October 9 in history — What Happened Today in History
Curious what October 9 in history holds? From 2024 back through the centuries, our timeline gathers everything that happened on October 9 — events, birthdays and deaths on one cozy page.
On this page, October 9 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about October 9 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on October 9 in History 40
- 2024
Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 3 hurricane, causing US$34.3 billion in damage only two weeks after Hurricane Helene impacted the state.
- 2019
Turkey begins its military offensive in north-eastern Syria.
- 2016
The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army launches its first attack on Myanmar security forces along the Bangladesh–Myanmar border.
- 2012
Pakistani Taliban attempt to assassinate outspoken schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai.
- 2009
First lunar impact of NASA's Lunar Precursor Robotic Program.
- 2007
The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches its all-time high of 14,164 points before rapidly declining due to the 2008 financial crisis.
- 2006
North Korea conducts its first nuclear test.
- 1995
An Amtrak Sunset Limited train is derailed by saboteurs near Palo Verde, Arizona.
- 1992
The Peekskill meteorite, a 27.7 pounds (12.6 kg) meteorite crashed into a parked car in Peekskill, New York.
- 1986
The Phantom of the Opera, eventually the second longest running musical in London, opens at Her Majesty's Theatre.
- 1986
Fox Broadcasting Company (FBC) launches as the fourth US television network.
- 1984
The popular children's television show Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends, based on The Railway Series by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry, premieres on ITV.
All entries for October 9（+28）
- 1983
South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan survives an assassination attempt in Rangoon, Burma, but the blast kills 21 and injures 17 others.
- 1981
President François Mitterrand abolishes capital punishment in France.
- 1980
Pope John Paul II greets the Dalai Lama during a private audience in Vatican City.
- 1970
The Khmer Republic is proclaimed in Cambodia.
- 1969
In Chicago, the National Guard is called in as demonstrations continue over the trial of the "Chicago Eight".
- 1967
A day after his capture, Ernesto "Che" Guevara is executed for attempting to incite a revolution in Bolivia.
- 1966
Vietnam War: the Republic of Korea Army commits the Binh Tai Massacre.
- 1963
In Italy, a large landslide causes a giant wave to overtop the Vajont Dam, killing over 2,000.
- 1962
Uganda becomes an independent Commonwealth realm.
- 1950
The Goyang Geumjeong Cave massacre in Korea begins.
- 1942
Australia's Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942 receives royal assent.
- 1941
A coup in Panama declares Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia Arango the new president.
- 1937
Murder of 9 Catholic priests in Zhengding, China, who protected the local population from the advancing Japanese army.
- 1936
Boulder Dam (later Hoover Dam) begins to generate electricity and transmit it to Los Angeles.
- 1934
A member of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, Vlado Chernozemski, kills King Alexander I of Yugoslavia in an assassination organized by the Ustaše, while the French police accidentally kills Louis Barthou, Foreign Minister of France, in Marseille.
- 1919
The Cincinnati Reds win the World Series, resulting in the Black Sox Scandal.
- 1918
The Finnish Parliament elects Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse as King of Finland, but he never accedes to the throne due to Germany's defeat in World War I.
- 1914
World War I: The Siege of Antwerp comes to an end.
- 1913
The steamship SS Volturno catches fire in the mid-Atlantic.
- 1911
An accidental bomb explosion triggers the Wuchang Uprising against the Qing dynasty, beginning the Xinhai Revolution.
- 1900
The Cook Islands become a territory of the United Kingdom.
- 1874
The Universal Postal Union is created by the Treaty of Bern.
- 1873
A meeting at the U.S. Naval Academy establishes the U.S. Naval Institute.
- 1864
American Civil War: Union cavalrymen defeat Confederate forces at Toms Brook, Virginia during Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley campaign.
- 1861
American Civil War: Union troops repel a Confederate attempt to capture Fort Pickens in the Battle of Santa Rosa Island.
- 1847
Slavery is abolished in the Swedish colony of Saint Barthélemy.
