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On this day in history - September 18

What Happened On This Day – September 18

  • 1998 The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is founded

    Author Esther Dyson became the first chairperson of the now non-profit organization, which was initially under the oversight of the U.S. Department of Commerce. In 2009, the Department of Commerce gave up its control over ICANN, which is responsible for maintaining the Domain Name System (DNS) on the Internet.

  • 1973 West Germany adopts the Deutsche Mark

    This action replaced the East German Mark and helped complete the economic reunification part of the union between East and West Germany.

  • 1959 Vanguard 3 is launched into Earth's orbit

    The geocentric satellite was launched into Earth's orbit by a Vanguard rocket, built by Glenn L. Martin Company, which is now known as Lockheed-Martin.

  • 1934 USSR joins the League of Nations

    It was expelled just a few years later for its aggressive actions towards Finland.

  • 1872 Oscar II becomes King of Norway and Sweden

    He succeeded his brother Charles XV and IV

Illustration of stork, signifying birth

Births On This Day,
September 18

  • 1976 Ronaldo

    Brazilian footballer

  • 1971 Jada Pinkett Smith

    American model, actress

  • 1961 James Gandolfini

    American actor

  • 1905 Greta Garbo

    Swedish actress

  • 1709 Samuel Johnson

    English author, lexicographer

Illustration of tombstone, signifying death

Deaths On This Day,
September 18

  • 1970 Jimi Hendrix

    American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer

  • 1961 Dag Hammarskjöld

    Swedish diplomat, economist, author, 2nd Secretary-General of the United Nations, Nobel Prize Laureate

  • 1830 William Hazlitt

    English critic, painter

  • 1783 Leonhard Euler

    Swiss mathematician, physicist

  • 96 Domitian

    Roman Emperor