Today is Monday, September 14, the 257th day of 2026, with 108 days remaining in the year. Across the nation, Americans pause to remember a series of historic moments that share this date.
Theodore Roosevelt Becomes the Youngest President
On September 14, 1901, President William McKinley died in Buffalo, New York, after being mortally wounded by an assassin eight days earlier. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in the same day, making him the youngest person ever to assume the U.S. presidency at age 42. Roosevelt’s rapid ascent set a precedent for the constitutional line of succession and highlighted the importance of a stable transfer of power.
Other Notable Events on September 14
In 1847, during the Mexican‑American War, U.S. forces under General Winfield Scott captured Mexico City, a decisive moment in the conflict that reshaped the nation’s borders.
In 1861, the first naval engagement of the Civil War took place when the Union‑side USS Colorado attacked and sank the Confederate private schooner Judah off the coast of Pensacola, Florida.
Modern dance pioneer Isadora Duncan died in Nice, France, in 1927 after her scarf became entangled in a car wheel, ending a groundbreaking artistic career.
Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly film star Grace Kelly, died in 1982 at age 52 from injuries sustained in a car crash the day before.
In 1991, South Africa’s government, the African National Congress, and the Inkatha Freedom Party signed a national peace pact, a step toward ending decades of internal conflict.
Baseball’s 1994 season was officially ended on this day after Acting Commissioner Bud Selig announced the cancellation on the 34th day of a players’ strike.
Following the September 11 attacks, Americans gathered in churches and public squares on September 14, 2001. President George W. Bush prayed with his Cabinet at Washington National Cathedral before traveling to New York, where he visited the World Trade Center site and addressed rescue workers.
In 2012, a controversial anti‑Muslim film that ridiculed the Prophet Muhammad sparked violent protests across the Muslim world.
Hurricane Florence made landfall on the U.S. Southeast coast in the Carolinas in 2018, flooding entire communities, trapping hundreds, and claiming at least 43 lives.
Most recently, in 2024 the U.S. Navy commissioned the USS New Jersey, the first submarine specifically designed with separate sleeping and bathing quarters for a co‑ed crew, reflecting modern gender‑integrated service standards.
Birthdays Celebrated Today
Among those marking birthdays on September 14 are actor Walter Koenig (90), architect Renzo Piano (89), basketball Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown (86), actor Sam Neill (79), Pope Leo XIV (71), country singer John Berry (67), actress Melissa Leo (66), actress Faith Ford (62), director Bong Joon‑Ho (57), Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (56), actress Kimberly Williams‑Paisley (55), actor Andrew Lincoln (53), rapper Nas (53), Olympic gold‑medalist Hicham El Guerrouj (52), Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (48), chef‑TV personality Katie Lee (45), NBA All‑Star Jimmy Butler (37), golfer Tony Finau (37), actress Emma Kenney (27), and actress‑gymnast Morgan Wigle (19).
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
