September 23rd

Caesar Augustus was born in Rome.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas officially requests a bid for statehood at the UN Security Council.

The Mars Climate Observer apparently burned up as it was about to go into orbit around the Red Planet.

Iraq threatened to destroy Middle East oil fields and attack Israel if other nations tried to force it from Kuwait.

Choreographer-director Bob Fosse died at age 60.

Former Argentine president Juan Perón returned to power.

The Indo-Pakistani War comes to an end after a UN-mandated ceasefire. Also known as the Second Kashmiri War, the war was fought between India and Pakistan over the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Nine black students who had entered Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas were forced to withdraw because of a white mob outside.

Vice presidential candidate Richard Nixon delivered his "Checkers speech" rebutting charges of improper campaign financing.

The 'Manhattan Project' commences, under the direction of US General Leslie Groves: its aim - to deliver an atomic bomb.

Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, died in London.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is Founded. The Middle Eastern country was created by merging the kingdoms of Hejaz and Nejd by Ibn Saud, the king of the House of Saud. The day is celebrated as Saudi National Day in the Kingdom.

Musician Ray Charles was born Ray Charles Robinson in Albany, Ga.

Jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane was born in Hamlet, N.C.

Phantom of the Opera makes its Literary Debut. The novel about a disfigured musical genius was written by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a series in the French newspaper, Le Gaulois. The novel was later adapted as a popular musical and as a film.

Nintendo Koppai (Later Nintendo Company, Limited) founded by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce and market the playing card game Hanafuda.

American Herman Hollerith patents his mechanical tabulating machine, the beginning of data processing.

The planet Neptune was discovered by German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle.

Fall of Tripolitsa, Greek forces massacre 30,000 Turks during Greek War of Independence.

After a three-year journey to the Pacific Northwest, the Lewis and Clark expedition returned to St. Louis.

John Paul Jones declared "I have not yet begun to fight!" aboard the American warship Bonhomme Richard in the battle against the British man-of-war Serapis.

Concordat of Worms agreed between Pope Calixtus II and Holy Roman Emperor Henry V.