✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 260th day of the year

September 17

A look at September 17 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Narendra Modi and Damon Hill, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2001

    George W. Bush

    George W. Bush, president of the United States, delivers remarks at the Islamic Center of Washington praising Muslim Americans and condemning Islamophobia in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

    President of the United
  2. 1991

    Estonia

    Estonia, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia join the United Nations.

    Country in Northern Europe
  3. 1939

    World War II

    World War II: The Soviet invasion of Poland begins.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  4. 1914

    Andrew Fisher

    Andrew Fisher becomes Prime Minister of Australia for the third time.

    Australian prime minister (1862–1928)
  5. 1862

    American Civil War

    American Civil War: George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac halts the first invasion of the North by Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia in the single-day Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American military history.

    1861–1865 conflict in the
  6. 1849

    Harriet Tubman

    American abolitionist Harriet Tubman makes her first attempt to escape from slavery.

    African-American abolitionist (1822–1913)
  7. 1793

    War of the Pyrenees

    War of the Pyrenees: France defeats a Spanish force at the Battle of Peyrestortes.

    1793–95 French Revolutionary war
  8. 1775

    American Revolutionary War

    American Revolutionary War: The invasion of Quebec by the Continental Army begins with the Siege of Fort St. Jean.

    1775–1783 conflict in North
  9. 1630

    Boston

    The city of Boston, Massachusetts, is founded in North America.

    Capital and largest city
  10. 1382

    Louis I of Hungary

    Louis the Great's daughter, Mary, is crowned "king" of Hungary.

    King of Hungary and
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Famous birthday twins

Born on September 17

Narendra Modi

b. 1950

Indian politician; Chief Minister of Gujarat and 14th Prime Minister of India

Damon Hill

b. 1960

English racing driver and guitarist

Almazbek Atambayev

b. 1956

Kyrgyz politician, 4th President of Kyrgyzstan

Anastacia

b. 1968

American singer-songwriter

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

b. 1857

Russian scientist and engineer

Bernhard Riemann

b. 1826

German-Italian mathematician and academic

Billy the Kid

b. 1859

American gunman

Maureen Connolly

b. 1934

American tennis player

Deaths

  • 2021Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Algerian politician, President of Algeria
  • 1994Vitas Gerulaitis, American tennis player and coach
  • 1966Fritz Wunderlich, German tenor and actor
  • 1923Stefanos Dragoumis, Greek judge and politician, 92nd Prime Minister of Greece
  • 1892Rudolf von Jhering, German jurist
  • 1179Hildegard of Bingen, German abbess and polymath

Holidays & observances

  • —Australian Citizenship Day
  • —Christian feast day: Albert of Vercelli
  • —Christian feast day: Ariadne of Phrygia
  • —Christian feast day: Blessed Cecilia Eusepi
  • —Christian feast day: Stanislaus Papczyński
  • —Christian feast day: Hildegard of Bingen
  • —Christian feast day: Lambert
  • —Christian feast day: Robert Bellarmine

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