Today in History

Armed terrorists take children and adults hostage in the Beslan school hostage crisis in North Ossetia, Russia.

On National Day, Vietnam releases 5,000 prisoners, including political dissidents.

The wreck of the Titanic found by Dr. Robert Ballard and Jean Louis Michel in a joint U.S. and French expedition.

US spacecraft Pioneer 11 makes the first-ever flyby of Saturn.

Yutaka Yamamoto, founder of Ordet animation studios (Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens).

America’s Bobby Fischer beats Russia’s Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, Iceland, to become world chess champion.

Dr. Hugh Scott of Washington, D.C. becomes the first African-American superintendent of schools in a major U.S. city.

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi seizes power in Libya following a coup.

Mohamed Atta, Egyptian terrorist; a ringleaders of the 9/11 attacks who piloted American Airlines Flight 11 into the World Trade Center’s North Tower.

Gloria Estefan, sincere, songwriter, actress; among top-selling 100 artists worldwide (“Words Get in the Way,” “Anything for You”).

Australia, New Zealand and the United States sign the ANZUS Treaty, a mutual defense pact.

Greg Errico, drummer and producer (Sly & the Family Stone).

C. J. Cherryh, fantasy and science fiction author (The Chanur series, Gene Wars, Heroes in Hell).

Lily Tomlin, multiple-award-winning actress, comedian, writer, producer (Laugh-In, Nashville, The Magic School Bus).