From Abraham Lincoln issuing the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and the ratification of the Bill of Rights, to watershed moments in media like the first televised presidential debate, this week encapsulates the trials, innovations, and evolution of the United States. Exploring these dates offers a fascinating window into how past events continue to echo through modern American society.
September 22
- 1862 – The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation: President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, warning the Confederacy that all enslaved people within rebellious states would be declared free as of January 1, 1863, fundamentally shifting the aim of the Civil War toward the abolition of slavery.
- 1927 – Gene Tunney Defeats Jack Dempsey: In one of the most famous and controversial bouts in boxing history—known as the “Long Count” fight—Gene Tunney successfully defended his heavyweight title against Jack Dempsey in Chicago after recovering from a seventh-round knockdown.
September 23
- 1779 – John Paul Jones Captures the Serapis: During the American Revolutionary War, American naval commander John Paul Jones aboard the Bonhomme Richard achieved a legendary victory against the British Royal Navy warship Serapis, famously declaring, “I have not yet begun to fight!” when asked to surrender.
- 1806 – Lewis and Clark Return to St. Louis: Meriwether Lewis and William Clark successfully completed their historic Corps of Discovery expedition, returning to St. Louis, Missouri, after exploring the vast western territories all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
September 24
- 1789 – The Judiciary Act of 1789 is Passed: The U.S. Congress passed the Judiciary Act, which officially established the federal court system, created the office of the Attorney General, and set the initial size of the U.S. Supreme Court at six justices.
- 1906 – Devils Tower Becomes the First National Monument: President Theodore Roosevelt utilized the newly passed Antiquities Act to proclaim Devils Tower in Wyoming as the very first national monument in the United States, protecting its unique geological formation.
September 25
- 1789 – Congress Submits the Bill of Rights: The first federal Congress voted to approve and submit twelve proposed constitutional amendments—the first ten of which would become known as the Bill of Rights—to the states for ratification to protect individual liberties.
- 1957 – Integration of Little Rock Central High School: President Dwight D. Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and dispatched troops from the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock, Arkansas, to safely escort nine African American students (the Little Rock Nine) into Central High School.
September 26
- 1789 – Thomas Jefferson Appointed Secretary of State: President George Washington officially appointed Thomas Jefferson as the first United States Secretary of State under the newly minted federal government.
- 1960 – First Televised Presidential Debate: Vice President Richard Nixon and Senator John F. Kennedy faced off in Chicago for the first televised presidential debate in American history, a watershed event that highlighted the growing dominance of television in politics.
September 27
- 1825 – The First Passenger Steam Locomotive: Though primarily a British milestone with global resonance, George Stephenson’s pioneering locomotion fundamentally transformed American internal expansion and infrastructure, paving the way for the U.S. transcontinental railroad boom.
- 1964 – The Warren Commission Report is Released: The President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy published its official report, concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted entirely alone in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and that there was no domestic or international conspiracy.
September 28
- 1781 – The Siege of Yorktown Begins: American and French forces, led by General George Washington and the Comte de Rochambeau, converged on Yorktown, Virginia, beginning the decisive military siege that effectively trapped British General Lord Cornwallis and won American independence.
- 1850 – U.S. Navy Abolishes Flogging: President Millard Fillmore signed an appropriations bill containing a provision that officially outlawed flogging and other cruel physical punishments within the United States Navy.
