September 12 Through History: Hudson River, Lascaux Paintings, Gaza Withdrawal and More
A chronological roundup of notable September 12 events, from Henry Hudson’s 1609 river discovery to Israel’s final troop pullout from Gaza in 2005.
This historical recap surveys a wide range of events that share the September 12 date. In 1609, explorer Henry Hudson charted the waterway now called the Hudson River. Four teenagers uncovered the prehistoric Lascaux cave paintings in 1940 after following a dog into a narrow cavern in Montignac, France.
The article marks John F. Kennedy’s 1953 marriage to Jacqueline Lee Bouvier and the 1958 Supreme Court order for Little Rock High School to admit Black students. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the law creating Canyonlands National Park in 1964, and Ethiopian military officers removed Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974. South African activist Steven Biko died in police custody in 1977, while Hurricane Gilbert caused over 300 deaths in 1988.
Space milestones include Mae Jemison’s 1992 flight and the 2024 first commercial spacewalk by Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis. The list concludes with Israel’s 2005 withdrawal of troops from the Gaza Strip, ending its direct military presence there since 1967.
Why it matters
Understanding past September 12 events provides context for cultural, political and scientific milestones that shape today’s world.
In this story
