September 16

Thursday 16, 2004:

Hurricane Ivan touches land near Gulf Shores, Alabama, becoming the third costliest hurricane to strike the United States.

Saturday 16, 2000:

Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Gongadze is last seen alive.

Wednesday 16, 1992:

Black Wednesday: the Pound Sterling is forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism by currency speculators and is forced to devalue against the Deutschmark.

Monday 16, 1991:

The trial of Panamanian "strongman" Manuel Noriega begins in the United States.

Wednesday 16, 1987:

The Montreal Protocol is signed to protect the ozone layer from depletion.

Thursday 16, 1982:

Sabra and Shatila massacre.

Wednesday 16, 1981:

Sugar Ray Leonard defeats Thomas Hearns by a knockout in round 14 in Las Vegas to unify boxing's world Welterweight championship.

Tuesday 16, 1975:

Papua New Guinea gains its independence from Australia.

Wednesday 16, 1970:

King Hussein of Jordan declares military rule, resulting in formation of the Black September Palestinian paramilitary unit.

Friday 16, 1966:

The Metropolitan Opera House opens at Lincoln Center in New York City to the world premiere of Samuel Barber's opera, Antony and Cleopatra.

Monday 16, 1963:

Malaysia is formed from Malaya, Singapore, British North Borneo and Sarawak

Sunday 16, 1956:

Play-Doh is introduced to the world

Friday 16, 1955:

Juan Perón is deposed in Argentina

Tuesday 16, 1941:

Concerned that Reza Pahlavi the Shah of Persia was about to align his petroleum-rich country with Germany during World War II, the United Kingdom and the USSR occupy Iran and forced him to resign in favor of his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Monday 16, 1940:

Sam Rayburn elected Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

Tuesday 16, 1919:

The American Legion is incorporated.

Wednesday 16, 1908:

General Motors is founded.

Monday 16, 1901:

Alturas, California, incorporated as the only city in Modoc County

Saturday 16, 1893:

Oklahoma Land Race: settlers race for prime land in the Cherokee Strip.

Wednesday 16, 1829:

The Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829, ends with the signing of the Treaty of Adrianople (Edirne)

Sunday 16, 1810:

With the Grito de Dolores, Father Miguel Hidalgo proclaims Mexico's independence from Spain

Wednesday 16, 1795:

United Kingdom conquers Cape Town, South Africa

Monday 16, 1776:

American Revolutionary War: the Battle of Harlem Heights is fought.

Friday 16, 1701:

Prince James Francis Edward Stuart, more commonly referred to as the "Old Pretender", becomes the Jacobite claimant of the thrones of Scotland and England

Tuesday 16, 1597:

Yi Sun-sin leads 12 ships of the Korean fleet against an invasion by 133 Japanese ships. The Koreans sink 31 enemy ships and force a Japanese retreat.

More on September, 16

• People Born on September, 16
• They left us on September, 16