September 2012 Current Events: U.S. News

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

World News | Business News | Disasters & Science News

Here are the key events in United States news for the month of September 2012.

  • Democratic National Convention Opens in Charlotte, N.C. (Sept. 4): Held in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Democratic National Convention opening night highlights include speeches from First Lady Michelle Obama, and San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro. In his keynote address, Castro says of the Republican Party, "Their theory has been tested. It failed. Our economy failed. The middle class paid the price. Your family paid the price. Mitt Romney just doesn't get it." (Sept. 5): Former U.S. President Bill Clinton gives a rousing speech which brings the convention to its feet as he officially nominates Barack Obama as the 2012 Democratic candidate for president. Like the Republican National Convention, the DNC has to work around bad weather. Due to severe thunderstorms in the forecast, the convention is moved indoors, including President Obama's speech later in the week.

  • Andy Murray and Serena Williams Win the U.S. Open (Sept. 10): Fresh off his Olympic gold medal win, Andy Murray beats Novak Djokovic in an intense five hour, five set match (7–6, 7–5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–2) and wins the U.S. Open Men's Singles Championship, his first major. Serena Williams wins a tough three set match (6–2, 2–6, 7–5) against Victoria Azarenka for the U.S. Open Women's Championship. It is Serena's fifteenth major singles title.

  • Chicago Teachers Strike (Sept. 10): Twenty-six thousand public school teachers go on strike in Chicago to protest against proposed changes. President Obama's former chief of staff, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, has proposed a number of concessions, including that the school board revoke a promised four percent raise and that student test scores count more toward whether teachers receive tenure or not. The strike gains national attention and may affect teachers' unions nationwide as well as the upcoming November election. Chicago is Obama's hometown and the outcome of the strike may influence which way teachers, who largely vote democrat, go in the election. (Sept. 18): The teachers strike ends and students in the country's third-largest school system return to school after seven days. The strike ends when 800 union delegates vote to suspend the strike and agree on a contract. Both sides get some victories in the contract, which still needs to be ratified by all of the union's 26,000 members. The contract gives annual raises to teachers, but evaluates them, in part, on student test scores. The contract also makes the school day longer.

  • Occupy Wall Street Marks Its One-Year Anniversary (Sept. 17): Occupy Wall Street marks its one-year anniversary with a demonstration at the New York Stock Exchange. Protesters attempt to block access to the New York Stock Exchange and 185 arrests are made. Rallies are also held in other parts of New York City and in more than 30 cities around the world.

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