September 22, 1862

On this date, President Abraham Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation. Contrary to popular belief, the Proclamation freed only slaves residing in the Confederacy. This was a political move to ensure that the remaining slave-holding border states did not secede from the Union.

September 24, 1957

On this day, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered the National Guard to enforce racial integration in public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. This was done by federalizing the Arkansas National Guard taking command away from the Governor of Arkansas who was opposed to de-segregation. This coupled with the arrival of the 101st Airborne Division would lead to the event known as the Little Rock 9.

September 25, 1513

It was on this date that the Spanish explorer, Vasco de Balboa first viewed the Pacific Ocean after traversing the length of the Isthmus of Panama. This made him the first European to reach and see the Pacific Ocean by way of the New World.

September 26, 1918

This marked the beginning of the Battle of the Argonne Forest. During World War I, a combined French and American force attacked the German army along a 40-mile front. This would be the last major battle of World War I.

September 26, 1960

This was the first televised Presidential debate in history. The debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon was viewed by 74 million people on television and was shown in multiple countries. The result of the debate being on television was that Nixon was viewed as weak due to being underweight from a recent stay in the hospital and JFK was viewed as strong and confident.