What happened in September 1976?
The top front-page story of each day in September 1976, 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🌍 Mexico Floats Peso – Mexico devalued the peso by abandoning its fixed parity with the U.S. dollar, allowing it to float in currency markets.
- Sep 2🔬 Viking 2 Checks Mars – Viking 2 began checks for weather conditions on Mars ahead of its landing attempt, marking a significant moment in space exploration.
- Sep 3🚀 Second Mars Landing – The Viking lander is set to land on Mars to explore its surface and atmosphere, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
- Sep 4🌪️ Hurricane Strikes Azores – Hurricane Emmy, though weakening, struck the Azores with sustained winds near 75 mph, causing concern among residents.
- Sep 5🔬 Viking 2 Lands on Mars – Viking 2 successfully landed on Mars, sending back images of Utopia Plain, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.
- Sep 6🔬 Viking 2 Lands on Mars – The Viking 2 lander successfully reached Utopia Plain on Mars, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.
- Sep 7🌍 Gold Price Jumps – The price of gold surged to $115.50 an ounce in London amid a wave of buying orders, reflecting economic shifts.
- Sep 8🌊 Dam Breaks in Pakistan – Floodwaters broke through a dam in Baluchistan, Pakistan, inundating over 5,000 square miles and washing away entire villages.
- Sep 9🔬 New Uranium Measurement Tool – U.S. scientists developed a new device to detect and measure uranium in drill holes, enhancing geological surveys.
- Sep 10📰 Mao Tse-tung Dies – Chairman Mao Tse-tung, a pivotal figure in Chinese history, passed away, leading to significant political uncertainty in China.
- Sep 11✈️ Airliners Collide, 176 Dead – Two airliners collided at 33,000 feet near Zagreb, Yugoslavia, resulting in the deaths of all 176 passengers aboard in aviation's worst accident.
- Sep 12🎾 Evert Retains Title – Chris Evert won the U.S. Open tennis title, defeating Evonne Goolagong 6-3, 6-0, while Connors and Borg advanced to the men's finals.
- Sep 13🌍 Viking 2 Mars Mission – The Viking 2 lander began its search for chemical evidence of life on Mars by reaching out for soil samples.
- Sep 14🔬 Mars Exploration Continues – Scientists worked to fix a mechanical arm on the Viking 2 robot, delaying crucial experiments to search for life on Mars.
- Sep 15🏛️ Japanese Cabinet Quits – Prime Minister Taken Miki's cabinet resigns amid political turmoil from the Lockheed scandal, paving the way for leadership changes.
- Sep 16🌍 Soviets Launch Two Astronauts – The Soviet Union successfully launched two astronauts into orbit to conduct research on Earth's geological features.
- Sep 17🔬 Viking 2 Confirms Life – Viking 2's experiments on Mars have confirmed active soil chemistry, supporting the belief in biological activity on the planet.
- Sep 18🚀 Space Shuttle Unveiled – The first manned spacecraft since Apollo, the Space Shuttle, was publicly unveiled in Palmdale, California, marking a significant milestone in U.S. space exploration.
- Sep 19🕊️ Mao's Farewell – 750,000 mourners gathered in Peking to bid farewell to Chairman Mao Tse-tung in a somber rally filled with emotion.
- Sep 20🚀 NASA Rolls Out Enterprise – NASA unveiled the Enterprise, a key component of the space shuttle program, marking a significant step in space exploration.
- Sep 21🏛️ End of an Era – Sweden's Social Democrats lose power after 44 years, marking a significant political shift in the country.
- Sep 22🌍 U.N. General Assembly Opens – The 31st annual session of the U.N. General Assembly convened, focusing on complex African issues including Rhodesia and South Africa.
- Sep 23🔬 Viking 2 Finds Water – Viking II spacecraft discovers Mars' northern polar cap is entirely frozen water, indicating more water exists on the planet than previously thought.
- Sep 24📚 Vonnegut's New Novel – Kurt Vonnegut's latest novel, 'Slapstick, Or Lonesome No More,' hints at his departure from fiction, presenting a semi-autobiographical narrative.
- Sep 25🔬 Record World Wheat Output – World wheat production in 1976 is projected to reach a record 391 million tons, surpassing previous records, according to the International Wheat Council.
- Sep 26🍽️ Damascus Celebrates Ramadan – People in Damascus enjoy a three-day celebration after Ramadan, focusing on feasting and socializing despite regional tensions.
- Sep 27🏔️ Everest Base Camp Established – Five Sherpas established a camp for the American team climbing Mount Everest, located 4,500 feet from the summit.
- Sep 28⚖️ Rhodesia Plan Disputes – Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere criticized the Rhodesia plan, claiming it would entrench white power if accepted by African leaders.
- Sep 29🔬 U.S. Team Plans Search – A major archaeological project begins in Alaska to search for remains of the first people who entered North America via the Bering land bridge.
- Sep 30🎨 Record Rembrandt Sale – A Rembrandt painting titled 'Juno' was sold for a record $3.25 million, announced by Dr. Armand Hammer of Occidental Petroleum.
Happy Birthday! 1976 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1976 in real headlines. See the 1976 book →
Born in September? Pick the day
Every birthday in September has its own On This Day in Headlines book: