What happened in September 1979?
The top front-page story of each day in September 1979, 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🌪️ Hurricane David Approaches – Satellite images show Hurricane David near Hispaniola and Hurricane Elena in the Texas Gulf, impacting weather across the U.S.
- Sep 2🩺 First Vertebrae Surgery – A 33-year-old woman underwent the world's first successful surgery to replace a vertebra with a metal prosthesis after 19 hours of surgery.
- Sep 3🌍 Global Journey Begins – Twelve Britons set off on a three-year journey to circle the globe via the North and South Poles, marking a significant adventure.
- Sep 4🌪️ Hurricane David Strikes – Hurricane David causes destruction in the Dominican Republic, leaving hundreds dead and significant damage in its wake.
- Sep 5🐼 Japan Mourns Lan Lan – Japan grieves the loss of Lan Lan, a beloved giant panda at Ueno Zoo, after efforts to save her life failed.
- Sep 6🕊️ Dalai Lama Promotes Peace – The Dalai Lama addressed nearly 5,000 attendees at St. Patrick's Cathedral, emphasizing the importance of inner peace for global harmony.
- Sep 7🌌 Pioneer Discovers Saturn Moon – Pioneer 11 scientists reported the discovery of Saturn's 11th moon and a new ring of debris, enhancing our understanding of the planet.
- Sep 8🌍 World Food Council Action – The World Food Council concluded its session, urging poor nations to coordinate efforts to combat hunger and calling for support from wealthier countries.
- Sep 9🚄 Magnetic Train Breaks Record – Japan sets a world speed record for magnetically operated trains, reaching 235 mph at the Miyazaki test track.
- Sep 10🏎️ Land Speed Record – Stan Barrett set a world land-speed record of 638.637 mph in a rocket car at Bonneville Salt Flats, marking a significant achievement in automotive history.
- Sep 11🎾 Young Tennis Champions – John McEnroe and Tracy Austin become the youngest national champions in tennis history, signaling a new era in the sport.
- Sep 12🖼️ Picassos Taken as Tax – France will select over 700 artworks from Picasso's estate valued at $71.5 million to settle inheritance taxes.
- Sep 13🏅 Mennea Sets Record – Pietro Mennea of Italy breaks the world record in the 200-meter dash with a time of 19.72 seconds at the World University Games.
- Sep 14🌍 South Africa's New Nation – Venda, a designated tribal homeland in South Africa, was proclaimed an independent black nation, part of the government's racial development policy.
- Sep 15🌪️ Hurricane Damage Estimated – Hurricane Frederic caused an estimated $1.5 billion in damages as Gulf Coast residents began recovery efforts.
- Sep 16📸 Greek Vases Found – Police divers off Sicily discovered 90 ancient Greek vases and part of a ship, dating back to 200 B.C., in a significant archaeological find.
- Sep 17🎻 Utah Symphony Opens Home – The Utah Symphony Orchestra celebrated the opening of its new home after three decades at the Mormon Tabernacle, marking a new chapter in its history.
- Sep 18🌍 Cuba Frees Political Prisoners – Cuba released the last four U.S. citizens held on political charges, responding to President Carter's earlier release of Puerto Rican nationalists.
- Sep 19🌍 U.N. Session Opens – The General Assembly opened its 34th session with a call for an independent Palestinian state negotiated by the PLO.
- Sep 20🌍 Earthquake in Italy – An earthquake shook central Italy from Florence to Naples, killing at least two people and damaging buildings.
- Sep 21🔬 Laboratory Orbited – A new orbiting astronomy observatory was launched by the U.S. to study cosmic rays and gamma rays, enhancing our understanding of the universe.
- Sep 22🌍 U.N. Assembly Seats Cambodia – The U.N. General Assembly voted to allow the ousted Pol Pot regime to retain Cambodia's seat, rebuffing the Soviet Union.
- Sep 23🌍 Cambodia Vote – The UN General Assembly voted to continue assigning Cambodia's seat to the former Pol Pot government, despite ongoing humanitarian crises.
- Sep 24🌍 China Signs Wildlife Pact – China signed an agreement with the World Wildlife Fund to aid endangered species through international exchanges.
- Sep 25🌍 Pope's Historic Visit – Pope John Paul II prepares for his historic visit to Ireland, marking the first papal visit to the country in over 800 years.
- Sep 26🏞️ Carter Signs Dam Legislation – President Carter signed legislation allowing the completion of the Tellico Dam in Tennessee, previously blocked due to environmental concerns.
- Sep 27🌍 Pope's Visit Security – 11,500 police officers will be deployed in New York City to ensure safety during Pope John Paul II's visit next week.
- Sep 28🌍 Carter's Education Victory – Congress approved the establishment of a Department of Education, marking a significant domestic victory for President Carter.
- Sep 29🌍 Pope's Irish Visit – Over two million Irish are expected to see Pope John Paul II during his three-day visit starting today.
- Sep 30✝️ Pope's U.S. Tour Begins – Pope John Paul II starts his seven-day U.S. tour, beginning in Boston after a visit to Ireland, expected to attract massive crowds.
Happy Birthday! 1979 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1979 in real headlines. See the 1979 book →
Born in September? Pick the day
Every birthday in September has its own On This Day in Headlines book: