Discover what happened on September 5 in history as devastating disasters, historic traditions, remarkable achievements, and groundbreaking space exploration helped shape the world we know today.
What Happened on September 5 in History?
On this day, Michigan’s Great Thumb Fire caused widespread devastation, the first Labor Day celebration was held, the first Mackinac Bridge Walk took place, and NASA launched Voyager 1.
SEPTEMBER 5 – TODAY IN HISTORY:
1666 – The Great Fire of London finally burned out after devastating much of the city. Thousands of buildings were destroyed, including Old St. Paul’s Cathedral.
1774 – The First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia, PA, bringing together delegates from 12 of Britain’s 13 American colonies to respond to growing tensions with Great Britain.
1877 – Lakota leader Crazy Horse was fatally wounded by a soldier’s bayonet while being taken into custody at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. He died later that night.
1881 – The Great Thumb Fire swept across Michigan’s Thumb region, killing hundreds and leaving thousands homeless. Clara Barton’s newly formed American Red Cross provided disaster relief to victims of the fire.
1882 – The first Labor Day celebration in the United States was held in New York City, where thousands of workers participated in a parade organized by the Central Labor Union.
1901 – Representatives of several minor baseball leagues met in Chicago to organize the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, the organization now known as Minor League Baseball.
1914 – Babe Ruth hit the first home run of his professional baseball career while playing for the Providence Grays of the International League.
1927 – Trolley Troubles, the first released cartoon featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, debuted. The character was created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks for Universal Pictures.
1930 – Charles Creighton and James Hargis completed a round trip from New York City to Los Angeles and back — driving the entire way in reverse. Their 42-day journey was made in a 1929 Ford Model A.
1939 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the neutrality of the United States as World War II spread across Europe.
1945 – Iva Toguri D’Aquino, one of several women associated with the wartime nickname “Tokyo Rose,” was arrested in Japan on suspicion of broadcasting Japanese propaganda during World War II. She was later convicted of treason and eventually pardoned by President Gerald Ford.
1958 – WBTV in Charlotte, NC, became the first television station to record and rebroadcast a program on color videotape. The program was The Betty Feezor Show.
1958 – Boris Pasternak’s novel Doctor Zhivago was published in the United States.
1959 – Michigan Governor G. Mennen Williams led the first Mackinac Bridge Walk, beginning what would become an annual Labor Day tradition.
1960 – Eighteen-year-old Cassius Clay won the light heavyweight boxing gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Rome. He later changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
1961 – President John F. Kennedy signed legislation making aircraft hijacking a federal crime in the United States.
1966 – Jerry Lewis hosted a Labor Day telethon to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The event eventually became an annual national television tradition.
1975 – President Gerald Ford escaped an assassination attempt in Sacramento, CA, when Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, pointed a pistol at him. The gun did not fire.
1977 – NASA launched Voyager 1 on a mission to explore the outer solar system. The spacecraft would eventually become the most distant human-made object from Earth and enter interstellar space.
1983 – PBS expanded The MacNeil/Lehrer Report into The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, the nation’s first hour-long nightly television news program.
1984 – Space Shuttle Discovery completed its maiden mission, landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
1990 – Blues legend B.B. King received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1996 – Hurricane Fran made landfall near Cape Fear, NC, as a Category 3 hurricane, causing widespread damage across the Carolinas and Virginia.
1999 – Michigan-based La-Z-Boy introduced the Oasis recliner in Detroit. Designed for football fans, the chair featured a telephone, heater, massager and a built-in cooler large enough to hold a six-pack.
2001 – The reality competition series The Amazing Race premiered on CBS.
2003 – Magician David Blaine began a stunt in which he lived inside a transparent box suspended over the River Thames in London. He remained there for 44 days with only water.
2017 – Hurricane Irma reached sustained winds of 185 mph as it moved through the Atlantic, making it one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded.
2017 – A ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opened Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit, the new home of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON SEPTEMBER 5:
Carol Lawrence – 94 years old (1932) – Actress and singer
Werner Erhard – 91 years old (1935) – Author and philanthropist, founded Werner Erhard and Associates and The Hunger Project
Lucille Soong – 91 years old (1935) – Chinese-American actress
John Danforth – 90 years old (1936) – Politician and diplomat, 24th United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Jonathan Kozol – 90 years old (1936) – Sociologist, author, and educator
William Devane – 87 years old (1939) – Actor, director, and screenwriter
Dennis Dugan – 80 years old (1946) – Actor and director
Loudon Wainwright III – 80 years old (1946) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
Chip Davis – 79 years old (1947) – Pianist, songwriter, and producer
Cathy Guisewite – 76 years old (1950) – Cartoonist, created Cathy
Michael Keaton – 75 years old (1951) – Actor and producer
David Glen Eisley – 74 years old (1952) – Rock singer-songwriter and actor
Victor Davis Hanson – 73 years old (1953) – Historian and journalist
Frederick Kempe – 72 years old (1954) – Journalist and author
Debbie Turner – 70 years old (1956) – Actress
Willie Gault – 66 years old (1960) – Football player, athlete, and actor
Juan Alderete – 63 years old (1963) – Bass player and songwriter
Kristian Alfonso – 63 years old (1963) – Actress and model
Jeff Brantley – 63 years old (1963) – Baseball player and sportscaster
Terry Ellis – 63 years old (1963) – R&B singer–songwriter and actress
Ken Norman – 62 years old (1964) – Basketball player
Dennis Scott – 58 years old (1968) – Basketball player and sportscaster
Brad Wilk – 58 years old (1968) – Singer-songwriter and drummer
Dweezil Zappa – 57 years old (1969) – Actor and musician
Liam Lynch – 56 years old (1970) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, puppeteer, and director
Rose McGowan – 53 years old (1973) – Actress
Randy Choate – 51 years old (1975) – Baseball player
Rod Barajas – 51 years old (1975) – Baseball player and coach
Nazr Mohammed – 49 years old (1977) – Basketball player
Chris Young – 43 years old (1983) – Baseball player
Justin Dentmon – 41 years old (1985) – Basketball player
Ryan Guy – 41 years old (1985) – Soccer player
Emmy Raver-Lampman – 38 years old (1988) – Actress and singer
Elena Delle Donne – 37 years old (1989) – Basketball player
Kat Graham – 37 years old (1989) – Actress and singer
Craig Smith – 37 years old (1989) – Ice hockey player
Lance Stephenson – 36 years old (1990) – Basketball player
T. J. Warren – 33 years old (1993) – Basketball player
Jarren Duran – 30 years old (1996) – Baseball player
Steven Kwan – 29 years old (1997) – Baseball player
Caroline Dolehide – 28 years old (1998) – Tennis player
Mac Jones – 28 years old (1998) – Football player
Davion Mitchell – 28 years old (1998) – Basketball player
DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR SEPTEMBER 5:
- International Bacon Day: Crispy, savory strips that make breakfast extra awesome. It's like a delicious high-five for your taste buds!
