What Happened On This Day ? September 20
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2011
The official US military policy of "don't ask, don't tell" ends
The policy was instituted by the administration of Bill Clinton in 1994. Under the policy, openly gay personnel were not allowed to serve in the United States military, but they could serve as long as they did not reveal their LGBT status.
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2001
American President, George W. Bush Declares War on Terror
The global military campaign against terrorism was first declared in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the United States. The phrase was used by President Bush in a speech given to the United States Congress.
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1984
The Cosby Show Airs for the First Time
The popular television sitcom followed the lives of a Brooklyn-based African-American family called the Huxtables. The show ran for 8 years on NBC and was largely based on the stand up comedy of Bill Cosby, who played the role of Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable, the father in the show.
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1973
Billie Jean King Wins the Battle of the Sexes
The mixed gender tennis match between top tennis player Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King was held in Houston, Texas after Riggs won another mixed gender match against Margaret Court earlier in the year. The matches were prompted by Riggs’ comments that even at an age of 55, he could beat any female tennis player. King beat Riggs and took home the $100,000 prize money. The match was and still is one of the most viewed tennis matches on television - it was watched by about 90 million people around the world.
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1904
Wilbur Wright Makes the First Circular Flight
Wright, who with his brother Orville, is credited for inventing the first airplane, made a complete circle in 1 minute and 16 seconds on the Wright Flyer II.
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1984
Brian Joubert
French figure skater
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1975
Juan Pablo Montoya
Colombian race car driver
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1948
George R. R. Martin
American screenwriter, author
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1934
Sophia Loren
Italian actress
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1899
Leo Strauss
German/American philosopher
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2005
Simon Wiesenthal
Austrian Holocaust survivor
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2004
Brian Clough
English footballer, manager
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1973
Jim Croce
American singer-songwriter
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1933
Annie Besant
English activist, author
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1930
Gombojab Tsybikov
Russian explorer