September 27 marks a day of significant historical milestones across centuries. From pivotal political appointments and declarations of independence to groundbreaking launches and cultural moments, this date has witnessed events that shaped nations and industries. Notable figures were born and lost, leaving lasting legacies. What specific events defined this day, and how did they influence the course of history? Explore further to uncover the impactful stories tied to September 27.
History
Major Historical Events
1779 – John Adams Appointed to Negotiate Peace: On this day, the Continental Congress appointed John Adams as a commissioner to negotiate peace with Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War.
Adams, who later became the second President of the United States, played a key role in shaping the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the war in 1783.
1821 – Mexican Independence Achieved: Mexico officially gained independence from Spain when the Army of the Three Guarantees entered Mexico City.
This event marked the culmination of an 11-year struggle for freedom, led by figures like Miguel Hidalgo and Agustín de Iturbide, and established Mexico as a sovereign nation.
1938 – Launch of the RMS Queen Elizabeth: The ocean liner RMS Queen Elizabeth was launched in Clydebank, Scotland, by Cunard Line.
Named after Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother), it became one of the largest and most luxurious passenger ships of its time, serving both as a transatlantic liner and a troopship during World War II.
1964 – Warren Commission Report Released: The Warren Commission, tasked with investigating the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, released its report to the public.
The commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the killing, though the findings remain a subject of debate and conspiracy theories to this day.
1998 – Google’s Official Founding: Google was incorporated as a privately held company on September 27, though its search engine had been operational since earlier that month.
Founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University, this marked the beginning of one of the most influential tech companies in history.
Famous Birthdays
1722 – Samuel Adams: Born on this day in Boston, Massachusetts, Samuel Adams was a key figure in the American Revolution.
A fervent advocate for independence, he helped organize the Boston Tea Party and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, later serving as governor of Massachusetts.
1840 – Thomas Nast: Thomas Nast, a German-born American cartoonist, was born on September 27.
Often called the “Father of the American Cartoon,” he is best known for his political cartoons during the Civil War era and for creating the modern image of Santa Claus as a jolly, bearded figure.
1924 – Bud Powell: Jazz pianist and composer Bud Powell was born in Harlem, New York.
A pioneer of bebop, Powell’s innovative style influenced countless musicians, and despite personal struggles, he left an indelible mark on modern jazz with recordings like “Un Poco Loco.”
1982 – Lil Wayne: Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., known professionally as Lil Wayne, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
A Grammy-winning rapper, he rose to fame with albums like “Tha Carter III” and became a major influence in hip-hop, known for his distinctive voice and prolific output.
Notable Deaths
1590 – Pope Urban VII: Pope Urban VII passed away on this day in Rome, just 13 days after his election as pope, making his reign one of the shortest in papal history.
His brief tenure left little impact, though he is noted for early anti-smoking measures within the Church.
1917 – Edgar Degas: French Impressionist painter and sculptor Edgar Degas died in Paris at the age of 83.
Renowned for his depictions of ballet dancers and everyday life, Degas contributed greatly to the Impressionist movement with his innovative use of composition and light.
1956 – Babe Didrikson Zaharias: American athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias passed away at 45 in Galveston, Texas.
A multi-sport star, she excelled in golf, basketball, and track and field, winning two gold medals at the 1932 Olympics and becoming a trailblazer for women in sports.
2003 – Donald O’Connor: Actor, singer, and dancer Donald O’Connor died on September 27 at age 78 in Calabasas, California.
Best remembered for his role in “Singin’ in the Rain,” particularly the iconic “Make ‘Em Laugh” sequence, he was a versatile performer in Hollywood’s Golden Age.
2016 – Shimon Peres: Israeli statesman Shimon Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, passed away at 93 in Tel Aviv.
Serving as both president and prime minister of Israel, Peres was instrumental in the Oslo Accords and dedicated his life to peace efforts in the Middle East.
Today in Music History
1964 – The Beach Boys on The Ed Sullivan Show: The Beach Boys made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing their hit song “I Get Around.”
This exposure helped solidify their status as one of America’s most popular bands during the surf rock era.
1979 – Elton John Collapses Onstage: During a concert at the Hollywood Universal Amphitheatre, Elton John collapsed due to exhaustion while performing “Better Off Dead.”
The incident highlighted the intense physical toll of his rigorous touring schedule at the time.
1990 – Marvin Gaye’s Hollywood Star: Marvin Gaye was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on this day.
Known as the “Prince of Motown,” his contributions to soul music with hits like “What’s Going On” continue to resonate with fans worldwide.
Today in Sports History
1923 – Lou Gehrig’s First MLB Home Run: New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig hit his first Major League Baseball home run on September 27 against the Boston Red Sox.
This marked the beginning of a storied career that saw him become one of baseball’s greatest players.
1950 – Ezzard Charles Defends Heavyweight Title: Boxer Ezzard Charles successfully defended his world heavyweight title by knocking out Joe Louis in a 15-round bout at Yankee Stadium.
This fight marked a symbolic passing of the torch from Louis, a boxing icon, to Charles.
1983 – America’s Cup Ends U.S. Dominance: For the first time in 132 years, the United States lost the America’s Cup yacht race when Australia II defeated Liberty off the coast of Newport, Rhode Island.
This historic upset ended the longest winning streak in sports history.