- International Day of Charity: Any charitable donation, big or small, money or time, can go a long way to helping solve some of the world’s worst problems, such as child hunger or the environment.
- National Cheese Pizza Day: When it comes to satisfying your pizza cravings, nothing hits the spot quite like a warm, gooey slice of cheesy goodness.
- World Samosa Day: Learn how to make the delicious stuffed, spiced, fried appetizer known as a samosa yourself, or get some Indian food to enjoy some professionally made ones.
- National Cellulite Day: National Cellulite Day celebrates body positivity by encouraging women to embrace their bodies, cellulite and all. This day aims to dismantle the stigma that cellulite is something to be ashamed of. Since nearly 90% of women experience cellulite at some point, this condition is far more common than many realize. The...
- World Beard Day: A distinguishing feature of masculinity, beards can offer a sense of ruggedness or refinement depending on the style.
- International Vulture Awareness Day: Due to their scavenger nature, many misunderstand the wonderful and important birds known as vultures, many species of which are threatened or endangered.
- National Hummingbird Day: Graceful, vibrant creatures, these agile flyers paint the air with bursts of color, captivating nature's poetry in motion.
- National Be Late for Something Day: Stop and smell the roses, and give yourself permission to be late to something rather than rushing through life without taking the time to actually enjoy it.
- Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day: Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day is an annual event celebrated on September 5. It's a day that shines a light on the challenges faced by individuals living with spinal cord injuries. With a focus on raising awareness, it aims to educate the public on the struggles and victories of this community. How...
- Saint Teresa Sanctification Day: Saint Teresa Sanctification Day in Albania is a time when the nation honors one of its most revered figures, Mother Teresa. Born in Skopje, North Macedonia, she dedicated her life to helping the poor and sick around the world. It's a day that brings a sense of national pride and unity...
- National Tailgating Day: Tailgating turns any game day into a full-blown event. Long before kickoff, people gather outside stadiums, firing up grills and laying out snacks. It’s not just about eating or drinking—it’s about connecting. Friends swap stories, fans wear their colors proudly, and strangers become teammates under tents and team flags. The...
- National Shrink Day: National Shrink Day honors the professionals who guide us through tough moments. It shines on therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors who help us sort through thoughts and feelings. People pause to appreciate the deep trust we build with these caregivers. They often bring comfort when we feel lost or overwhelmed. Communities cheer...
- National Actdumb. Day: Have you ever noticed how quick people are to judge someone who thinks or acts a little differently? National Actdumb. Day flips that habit on its head. It gives space to laugh gently, not cruelly. Folks pause, drop the pressure to be clever, and let themselves relax. Mistakes feel lighter...
- Crayfish Party: Crayfish Party is a lively and festive occasion celebrated with friends and family. This event marks the end of summer, bringing people together for a joyful feast. Tables are often set with bright decorations, and the air is filled with laughter. The menu features cooked and seasoned crayfish. The atmosphere...
- Rtveli: Rtveli is a vibrant grape harvest festival celebrated across Georgia. It is a joyful blend of hard work and celebration. It's a time when people unite to collect the fruits of their labor and honor the cultural heritage of winemaking that has been cherished for generations. The festival extends beyond...
- National Childhood Injury Prevention Week: Kids run, jump, explore, and push limits every day. That curiosity brings joy, but also risk. National Childhood Injury Prevention Week speaks to that very balance. It’s a reminder that while we can’t stop every scraped knee, we can prevent many serious injuries. It’s about everyday choices—like buckling a car seat...
- Fiesta de San Pacho: Fiesta de San Pacho is a vibrant celebration that fills the streets of Quibdó with music, dance, and color. The festival honors Saint Francis of Assisi, blending Catholic traditions with Afro-Colombian culture uniquely and joyfully. As the day unfolds, the city becomes a stage where people showcase their rich heritage...
- Navasard: Navasard is the ancient Armenian New Year, a celebration that once united communities in festivities and tribute to their gods. Marking the start of a new cycle, it was a time when people believed divine forces came down to the Earth. With music, dance, and communal feasts, it reflected a...
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