Find out past events from the days of this week; births, deaths and important moments from all corners of the globe and all eras of history.
Sept. 5, 1977: NASA launched Voyager 1.
The Voyager probes were designed to explore Jupiter and Saturn, although they have since exceeded their mission goals and have gone on to study Uranus, Neptune and beyond. As of Sept. 5, 2023, Voyager 1 has been in operation for 46 years. It crossed into interstellar space in 2012 and has reached the farthest distance from Earth ever reached by any spacecraft. Some of Voyager 1’s notable discoveries have been a thin ring around Jupiter, the moons Metis and Thebe orbiting Jupiter, 5 moons orbiting Saturn, the G-Ring of Saturn and the moon Titan’s nitrogen atmosphere.
Sept. 6, 1757: The Marquis de Lafayette was born.
A French hero of the American Revolutionary War, Gilbert du Motier became a general at 19 years old after arriving in America and volunteering his noble name and fortune to the cause of independence. Having lost his father to war against the British, Lafayette felt sympathetic towards the revolutionaries. He became the close protege of George Washington, quickly gaining fame as a military genius and capable general. He returned to France following the American victory, where he worked alongside Thomas Jefferson to pen the first draft of the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen,” a document designed to protect the rights of French citizens, just before the outbreak of the French Revolution. He toured the United States in 1824 at the invitation of James Madison and was received by multitudes of adoring crowds wherever he went, with many cities being named in his honor. Lafayette died at age 76 on May 20, 1834, and was buried in Paris beneath soil collected from Bunker Hill.
Sept. 7, 1630: The City of Boston, Massachusetts was founded by Puritan settlers.
A group of Puritan colonists arrived in Salem in 1630, led by the future governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony, John Winthrop. Looking for fresh water, they made their way to the Shawmut Peninsula and settled there, founding Boston shortly thereafter. The first American public school, the Boston Latin School, was opened in 1635. Boston would become a principal element during the years before and after the American Revolutionary War, with infamous events such as the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party taking place. Today, Boston is the 24th largest city in the United States and is best known for its many universities, including Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Sept. 8, 1966: American sci-fi television series “Star Trek” premiered on NBC.
Created by Gene Roddenberry, “Star Trek” was set in the 23rd century and strived to depict a hopeful vision of the future of humanity, with no poverty, prejudice or war. It starred William Shatner as Captain Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock and DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy. The show was progressive for its time, featuring Lt. Uhura, a respected Black woman, in the middle of the Civil Rights movement; Lt. Sulu, a Japanese-American officer, in the midst of anti-Japanese sentiment following World War II; and Ensign Chekov, a Russian officer, during the Cold War. Although it was canceled after just three seasons, fans of the show propelled it into global fame and many sequel films were made, alongside incredibly popular spin-off series like “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”
Sept. 9, 1828: Russian author Leo Tolstoy was born.
Lev Nikolayevich, Count Tolstoy, was born a noble in the Russian Empire as the fourth of five children. His mother, father and grandmother all died when he was a child, leaving him and his siblings in the care of their aunts. A troubled but clever youth, he joined the military in 1851 and notably participated in the Crimean War (1853-1856). Tolstoy would eventually become a celebrated novelist of realistic and historical fiction, which he would embed with historical commentary and philosophy. He also wrote short stories and nonfiction essays. He remains a world-renowned author today, with “War and Peace” (1869) and “Anna Karenina” (1877) being among his most famous works. He died at age 82 on Nov. 20, 1910.
Sept. 10, 602: Chinese Empress Consort Wenxian died.
Born in 544 to the noble family of General Dugu Xin under the rule of the Western Wei dynasty, Dugu Qieluo was married to young Yang Jian in 557. Yang Jiang would go on to become the first emperor of the Sui dynasty (581-618), a short-lived dynasty that reunified China after the Period of Disunion (220-589), under the reign name Wen. His relationship with his wife is unique due to its nearly monogamous nature at a time when it was common for husbands, especially emperors, to have many concubines to bear their heirs. Dugu Qieluo bore all of the emperor’s ten children. Emperor Wen and Empress Wenxian had a close relationship and she was deeply involved in the ruling of the empire, acting as a trusted advisor. Her second son succeeded his father in becoming the second and last emperor of the Sui under the reign name Yang.
Sept. 11, 600: Yuknoom Ch’een II, Mayan ruler, was born.
Yuknoom Ch’een II, also known as Yuknoom the Great, ruled Calakmul at the height of its power from 636 to 686 C.E. and is seen as the greatest monarch of the Classic Period of Maya Civilization (250-900 CE). Calakmul, located in modern Campeche, Mexico, was the capital city of the Kaan kingdom of the Maya civilization. Today, the location is considered a UNESCO World Heritage site. His reign is marked by conflicts with Calakmul’s greatest rival, Tikal, and various alliances. He died in his eighties, having led many successful military campaigns, and was succeeded by his son Yuknoom Yich’aak K’ahk, who ruled only for a short time before being defeated in battle by the Tikal. Following that defeat, Calakmul was never able to recover its power and prestige.
Sept. 12, 1953: John F. Kennedy married Jackeline Lee Bouvier.
Future U.S. President and First Lady were married in Newport, Rhode Island in a ceremony with over 800 guests. The two met at a dinner party in May of 1952 and were engaged shortly after. The two were married for ten years until the death of President Kennedy. The couple had four children, two of which died in infancy. Beloved as a young and sociable First Lady, Jackie Kennedy was a supporter of the arts and was celebrated as a fashion icon who guided the renovation of the White House. President Kennedy was the first Roman Catholic President, sworn in on Jan. 20, 1961. He was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas while on a motorcar parade with his wife, making Jackeline a widow at age 34.