1992 – Nigel Mansell Wins Formula 1 Championship: British driver Nigel Mansell clinched the Formula 1 World Championship on this day, becoming the first Briton to win the title in 16 years.
His dominant season with Williams included a record-breaking number of wins.
Today in Military and Naval History
1777 – Battle of Germantown Planned: During the American Revolutionary War, General George Washington finalized plans for the Battle of Germantown on this day, an attack on British forces near Philadelphia.
Though the battle, fought a week later, was a tactical loss, it demonstrated American resolve.
1940 – Tripartite Pact Signed: Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact in Berlin, formally creating the Axis Powers alliance during World War II.
This agreement solidified their mutual military support and opposition to the Allied forces.
1954 – USS Nautilus Commissioned: The USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, was commissioned by the U.S. Navy on this day.
This groundbreaking vessel marked a new era in naval technology, capable of extended underwater missions.
Today in Tech and Science History
1905 – Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity Published: Albert Einstein’s groundbreaking paper on the theory of special relativity was published on September 27 in the journal Annalen der Physik.
Introducing the famous equation E=mc², it revolutionized modern physics by redefining concepts of space and time.
1998 – Google Search Engine Goes Live: While Google was officially incorporated earlier in the month, its search engine domain was registered and became operational around this date.
This marked the humble beginning of a tool that would transform how the world accesses information.
2008 – SpaceX Falcon 1 Success: SpaceX achieved the first successful launch of its Falcon 1 rocket, becoming the first privately funded company to send a liquid-fueled rocket into orbit.
This milestone, overseen by Elon Musk, paved the way for future space exploration innovations.
Today in Art, Literature, and Culture
1540 – Society of Jesus (Jesuits) Founded: Pope Paul III officially approved the founding of the Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, on this day.
Established by Ignatius of Loyola, this religious order became influential in education, missionary work, and the arts during the Counter-Reformation.
1937 – First Santa Claus Training School Opens: In Albion, New York, the first-ever Santa Claus training school opened on September 27 to prepare individuals for the holiday season.
This quirky cultural milestone aimed to professionalize the role of Santa in department stores and events.
1954 – The Tonight Show Premieres: The iconic late-night talk show “The Tonight Show” premiered on NBC with host Steve Allen.
It became a cultural institution, shaping television entertainment and launching the careers of numerous comedians and performers.
1975 – The Rocky Horror Picture Show Released: The cult classic film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” premiered in the United States on this day.
Starring Tim Curry, the movie initially flopped but later gained a massive following through midnight screenings and audience participation.
Funny & Weird Historical Facts
1822 – Jean-François Champollion Deciphers Rosetta Stone: On this day, French scholar Jean-François Champollion announced he had deciphered the Rosetta Stone, deciphering the secrets of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Weirdly, his obsession with the stone began at age 11, when he vowed to crack its code.
1903 – First Motorcycle Speed Record Attempt: On September 27, a bizarre early attempt at a motorcycle speed record occurred when Glenn Curtiss rode a self-built bike at 64 miles per hour in Yonkers, New York.
Oddly, his bike was powered by a tomato can repurposed as a carburetor.
1962 – Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring Published: Rachel Carson’s environmental book “Silent Spring” was released on this day, sparking the modern environmental movement.
Curiously, the title was inspired by a creepy vision of a world without birdsong due to pesticide overuse.
Today in History for Kids
1821 – Mexico Becomes a Country: A long time ago, on this day, Mexico became its own country after fighting for freedom from Spain.
Imagine a big celebration in Mexico City as people cheered for their new nation with colorful flags and music!
1905 – Einstein’s Big Idea: A super-smart scientist named Albert Einstein shared an amazing idea on September 27 about how time and space work together.
His idea, called relativity, helps us understand the universe, kind of like solving a giant puzzle!
1954 – A Funny TV Show Starts: A show called “The Tonight Show” started on TV on this day, where funny people talk and make everyone laugh late at night.
It’s like a bedtime story, but with jokes instead of fairy tales!
1998 – Google Begins: A tool called Google started on this day to help people find anything on the internet.
Think of it like a magic library where you can ask any question and get an answer super fast!
Today in History Trivia & Interesting Facts
Did You Know? – Shortest Papal Reign: Pope Urban VII, who died on September 27, 1590, holds the record for the shortest papal reign in history at just 13 days.
His election was so brief that he didn’t even have time to be officially crowned.
Did You Know? – Google’s Garage Start: When Google was founded around September 27, 1998, it operated out of a garage in Menlo Park, California.
The garage belonged to Susan Wojcicki, who later became a key executive at the company and YouTube.
Did You Know? – RMS Queen Elizabeth’s Secret Role: Launched on this day in 1938, the RMS Queen Elizabeth later served as a troopship in World War II, painted gray to avoid detection, and carried thousands of soldiers across the Atlantic in secret missions.
Did You Know? – Einstein’s Late Bloomer Myth: Though Albert Einstein published his theory of relativity on September 27, 1905, the myth that he was a slow learner as a child persists.
In reality, he was a gifted student who mastered complex math at a young age.
Did You Know? – Rocky Horror’s Odd Start: When “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” premiered on September 27, 1975, it was a box office flop.
Its weird, campy style only gained fame years later thanks to fans dressing up and singing along at late-night showings.