September 5 in history — What Happened Today in History
Curious what September 5 in history holds? From 2022 back through the centuries, our timeline gathers everything that happened on September 5 — events, birthdays and deaths on one cozy page.
On this page, September 5 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 September 5 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on September 5 in History 40
- 2022
Liz Truss is declared the winner of the UK Conservative Party leadership election, beating Rishi Sunak.
- 2022
At least 93 people die and 25 are missing after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes Sichuan, China.
- 2021
The President of Guinea, Alpha Condé is captured by armed forces during a coup d'état.
- 2012
An accidental explosion at a Turkish Army ammunition store in Afyon, western Turkey kills 25 soldiers and wounds four others.
- 2006
The Waziristan Accord is signed between the Government of Pakistan and local Taliban militants in North Waziristan, obliging the Taliban to expel foreign jihadists and the government to compensate the tribes for loss of life and property and launch reconstruction projects.
- 2005
Mandala Airlines Flight 091 crashes after takeoff from Polonia International Airport in Medan, Indonesia, killing 149.
- 1996
Hurricane Fran makes landfall near Cape Fear, North Carolina as a Category 3 storm with 115 mph sustained winds. Fran caused over $3 billion in damage and killed 27 people.
- 1991
The current international treaty defending indigenous peoples, Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989, comes into force.
- 1990
Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Army soldiers slaughter 158 civilians.
- 1986
Pan Am Flight 73 from Mumbai, India with 358 people on board is hijacked at Karachi International Airport.
- 1984
STS-41-D: The Space Shuttle Discovery lands after its maiden voyage.
- 1984
Western Australia becomes the last Australian state to abolish capital punishment.
All entries for September 5(+28)
- 1981
The first women arrive at what becomes Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp in the UK.
- 1980
The Gotthard Road Tunnel opens in Switzerland as the world's longest highway tunnel at 16.9 kilometres (10.5 mi) stretching from Göschenen to Airolo.
- 1978
Camp David Accords: Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat begin peace discussions at Camp David, Maryland.
- 1977
Voyager Program: NASA launches the Voyager 1 spacecraft.
- 1975
Sacramento, California: Lynette Fromme attempts to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford.
- 1972
Munich massacre: A Palestinian terrorist group called "Black September" attacks and takes hostage 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympic Games. Two die in the attack and nine are murdered the following day.
- 1970
Vietnam War: Operation Jefferson Glenn begins: The United States 101st Airborne Division and the South Vietnamese 1st Infantry Division initiate a new operation in Thừa Thiên–Huế Province.
- 1969
Mỹ Lai Massacre: U.S. Army Lieutenant William Calley is charged with six specifications of premeditated murder for the death of 109 Vietnamese civilians in My Lai.
- 1968
End of the Congress of Carrara, one of the major 20th century anarchist congresses.
- 1960
Poet Léopold Sédar Senghor is the first elected President of Senegal.
- 1960
Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) wins the gold medal in the light heavyweight boxing competition at the Olympic Games in Rome.
- 1957
Cuban Revolution: Fulgencio Batista bombs the revolt in Cienfuegos.
- 1954
KLM Flight 633 crashes into the River Shannon in Shannon, County Clare, Ireland, killing 28.
- 1948
In France, Robert Schuman becomes President of the Council while being Foreign minister; as such, he is the French negotiator of the major treaties of the end of World War II.
- 1945
Cold War: Igor Gouzenko, a Soviet Union embassy clerk, defects to Canada, exposing Soviet espionage in North America, signalling the beginning of the Cold War.
- 1945
Iva Toguri D'Aquino, a Japanese American who broadcast under the name Orphan Annie during World War II, is arrested in Yokohama by U.S. military authorities amid widespread speculation of her being wartime radio propagandist Tokyo Rose.
- 1944
Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg constitute Benelux.
- 1943
World War II: In the Pacific Theater, the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment lands and occupies Lae Nadzab Airport, near Lae during the Salamaua–Lae campaign.
- 1942
World War II: Japanese high command orders withdrawal at Milne Bay, the first major Japanese defeat in land warfare during the Pacific War.
- 1941
Whole territory of Estonia is occupied by Nazi Germany.
- 1938
Chile: A group of youths affiliated with the fascist National Socialist Movement of Chile are executed after surrendering during a failed coup.
- 1937
Spanish Civil War: Llanes falls to the Nationalists following a one-day siege.
- 1932
The French Upper Volta is broken apart between Ivory Coast, French Sudan, and Niger.
- 1915
The pacifist Zimmerwald Conference begins.
