Leif Erikson Day
Leif Erikson Day is celebrated on October 9th each year in the United States to honor Leif Erikson, the Norse explorer widely believed to be the first European to set foot in North America—around the year 1000, long before Columbus. The date commemorates the arrival of the first Norwegian immigrants to the U.S. aboard the ship Restauration in 1825, symbolizing the connection between Norse heritage and American history.
Here’s a snapshot of October 9th in history—a day packed with exploration, innovation, cultural milestones, and global observances:
Major Historical Events:
768: Charlemagne and Carloman I crowned Kings of the Franks.
1000: Leif Erikson reaches Vinland (likely Newfoundland), becoming the first European to set foot in North America.
1446: Korea’s Hangul alphabet is first published by King Sejong the Great.
1635: Roger Williams is banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony, later founding Rhode Island.
1888: The Washington Monument opens to the public in Washington, D.C.
1936: Hoover Dam begins transmitting electricity to Los Angeles.
1967: Revolutionary leader Che Guevara is executed in Bolivia.
1986: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” premieres in London.
2004: Afghanistan holds its first direct presidential election.
2006: Google acquires YouTube for $1.65 billion.
2012: Malala Yousafzai is shot by the Taliban for advocating girls’ education; she survives and later wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
Notable Births:
Robert de Sorbon (1201) – Founder of the Sorbonne College.
Denis of Portugal (1261) – King of Portugal (1279–1325).
Charles X of France (1757) – King of France (1824–1830).
Lewis Cass (1782) – U.S. Senator and statesman.
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835) – Renowned French composer.
John Lennon (1940–1980) – Legendary musician, member of The Beatles.
Jackson Browne (1948) – Singer-songwriter known for classic rock hits.
Sharon Osbourne (1952) – TV personality and music manager.
Tony Shalhoub (1953) – Emmy-winning actor (Monk, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel).
Guillermo del Toro (1964) – Oscar-winning filmmaker (The Shape of Water).
David Cameron (1966) – Former UK Prime Minister.
PJ Harvey (1969) – Influential British musician.
George Kittle (1993) – NFL football player.
Scotty McCreery (1993) – Country singer and songwriter.
Bella Hadid (1996) – International fashion model.
Landon Barker (2003) – Musician and reality star.
Notable Deaths:
680 – Saint Ghislain, Christian saint.
1047 – Pope Clement II, head of the Catholic Church (1046–1047).
1253 – Robert Grosseteste, English scientist and theologian.
1273 – Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Germany.
1390 – John I of Castile, King of Castile and León.
1555 – Justus Jonas, German Protestant reformer.
1562 – Gabriele Falloppio, Italian anatomist (namesake of Fallopian tubes).
1806 – Benjamin Banneker, African-American astronomer and mathematician.
1831 – Ioannis Kapodistrias, first head of state of independent Greece (assassinated).
1837 – Charles Fourier, French utopian socialist.
1906 – Joseph Glidden, American inventor of barbed wire.
1911 – Jack Daniel, founder of Jack Daniel’s whiskey distillery.
1941 – Helen Morgan, American actress and singer.
1958 – Pope Pius XII, head of the Catholic Church during WWII.
1967 – Che Guevara, Argentine revolutionary leader (executed in Bolivia).
1974 – Oskar Schindler, German industrialist who saved Jews during the Holocaust.
1978 – Jacques Brel, Belgian singer-songwriter and poet.
1987 – Clare Boothe Luce, American author and diplomat.
2004 – Jacques Derrida, French philosopher.
2014 – Jan Hooks, American comedian (Saturday Night Live).
2022 – Eileen Ryan, American actress (mother of Sean Penn).
2024 – Ratan Tata, Indian industrialist and philanthropist.
