Last Updated: September 18, 2026
Today in History – September 18 is a monumental date in world history, marked by major geopolitical shifts, landmark scientific achievements, and the founding of global institutions. From the founding of The New York Times to the laying of the U.S. Capitol cornerstone, this date holds great historical significance. This comprehensive article brings together verified historical events, notable births, death anniversaries, and observances tailored for competitive exams like UPSC, APPSC, TSPSC, SSC, and Banking.
This article covers:
- Major historical events on September 18
- Famous personalities born on September 18
- National and international observances
- Important current affairs and competitive exam facts
Table of Contents
🌟 Top Highlights of September 18
- U.S. Capitol Cornerstone Laid (1793): President George Washington laid the first cornerstone of the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C.
- First Issue of The New York Times (1851): The iconic newspaper published its first edition under the title The New-York Daily Times.
- Uri Terror Attack (2016): Four terrorists attacked an Indian Army base in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the martyrdom of 19 Indian soldiers.
🗓️ Important Historical Events on September 18
1793 – Foundation Stone of the United States Capitol
George Washington, the first President of the United States, laid the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. The Capitol became the seat of the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government and a worldwide symbol of democracy.
1810 – Beginning of Chilean Independence Movement
A national governing junta was established in Santiago, marking the beginning of Chile’s struggle for independence from Spanish rule. September 18 is celebrated annually as Chile’s National Independence Day.
1851 – Publication of The New York Times
The first issue of The New-York Daily Times was published by Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones. Later renamed The New York Times, it grew into one of the most influential newspapers in global journalism history.
1931 – The Mukden Incident
Japanese troops detonated a small quantity of dynamite near a railway line in Manchuria and blamed Chinese dissidents. Using this staged event as a pretext, Japan invaded Manchuria, an event that set off the chain of events leading to WWII in Asia.
1947 – Establishment of CIA & US Air Force
The National Security Act of 1947 came into effect in the United States, officially establishing the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and creating the United States Air Force as an independent military service branch.
1961 — Death of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld
Dag Hammarskjöld, the 2nd Secretary-General of the United Nations, tragically died in a plane crash near Ndola, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) while en route to negotiate a ceasefire during the Congo Crisis. He was posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
2016 – Uri Terror Attack
Four heavily armed terrorists crossed the Line of Control and launched a pre-dawn attack on an Indian Army brigade headquarters in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir. Nineteen soldiers were martyred, leading to India launching retaliatory surgical strikes across the LoC.
Other Major Events
- 1502: Christopher Columbus reached Costa Rica during his fourth and final voyage to the Americas.
- 1837: Tiffany & Co. (originally Tiffany & Young) was founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young in New York.
- 1934: The Soviet Union (USSR) officially joined the League of Nations.
- 1977: NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft captured the first-ever photograph showing both the Earth and the Moon together in a single frame.
- 2019: The Union Cabinet of India approved a ban on the production, import, distribution, and sale of electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes).
🎂 Famous Birthdays on September 18
| Year | Personality | Domain / Notable Achievement |
| 1752 | Adrien-Marie Legendre | French mathematician noted for major contributions to statistics, number theory, and elliptic integrals. |
| 1819 | Léon Foucault | French physicist who invented Foucault’s Pendulum to demonstrate Earth’s rotation and measured the speed of light. |
| 1899 | Garikapati Mallavadhani | Indian freedom fighter, Sanskrit-Telugu scholar, and patriotic poet. |
| 1900 | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam | First Prime Minister and 5th Governor-General of Mauritius; venerated as the Father of the Nation of Mauritius. |
| 1905 | Greta Garbo | Legendary Swedish-American Hollywood actress of the Silent and Golden Eras. |
| 1968 | Upendra | Indian film actor, director, and screenwriter in Kannada and Telugu cinema. |
| 1976 | Ronaldo Nazário | Legendary Brazilian footballer; two-time Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Cup winner. |
| 1989 | Ashwini Ponnappa | Acclaimed Indian badminton player; Commonwealth Games gold medalist. |
🕯️ Notable Death Anniversaries on September 18
- 96 AD – Domitian: Roman Emperor; the last monarch of the Flavian dynasty.
- 1783 – Leonhard Euler: Swiss mathematician and physicist; one of the greatest mathematicians in history who defined Euler’s number (e).
- 1857 – Raja Shankar Shah: Ruler of the Gondwana Kingdom who fought against British rule and was martyred during the 1857 Revolt.
- 1961 – Dag Hammarskjöld: Swedish diplomat and 2nd UN Secretary-General; posthumous Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
- 1970 – Jimi Hendrix: Legendary American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter.
- 1977 – Sudhi Ranjan Das: 5th Chief Justice of India (CJI).
- 2023 – Riaz Ahmed: Former Indian national volleyball player and Arjuna Awardee.
📢 National & International Days Observed on September 18
- World Bamboo Day: Observed annually on September 18. It was established by the World Bamboo Organization(WBO) during the 8th World Bamboo Congress in Bangkok in 2009 to raise awareness about bamboo’s environmental, economic, and cultural significance.
- International Equal Pay Day: Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2020. To emphasize the right to equal remuneration for work of equal value, highlighting the ongoing effort to close the gender pay gap globally.
- World Water Monitoring Day: Initiated in 2003 by America’s Clean Water Foundation. This observance encourages public participation in protecting water resources and monitoring water quality.
💡Did You Know?
- Euler’s Identity: Leonhard Euler created e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0, frequently cited by mathematicians as the most beautiful formula in mathematics.
- Proof of Earth’s Rotation: Léon Foucault used his simple pendulum experiment (Foucault Pendulum) to provide direct, visual proof of Earth’s rotation without complex astronomical equations.
- Earth & Moon in One Frame: On September 18, 1977, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft took the first-ever single-frame photo showing both the Earth and the Moon together from deep space.
❓Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: When is World Bamboo Day observed globally every year?
Ans: World Bamboo Day is celebrated annually on September 18.
Q2: Who was the United Nations Secretary-General who died in a plane crash while on a peace mission?
Ans: Dag Hammarskjöld died in a plane crash on September 18, 1961, in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).
Q3: Who laid the cornerstone of the United States Capitol building?
Ans: The first U.S. President, George Washington, laid the cornerstone on September 18, 1793.
Q4: When was the first issue of The New York Times published?
Ans: The first edition was published on September 18, 1851.
Q5: What is the primary objective of International Equal Pay Day?
Ans: To promote equal pay for work of equal value regardless of gender and end workplace wage discrimination.
Q6: Who was the Gondwana ruler martyred during the Indian Revolt of 1857?
Ans: Raja Shankar Shah, who was executed by the British on September 18, 1857.