September 17: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign

Quick Facts for September 17

• Zodiac sign: Virgo
• Day of year: 260

About September 17

September 17 carries a heavy weight of governance and global shifts. While it marks the historic completion of the Constitutional Convention in the United States, it also celebrates civic identity through Australian Citizenship Day and Heroes' Day in Angola. It is a day where the legal frameworks of nations are honored alongside the memory of those who defend them.

Beyond politics, the date has seen massive shifts in technology and culture. In 1991, the world of computing was changed forever when the first version of the Linux kernel was shared online. Decades later, the digital landscape saw its own revolution when the release of Grand Theft Auto V shattered records, earning over half a billion dollars in just its first day on the market.

Holidays & Observances on September 17

• Australian Citizenship Day
• Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, observed on the previous Friday if it falls on a Saturday, the following Monday if on a Sunday; and the beginning of the Constitution Week (United States)
• Heroes' Day (Angola)
• Marathwada Liberation Day (Maharashtra)
• National Unity Day (Belarus) (since 2021)
• Operation Market Garden Anniversary is still remembered with parachuting and dedications on this day. (Netherlands)

Fun & National Days on September 17

• Free Queso Day — Grab some chips and celebrate by indulging in plenty of melted cheese!
• National Apple Dumpling Day — Treat yourself to a warm, cinnamon-spiced apple dumpling today.
• National Monte Cristo Day — Enjoy this delicious, sweet-and-savory fried sandwich for a special treat.
• National Table Shuffleboard Day — Grab some friends and enjoy a competitive game of shuffleboard.
• National Professional House Cleaners Day
• Time's Up Day
• World Patient Safety Day

On This Day in History

• 1111 — Galician nobility and high-ranking clergy gathered to crown Alfonso VII as the King of Galicia.
• 1543 — Mikael Agricola's Abckiria, the very first book written in the Finnish language, was published.
• 1630 — The settlement of Boston, Massachusetts, was officially established in North America.
• 1778 — The United States and a Native American tribe entered into the first formal treaty, known as the Treaty of Fort Pitt.
• 1787 — The United States Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, concluding the work of the Constitutional Convention.
• 1849 — Famous abolitionist Harriet Tubman began her initial journey to escape the shackles of slavery.
• 1862 — The Battle of Antietam took place, marking the most lethal single day in the history of the American Civil War.
• 1928 — A devastating hurricane struck the southeastern coast of Florida, resulting in over 2,500 fatalities.
• 1976 — NASA introduced the world to the Space Shuttle Enterprise during its official unveiling.
• 1980 — Following intense labor strikes at the Lenin Shipyard, the independent trade union Solidarity was formed.
• 1991 — The digital revolution accelerated as the inaugural version of the Linux kernel was released to the internet.
• 2013 — The video game Grand Theft Auto V achieved massive commercial success, making $500 million on its debut day.

Famous Birthdays on September 17

• 1826 — Bernhard Riemann, A highly influential German-Italian mathematician whose work transformed geometry.
• 1857 — Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, A pioneering Russian scientist who laid the foundations for modern astronautics.
• 1859 — Billy the Kid, A notorious and legendary American outlaw from the Old West era.
• 1900 — J. Willard Marriott, The successful American entrepreneur who founded the global Marriott Corporation.
• 1962 — Baz Luhrmann, The visionary Australian director known for his highly stylized cinematic works.
• 1985 — Alexander Ovechkin, An elite Russian professional ice hockey player known for his incredible scoring.
• 1995 — Patrick Mahomes, A superstar American football quarterback making waves in the NFL.