This Day In History : September 6

1968 Swaziland

Swaziland becomes independent

Swaziland became independent on September 6, 1968. On this date, Swaziland (now officially known as Eswatini) gained independence from British colonial rule. This event marked the culmination of a process that began with negotiations between the British colonial authorities and Swazi leaders, leading to the establishment of an independent monarchy under King Sobhuza II.

Also on This Day in History September 6

Discover what happened on September 6 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, September 6
  • 1930 Charles Foley

    American game designer who co-created the game Twister

  • 1908 Louis Essen

    British physicist (time measurement, speed of light determination)

  • 1906 Luis Federico Leloir

    Argentine biochemist who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1970 for "his discovery of sugar nucleotides and their role in the biosynthesis of carbohydrates"

  • 1830 John Henry Dallmeyer

    German-British inventor and manufacturer of lenses and telescopes

  • 1919 Wilson Greatbatch

    American engineer and pioneering inventor (cardiac pacemaker)

Deaths on This Day, September 6
  • 2018 Richard DeVos

    American businessman who co-founded Amway

  • 1966 Margaret Sanger

    American nurse, birth control proponent and feminist

  • 1857 Johann Salamo Christoph Schweigger

    German physicist who invented the galvanometer (1820)

  • 1978 Adolf Dassler

    German entrepreneur (founder sportswear company Adidas)

  • 2016 Raymond Hide

    British geophysicist (geomagnetism, meteorology, geodesy and oceanography)

1939

South Africa declares war on Germany during World War II

South Africa declared war on Germany on September 6, 1939. This declaration came shortly after the outbreak of World War II following Germany's invasion of Poland. South Africa's decision to enter the war aligned with its status as a member of the British Commonwealth and its commitment to support Britain and its allies in the fight against Nazi Germany and its Axis partners.
1879

Telephone Company Ltd opened the first public British telephone exchange in Lombard Street, London using Edison's system

In 1879, the Telephone Company Ltd opened the first public British telephone exchange in Lombard Street, London. This exchange marked a significant advancement in telecommunications, providing a centralized location where multiple telephone lines could be interconnected, allowing for easier and more widespread communication among subscribers.
2017

Catalonia's parliament passes law to allow referendum on independence from Spain

On September 6, 2017, Catalonia's parliament passed a law to allow a referendum on independence from Spain. This law aimed to pave the way for Catalonia, an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, to hold a referendum on whether to secede from Spain and become an independent state. The move sparked significant political tensions between Catalonia and the Spanish government, which declared the referendum illegal and unconstitutional.
1870

Louisa Ann Swain of Laramie, Wyoming becomes the first woman in the United States to cast a vote legally after 1807

Louisa Ann Swain of Laramie, Wyoming, became the first woman in the United States to cast a vote legally on September 6, 1870. She participated in the general election held in Laramie, Wyoming Territory, where women were granted the right to vote earlier that year. Wyoming Territory was the first place in the United States to grant full voting rights to women.
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