Birth of Jack London
Acclaimed writer Jack London was born on January 12, 1876, in San Francisco, California. Best known for his novel Call of the Wild, he became the highest paid, most-popular writer of his day.
Famous Americans
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Birth of John A. Lejeune
Marine Corps Commandant John Archer Lejeune was born on January 10, 1867, in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Serving his country for nearly 40 years, he’s been called the “Greatest of all Leathernecks” and the “Marine’s Marine.”
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Washington Delivers First State of the Union Address
On January 8, 1790, President George Washington delivered the very first State of the Union address at Federal Hall in New York City. It started a long tradition that continues to this day.
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Birth of Carl Sandburg
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg was born on January 6, 1878, in Galesburg, Illinois. He wrote his own “American fairytales” as well as children’s books and biographies on Abraham Lincoln.
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Death of George Washington Carver
Botanist and inventor George Washington Carver died on January 5, 1943, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Carver worked to help poor Southern farmers and is most famous for developing more than 300 uses for peanuts, earning the nickname, “Peanut Man.”
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Death of Nellie Cashman
Nurse, businesswoman, and philanthropist Nellie Cashman died on January 4, 1925, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Spending much of her life running boarding houses near mining camps and caring for sick miners, she became known as the “Miners’ Angel.”
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Happy Birthday “Hammerin’ Hank”
On January 1, 1911, Henry Benjamin Greenberg was born in New York City, New York. One of the greatest sluggers in baseball history, he put his career on hold to serve 47 months with the Army during World War II, the most of any major league player.
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Happy New Year’s Eve!
On December 31, 1903, Times Square hosted its first-ever New Year’s Eve Celebration. It’s one of the largest and longest-running New Year’s Eve celebrations in the world.
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Birth of Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was born on December 28, 1856, in Staunton, Virginia. As America’s 28th president, he let America into World War I and is considered the architect of the League of Nations.
