Today is Wednesday, September 18, the 262nd day of 2024. There are 104 days left in the year.
Today in History:
On September 18, 2020, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a powerful champion of women’s rights who became the court’s second female justice, died at his home in Washington at age 87 of complications from pancreatic cancer.
Also this date:
In 1793, President George Washington laid the cornerstone of the US Capitol.
In 1850, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, which created a force of federal commissioners responsible for returning runaway slaves to their owners.
In 1851, the first edition of The New York Times was published.
In 1947, the National Security Act went into effect, creating a national military establishment and the position of Secretary of Defense.
In 1961, UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold (dahg HAWM’-ahr-shoold) was killed in a plane crash in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).
In 1970, rock star Jimi Hendrix died in London at the age of 27.
In 1975, newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst was captured by the FBI in San Francisco, 19 months after being kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army.
In 2014, voters in Scotland rejected independence and chose to remain part of the United Kingdom in a historic referendum.
Today’s birthdays:
- Hockey Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman is 91 years old.
- Singer Frankie Avalon is 84 years old.
- The actor Anna Deavere Smith is 74 years old.
- Neurosurgeon, author and politician Ben Carson is 73 years old.
- Basketball Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino is 72 years old.
- Late. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is 70.
- Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Šťastný is 68 years old.
- Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is 65 years old.
- Actor Holly Robinson Peete is 60 years old.
- R&B singer Ricky Bell (Bell Biv Devoe, New Edition) is 57 years old.
- Basketball Hall of Famer Toni Kukoč is 56 years old.
- Actress Aisha Tyler is 54.
- Actress Jada Pinkett Smith is 53.
- Actor James Marsden is 51 years old.
- Rapper TV host Xzibit is 50 years old.
- Comedian-actor Jason Sudeikis is 49 years old.
- Former soccer player Ronaldo is 48 years old.
- TV host Sara Haines is 47.
- Actor/comedian Billy Eichner is 46 years old.
- Rapper Dizzee Rascal is 40 years old.
- Country singer Tae Kerr (Maddie and Tae) is 29.
- The soccer player Christian Pulisic is 26 years old.