THURSDAY, Sept. 24, 2026

1180-With the death of Manuel I Komnenos, the last Byzantine Emperor of the Komnenian restoration, the Byzantine Empire begins its terminal decline

1493-Christopher Columbus embarks on his second expedition to the New World, setting sail with a fleet of 17 ships

1789-U.S. Federal Judiciary Act passes, creating a six-member Supreme Court

1869-Black Friday: Panic on Wall Street after investors Jay Gould and James Fisk attempt to corner the gold market

1877-Battle of Shiroyama: Imperial Japanese Army decisively defeats the Satsuma Rebellion

1950-Operation Magic Carpet concludes after transporting 45,000 Yemenite Jews to Israel

1952-American fast food restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) opens its first franchise in Salt Lake City, Utah, after Col. Harland Sanders franchises his recipe to friend Pete Harman