- 1834
Opening of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway, the first public railway on the island of Ireland.
- 1831
Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first head of state of independent Greece, is assassinated.
Famous Birthdays on October 9 in History 25
- 2002
Ben Shelton, American tennis player
- 2001
Kyla Leibel, Canadian swimmer
- 2000
Penei Sewell, American football player
- 1997
Jharrel Jerome, American actor
- 1997
Megan Moroney, American singer-songwriter.
- 1996
Jacob Batalon, Filipino-American actor
- 1996
Bella Hadid, American model
- 1994
Jodelle Ferland, Canadian actress
- 1993
Ani Amiraghyan, Armenian tennis player
- 1993
Lauren Davis, American tennis player
- 1993
Jayden Hodges, Australian rugby league player
- 1993
George Kittle, American football player
All entries for October 9（+13）
- 1993
Scotty McCreery, American singer and songwriter
- 1993
Wesley So, Filipino-American chess grandmaster
- 1992
Jerian Grant, American basketball player
- 1992
Sam Mewis, American soccer player
- 1992
Tyler James Williams, American actor
- 1990
Kevin Kampl, German-Slovene footballer
- 1990
Jake Lamb, American baseball player
- 1989
Russell Packer, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1988
Starling Marte, Dominican baseball player
- 1988
David Tyrrell, Australian rugby league player
- 1987
Craig Brackins, American basketball player
- 1987
Samantha Murray Sharan, British tennis player
- 1987
Henry Walker, American basketball player
Notable Deaths on October 9 in History 25
- 2026
Mike Ditka, American football coach and tight end for the Chicago Bears (born 1939)
- 2024
George Baldock, British-born Greek international footballer (born 1993)
- 2024
Dieter Burdenski, German footballer (born 1950)
- 2024
Lily Ebert, Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor (born 1923)
- 2024
Lee Wei Ling, Singaporean neurologist (born 1955)
- 2024
Clark R. Rasmussen, American politician (born 1934)
- 2024
Leif Segerstam, Finnish conductor and composer (born 1944)
- 2024
Ratan Tata, Indian businessman and philanthropist (born 1937)
- 2017
Jean Rochefort, French actor (born 1930)
- 2016
Andrzej Wajda, Polish film and theatre director (born 1926)
- 2015
Ray Duncan, American businessman (born 1930)
- 2015
Richard F. Heck, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1931)
All entries for October 9（+13）
- 2015
Geoffrey Howe, Welsh lawyer and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (born 1926)
- 2015
Ravindra Jain, Indian composer and director (born 1944)
- 2014
Boris Buzančić, Croatian actor and politician, 47th Mayor of Zagreb (born 1929)
- 2014
Jan Hooks, American actress and comedienne (born 1957)
- 2014
Carolyn Kizer, American poet and academic (born 1925)
- 2014
Peter A. Peyser, American soldier and politician (born 1921)
- 2014
Rita Shane, American soprano and educator (born 1936)
- 2013
Solomon Lar, Nigerian educator and politician, 4th Governor of Plateau State (born 1933)
- 2013
Srihari, Indian actor (born 1964)
- 2013
Wilfried Martens, Belgian lawyer and politician, 60th Prime Minister of Belgium (born 1936)
- 2013
Edmund Niziurski, Polish sociologist, lawyer, and author (born 1925)
- 2012
Sammi Kane Kraft, American actress (born 1992)
- 2012
Kenny Rollins, American basketball player (born 1923)
That is the story of October 9 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on October 9 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on October 9 in history?
The biggest event on October 9 in history is: 2024 — Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 3 hurricane, causing US$34.3 billion in damage only two weeks after Hurricane Helene impacted the state.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on October 9?
25 famous people were born on October 9 in history, the best known being 2002 — Ben Shelton, American tennis player.
Who died on October 9?
25 notable people died on October 9 in history, including 2026 — Mike Ditka, American football coach and tight end for the Chicago Bears (born 1939).
Why should I read about October 9 in history?
Exploring October 9 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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