On January 30, 1835, a gunshot was meant to change American history—but it didn’t. That winter day, outside the US Capitol, an unemployed house painter named Richard Lawrence attempted to assassinate President Andrew Jackson, marking the first known assassination attempt against a sitting US president.
Politician and diplomat Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin was born on January 29, 1761, in Geneva, Switzerland. His journey from European aristocrat to one of the most influential financial minds in US history is a story of ambition, intellect, and public service.
George Sewall Boutwell was born on January 28, 1818, in Brookline, Massachusetts, at a time when the young nation was still defining its political identity. Over the course of his long career, Boutwell became a key figure in state and federal government, shaping policy before, during, and after the Civil War.
Jerome David Kern was born on January 27, 1885, in New York City, New York. A prolific composer, he wrote over 1,000 songs for more than 100 stage productions and films, most famously Show Boat.
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 21, 1915, a small meeting in Detroit, Michigan sparked a global movement built on service and friendship. What began on that winter day would grow into Kiwanis International, an organization dedicated to improving communities and helping children around the world.
On January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy took the oath of office on a cold Washington day, while the nation witnessed something entirely new at a presidential inauguration. Standing beside the youthful new president was Robert Frost, America’s most famous living poet, marking the first time poetry became part of the inaugural ceremony.
Born on January 19, 1918, in Arkansas City, Arkansas, John Harold Johnson rose from poverty and segregation to become one of the most influential publishers in American history. With vision and determination, he built a media empire that reshaped how African Americans saw themselves—and how the nation saw them.
On January 17, 1944, the Allies launched a brutal struggle in Italy that would test their endurance and reshape the course of the war in Europe. The Battle of Monte Cassino became one of World War II’s longest and bloodiest campaigns, marked by sacrifice, controversy, and hard-won victory.