- 1914
World War I: First Battle of the Marne begins. Northeast of Paris, the French attack and defeat German forces who are advancing on the capital.
- 1905
Russo-Japanese War: In New Hampshire, United States, the Treaty of Portsmouth, mediated by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, ends the war.
- 1887
A fire at the Theatre Royal, Exeter kills 186, making it the UK's deadliest ever building fire.
- 1882
The first United States Labor Day parade is held in New York City.
Famous Birthdays on September 5 in History 25
- 2007
Matthew Schaefer, Canadian ice hockey player
- 2001
Bukayo Saka, English footballer
- 2001
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Australian rugby league player
- 1999
Filip Chytil, Czech ice hockey player
- 1998
Caroline Dolehide, American tennis player
- 1998
Mac Jones, American football player
- 1998
Davion Mitchell, American basketball player
- 1997
Steven Kwan, American baseball player
- 1997
Kyōko Saitō, Japanese idol
- 1996
Jarren Duran, American baseball player
- 1996
Sigrid, Norwegian singer
- 1996
Richairo Zivkovic, Dutch footballer
All entries for September 5(+13)
- 1995
Lucas Wallmark, Swedish ice hockey player
- 1994
Kings Elliot, Swiss-English singer
- 1994
Sarah Carli, Australian track and field athlete
- 1994
Bonnie Anderson, Australian singer, songwriter and actress
- 1994
Dayton Wetherby, US-born Panamanian footballer
- 1994
Nediam Vargas, Venezuelan sprinter
- 1994
Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italian swimmer
- 1993
Pablo Reyes, Dominican baseball player
- 1993
T. J. Warren, American basketball player
- 1991
Skandar Keynes, English actor and political adviser
- 1990
Lance Stephenson, American basketball player
- 1990
Yuna Kim, South Korean figure skater
- 1990
Franco Zuculini, Argentine footballer
Notable Deaths on September 5 in History 25
- 2024
Rebecca Cheptegei, Ugandan athlete (born 1991)
- 2024
Herbie Flowers, English musician (born 1938)
- 2024
Radha Charan Gupta, Indian historian of mathematics (born 1935)
- 2024
Sérgio Mendes, Brazilian pianist and composer (born 1941)
- 2024
Rich Homie Quan, American rapper (born 1990)
- 2024
Laurent Tirard, French film director and screenwriter (born 1967)
- 2021
Sarah Harding, English singer, member of Girls Aloud (born 1981)
- 2019
Francisco Toledo, Mexican painter, sculptor, and graphic artist (born 1940)
- 2018
Bhagwatikumar Sharma, Indian Gujarati writer and journalist (born 1934)
- 2018
Beatriz Segall, Brazilian actress (born 1926)
- 2017
Nicolaas Bloembergen, Dutch-American physicist and Nobel laureate (born 1920)
- 2016
Hugh O'Brian, American actor (born 1925)
All entries for September 5(+13)
- 2016
Phyllis Schlafly, American lawyer, writer, and political activist (born 1924)
- 2015
Goh Eng Wah, Malaysian-Singaporean businessman, founded Eng Wah Global (born 1923)
- 2015
Aadesh Shrivastava, Indian singer-songwriter (born 1964)
- 2015
Chester Stranczek, American baseball player and businessman (born 1929)
- 2014
Bruce Morton, American journalist (born 1930)
- 2014
Mara Neusel, German mathematician, author, and academic (born 1964)
- 2013
Edwin Bideau, American lawyer and politician (born 1950)
- 2013
Geoffrey Goodman, English pilot, journalist, and author (born 1922)
- 2013
Isamu Jordan, American journalist and academic (born 1975)
- 2012
Ian Dick, Australian cricketer and field hockey player (born 1926)
- 2012
Victoria Fyodorova, Russian-American actress and author (born 1946)
- 2012
John Oaksey, English jockey and journalist (born 1929)
- 2010
Hedley Beare, Australian author and academic (born 1932)
That is the story of September 5 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on September 5 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 September 5 in history?
The biggest event on September 5 in history is: 2022 — Liz Truss is declared the winner of the UK Conservative Party leadership election, beating Rishi Sunak.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on September 5?
25 famous people were born on September 5 in history, the best known being 2007 — Matthew Schaefer, Canadian ice hockey player.
Who died on September 5?
25 notable people died on September 5 in history, including 2024 — Rebecca Cheptegei, Ugandan athlete (born 1991).
Why should I read about September 5 in history?
Exploring September 5 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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