This Day In History

On January 26, 1945, Audie Murphy single-handedly held off an entire company of German soldiers at the Colmar Pocket in France. His incredible courage under fire not only saved his unit from destruction but also earned him the Medal of Honor, making him a lasting symbol of American heroism in World War II.

On January 25, 1924, the first-ever Winter Olympic Games opened in Chamonix, France, bringing together athletes from across the globe to compete on snow and ice. These historic games laid the foundation for a new Olympic tradition, showcasing winter sports in a way never done before.

Neysa McMein, born on January 24, 1888, helped shape how America saw itself during the early 20th century through powerful images that appeared everywhere from magazines to movie studios. Her art captured modern beauty, wartime patriotism, and celebrity culture at a moment when illustration defined public life.

On January 23, 1943, Duke Ellington made his first of many performances at Carnegie Hall. His premiere performance included the debut of his ambitious jazz symphony Black, Brown, and Beige. Ellington hoped to raise jazz to the level of classical music by bringing it to the halls of the esteemed institution.

On January 23, 1943, Duke Ellington made his first of many performances at Carnegie Hall. His premiere performance included the debut of his ambitious jazz symphony Black, Brown, and Beige. Ellington hoped to raise jazz to the level of classical music by bringing it to the halls of the esteemed institution.

On January 18, 1944, the grand halls of the Metropolitan Opera House echoed with something never heard there before—the electrifying sound of jazz. What began as a magazine poll became a historic night that blended music, patriotism, and cultural change during the height of World War II.

On January 13, 1864, Stephen Foster—the man often called the “father of American music”—died alone in a New York City boardinghouse. He was just 37 years old, yet the songs he left behind would echo for generations. Long after his death, Americans would still be singing his melodies at home, on stage, and at public events, often without realizing they were hearing the work of one of the nation’s earliest and most influential songwriters.

After a yearlong campaign, the USPS held a special midnight first-day ceremony on January 8, 1993, for the long-awaited Elvis Presley stamp.

On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp, marking the beginning of the end of the Holocaust. The United Nations later designated this date International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

American labor union leader Samuel Gompers was born on January 27, 1850, in London, England. He helped found the American Federation of Labor (AFL), one of the largest unions of the day.

On January 27, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords ended US involvement in the Vietnam War. It marked the end of a decade of US presence in Vietnam, though the fighting would continue for two more years.

On January 27, 1938, the Honeymoon Bridge at Niagara Falls collapsed from the force of ice on the river pressing against its supports.  It had been the largest steel arch bridge in the world.