Historical eventSeptember 91971

Attica Prison riot

The four-day Attica Prison riot begins, eventually resulting in 39 dead, most killed by state troopers retaking the prison.

Everything on September 9Original source

In context

When
Thursday, September 9 197155 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1970s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1971.

What happened

The four-day Attica Prison riot begins, eventually resulting in 39 dead, most killed by state troopers retaking the prison.

September 9 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1971Attica Prison riot
  2. 2006Space Shuttle Atlantis
  3. 2009Dubai Metro
  4. 2010Natural gas
  5. 2012ISRO
  6. 20129 September 2012 Iraq attacks
  7. 2014Songs of Innocence (U2 album)
  8. 2015Elizabeth II
  9. 2016North Korea
  10. 2025Israel
  11. 20252025 Russian drone incursion into Poland

Also in 1971

  • September 13Project 571Following a failed coup attempt, Mao Zedong's second-in-command Lin Biao died in a plane crash while attempting to flee China.
  • September 13National Guard (United States)State police and National Guardsmen storm New York's Attica Prison to quell a prison revolt, which claimed 43 lives.
  • September 13Mao ZedongChairman Mao Zedong's second in command and successor Marshal Lin Biao flees China after the failure of an alleged coup. His plane crashe…
  • September 15GreenpeaceThe first Greenpeace ship departs from Vancouver to protest against the upcoming Cannikin nuclear weapon test in Alaska.
  • May 25Killing of Joetha CollierJoetha Collier, a recent high school graduate, was killed in Drew, Mississippi, in a case that attracted widespread attention from civil…
  • August 14BahrainBahrain declares independence from Britain.
  • September 3QatarQatar becomes an independent state.
  • July 31Apollo programApollo program: The Apollo 15 astronauts become the first to ride in a lunar rover.

Everything we record for 1971 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Attica Prison riot”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/attica-prison-riot-1971-september-9, accessed October 24, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did Attica Prison riot happen?

September 9 1971 — 55 years ago, on a Thursday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

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