page_title: 1909
section_title: January–February
hierarchical_section_title: 1909 / Events / January–February
caption_attribution_description: English: William Howard Taft, 27th President of the United States
context_page_description: 1909 was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar, the 1909th year of the Common Era and Anno Domini designations, the 909th year of the 2nd millennium, the 9th year of the 20th century, and the 10th and last year of the 1900s decade. As of the start of 1909, the Gregorian calendar was 13 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.
context_section_description: January 7 – Colombia recognizes the independence of Panama.
  January 9 – The British Nimrod Expedition to the South Pole, led by Ernest Shackleton, arrives at the farthest south reached by any prior expedition, at 88°23' S, prior to turning back due to diminishing supplies.
  January 16 – Shackleton's expedition claims to have found the magnetic South Pole (but the location recorded may be incorrect).
  January 24 – The White Star Liner RMS Republic sinks the day after a collision with SS Florida
  January 28 – The last United States troops leave Cuba, after being there since the Spanish–American War of 1898.
  February 2 – The Paris Film Congress opens. It is an attempt to create a cartel of leading European producers similar to the MPPC in the United States.
  February 5 – Leo Baekeland announces the creation of bakelite hard thermosetting plastic.
  February 12
  The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is founded in New York City.
  Ferry SS Penguin sinks in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand, killing 75 of the 105 passengers and crew.
caption: William Taft 27th President of the United States
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