1. On September 15, 1963, four African American girls were killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. While this tragedy occurred outside of the District of Columbia, it had a profound impact on the Civil Rights Movement in the city.

2. In 2013, on the 50th anniversary of the bombing, the District of Columbia held a candlelight vigil at the Lincoln Memorial to remember the lives lost and honor the struggle for civil rights.

3. On September 15, 1962, Jacqueline Kennedy attended a performance of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" at the National Ballet in Washington, D.C. This was one of her many cultural engagements as First Lady, and contributed to her reputation for sophistication and elegance.

4. In 2006, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The memorial was intended to honor King's legacy as a civil rights leader and advocate for peace and justice.

5. September 15 is also the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which ended the American Revolutionary War. The treaty recognized the independence of the United States from Great Britain, and established the boundaries of the new nation.