What happened in September 1970?
The top front-page story of each day in September 1970, 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🔬 Malaysians Celebrate Independence – Malaysians held rallies and parades for the 13th anniversary of independence, with Prime Minister announcing political activity ban lift.
- Sep 2🚀 NASA Viking Mission Funded – NASA adds $47.6 million for Viking spacecraft to land on Mars, postponing unmanned landings to 1975.
- Sep 3🌊 Philippines Flood Emergency – President Marcos declared a national emergency as floods in Luzon killed 24 people after three days of heavy rain.
- Sep 4🌊 Oil Threatens Reef – Australian unions and conservationists campaign to protect the Great Barrier Reef from oil drilling and coral-eating starfish.
- Sep 5🚀 Soviet Space Capsule Returned – The Soviet Union announced it would return an experimental U.S. Apollo space capsule to a U.S. Coast Guard cutter in Murmansk.
- Sep 6🏛️ Allende Wins Chile Vote – Dr. Salvador Allende, a Marxist, secured the most votes in Chile's presidential election, prompting Congress to decide the presidency.
- Sep 7🏅 East German Record – Burglinde Pollak sets a world record in women's pentathlon, scoring 5,406 points, surpassing the previous mark by 54 points.
- Sep 8🏊 Larsson Sets Record – Gunnar Lamson of Sweden broke the world 400-meter men's freestyle record with a time of 4:02.6 at the European swimming championships.
- Sep 9🌍 Cosmos 361 Launched – The Soviet Union successfully launched Cosmos 361, an unmanned earth satellite, with all instruments functioning normally.
- Sep 10🗺️ Continents' Evolution Mapped – Geologists created maps showing how continents evolved from a single landmass, enhancing understanding of Earth's geological history.
- Sep 11🌪️ Hurricane Heads Gulf – The first hurricane of the season, named Ella, formed off Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and is heading towards the U.S. Gulf Coast.
- Sep 12🌍 Expo '70 Crowds – Expo '70 in Osaka showcases future wonders, reflecting on global overcrowding concerns.
- Sep 13🚀 European Firms Join NASA – Two European aerospace companies will collaborate with North American Rockwell on spacecraft designs for the U.S. space shuttle program.
- Sep 14🌍 Expo '70 Ends – Expo '70, the first world's fair held in Asia, concluded today after 183 days of showcasing innovations and cultural exchanges.
- Sep 15🔬 New Heart Valve Tested – Doctors at Jewish Hospital have implanted a new heart valve substitute in dogs, marking a significant step in medical advancements.
- Sep 16🛩️ Jet Landing Incident – An Alitalia DC-8 jetliner split in two upon landing at Kennedy Airport, but all 156 passengers survived without serious injuries.
- Sep 17🌕 Luna 16 in Moon Orbit – The Soviet moon probe Luna 16 entered lunar orbit, set to study the moon and near-moon space after its launch.
- Sep 18🚀 Cosmos 363 Launched – The Soviet Union announced the launch of its 363rd satellite, Cosmos 363, as part of its space program.
- Sep 19🏋️ Soviet Ace Breaks Records – Vasily Kolotov sets two unofficial world records in weightlifting at the championships in Columbus, Ohio.
- Sep 20🏛️ Black Academy Adds Members – The Black Academy of Arts and Letters held its first annual meeting, electing eight new members including poet Amiri Baraka.
- Sep 21🌕 Soviet Moon Craft Lands – The Soviet Luna 16 spacecraft successfully landed on the moon, transmitting high-quality images back to Earth.
- Sep 22🌕 Luna 16 Returns – The Soviet Union's Luna 16 spacecraft successfully returned to Earth with samples of lunar rock, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.
- Sep 23🌋 Lava Pours Into Ocean – Molten lava from Kilauea Volcano flows into the Pacific Ocean, creating steam clouds in Hawaii.
- Sep 24🔥 Forest Fire Rages – An uncontrolled forest fire destroyed hundreds of acres in Northern California's redwood forests, prompting emergency responses.
- Sep 25🌕 Luna 16 Returns – The Soviet Union's Luna 16 successfully completed its mission, returning the first lunar soil samples to Earth.
- Sep 26🌧️ Floods Ravage Dahomey – Torrential rains and floods have left thousands homeless in Dahomey, with crop destruction threatening famine.
- Sep 27🌍 Luna 16 Returns Moon Dust – The Soviet Union's Luna 16 spacecraft successfully returned moon soil, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
- Sep 28🖼️ Mary Cassatt Exhibition – A major exhibition of Mary Cassatt's works opened at the National Gallery of Art, showcasing 100 pieces of her art.
- Sep 29🇪🇬 Nasser Dies – President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, a key figure in Arab nationalism, passed away, prompting global reactions and mourning.
- Sep 30🖼️ 3,500-Year-Old Fresco Found – Greek archeologists discovered a multistory building with an exquisite wall painting in red, blue, and golden ocher, buried under volcanic ash.
Happy Birthday! 1970 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1970 in real headlines. See the 1970 book →
Born in September? Pick the day
Every birthday in September has its own On This Day in Headlines book: