybikov, Russian explorer