Jen and Jon Johnson

On Sept. 29, 1965 during the Vietnam War it was announced that U.S. pilots shot down over the North would not receive the rights of prisoners of war
(POWs) and would be treated as war criminals

On Sept. 28, 1542 explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sails into the San Diego Bay during his explorations of the NW shores of Mexico for Spain. It was the first European encounter with California

On Sept. 26, 1960, the first televised debate between presidential candidates took place in Chicago as Republican Richard M. Nixon and Democrat John F. Kennedy squared off.

On Sept. 25, 1957, with 300 United States Army troops standing guard, nine black children were escorted to Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, days after unruly white crowds had forced them to withdraw.

On Sept. 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in rebel states should be free as of Jan. 1, 1863.

On Sept. 21, 1792 the Legislative Assembly of France voted to abolish the monarchy and establish the First Republic (a democratic gov.)Â This ended the reign of King Louis XVI.

On Sept. 19, 1881 President James Garfield dies after being shot 80 days earlier. Garfield had been President for 4 months when he was shot by Charles Guiteau – a man who he had not appointed to office.

On Sept. 18, 1947, the National Security Act, which unified the Army, Navy and newly formed Air Force as the three main divisions of the US armed forces, went into effect.

On Sept. 15, 1963, four black girls were killed when a bomb went off during Sunday services at a Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama. This helped to inspire the civil rights movement.

On Sept. 12, 1977, South African black student leader Steven Biko dies of severe head trauma in prison – he had received a severe blow to the head 6 days earlier during a police interrogation.