What happened in September 1964?
The top front-page story of each day in September 1964, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Sep 1🌍 Olympic Torch Arrives – The Tokyo-bound Olympic torch arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, as part of its journey to the upcoming Olympic Games.
- Sep 2🌌 Ranger 7 Moon Impact – The International Astronomical Union named the area where Ranger 7 impacted the Moon as Mare Cognitum, honoring the spacecraft's mission.
- Sep 3🏅 Norwegian Javelin Record – Terje Pedersen sets a new world record in javelin with a throw of 300 feet, 11½ inches in Oslo, Norway.
- Sep 4🌍 Wilderness Bill Signed – President Johnson signed a bill protecting 9.1 million acres of wilderness across 13 states, marking a significant conservation achievement.
- Sep 5🚀 New U.S. Satellite Launched – America's largest scientific satellite, Ogo, was launched to study space mysteries and chart dangers for exploration.
- Sep 6🌪️ Typhoon Hits Hong Kong – Typhoon Ruby struck Hong Kong, causing significant destruction and resulting in 16 fatalities and 2,460 homeless.
- Sep 7🌊 Typhoon Ruby Strikes – Typhoon Ruby caused 27 deaths and 16 missing in Hong Kong and Portuguese Macao, with significant damage reported.
- Sep 8🔬 Uranium Extraction Breakthrough – British scientists announced a new method for extracting uranium from seawater, potentially providing an unlimited supply of atomic energy fuel.
- Sep 9🏛️ Olympic Torch Arrives – The Olympic torch arrived in Japan today after its voyage from Greece, landing at Kagoshima on Kyushu island.
- Sep 10🏛️ Hurricane Hits Florida – Hurricane Dora struck St. Augustine with 100 mph winds and heavy rains, causing significant damage in the area.
- Sep 11🌍 Earthquake Shakes Chile – A strong earthquake shook Santiago and central Chile, registering 4 on the International Scale. No casualties or damage reported.
- Sep 12🌉 Vienna Opens Kennedy Bridge – The Hietzing Bridge in Vienna was officially opened as Kennedy Bridge, commemorating President Kennedy's visit in 1961.
- Sep 13🏅 Tokyo Olympics Preparations – Japan finalizes extensive preparations for the upcoming Olympic Games, opening on October 10, amid concerns over accommodation for visitors.
- Sep 14🌧️ Seoul Storm Casualties – A violent rainstorm in Seoul, South Korea, has left at least 403 people dead or missing due to floods and landslides.
- Sep 15🚀 Space Trip Postponed – NASA delays the next manned space flight to 1965 due to weather-related issues, including lightning and hurricanes.
- Sep 16🏌️♂️ U.S. Amateur Golf Qualifiers – Marvin Giles and Bob Greenwood co-medalists at U.S. Amateur Championship with scores of 143 at Canterbury Golf Club.
- Sep 17🏛️ Vassar Opens 100th Year – Vassar College celebrates its 100th academic year with a record enrollment of 1,612 students, including 451 freshmen from 21 countries.
- Sep 18🚀 Tokyo Monorail Opens – The world's longest monorail system, linking Tokyo International Airport to the city center, began operations, transporting over 100,000 daily.
- Sep 19🚀 Saturn 1 Launches – The Saturn 1 rocket successfully orbited a dummy Apollo spaceship model in a significant milestone for U.S. space exploration.
- Sep 20📚 Algeria's Education Drive – Algeria resumes its ambitious initiative to teach every school-age child reading, writing, and arithmetic with support from French and Arab teachers.
- Sep 21🇲🇹 Independence for Malta – Malta gained full independence today, ending 35 centuries of foreign rule, celebrated with fireworks and protests amid concerns for future ties with Britain.
- Sep 22⛵ America's Cup Victory – The U.S. yacht Constellation successfully defended the America's Cup, defeating Britain's Sovereign in a 4-0 sweep off Newport.
- Sep 23🔬 Microscope with TV Link – A new microscope linked with TV can magnify objects by 2 million times, enhancing scientific observation capabilities.
- Sep 24🎨 Chagall Unveils Opera Work – Marc Chagall's new ceiling painting premiered at the Paris Opera, featuring vibrant colors and music symbols.
- Sep 25🏛️ Ancient Jerusalem Wall Uncovered – Archaeologists have uncovered the north wall of ancient Jerusalem, dating back 3,800 years, outside the Roman city's southern wall.
- Sep 26🏆 Yanks Beat Senators – Roger Maris hits a ninth-inning homer, leading the Yankees to a 6-5 victory over the Senators in a thrilling baseball game.
- Sep 27🏅 Tokyo Olympics Prepare – Tokyo presents a new face for the upcoming Olympics, spending nearly $2 billion on infrastructure and facilities for over 8,000 athletes from 98 nations.
- Sep 28🏅 U.S. Swimmers Set Records – American swimmers broke six world records during a practice meet for the Olympic swimming team in Los Angeles.
- Sep 29🏛️ De Gaulle Visits Bolivia – President de Gaulle was welcomed to Bolivia today by cheering crowds and an embrace from President Victor Paz Estenssoro.
- Sep 30🏅 Olympic Training Begins – 2,100 athletes started outdoor training for the Tokyo Olympics, marking a significant milestone for the upcoming Games.
Happy Birthday! 1964 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1964 in real headlines. See the 1964 book →
Born in September? Pick the day
Every birthday in September has its own On This Day in Headlines book: