First Observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day
On January 20, 1986, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first observed as a federal holiday after a decades-long battle.
American History
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Birth of Oveta Culp Hobby
Oveta Culp Hobby was born on January 19, 1905, in Killeen, Texas.
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The Pentagon
On January 15, 1943, construction on the Pentagon, the world’s largest office building, was completed.
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March of Dimes
On January 3, 1938, President Franklin Roosevelt established the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, later renamed the March of Dimes.
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Birth of Thomas Macdonough
Thomas Macdonough (born McDonough) Jr. was born on December 31, 1783, in New Castle County, Delaware. The town in which he was born was later named McDonough in his honor.
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Another Victory for Old Ironsides
On December 29, 1812, the USS Constitution scored another American victory at sea in the War of 1812.
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Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
On December 26, 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts was founded – the first and oldest art museum and art school in the country. The Academy was the brainchild of artist Charles Willson Peale, sculptor Benjamin Rush, and other artists and businessmen.
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First Non-Stop Non-Refueled Flight Around the Globe
On December 23, 1986, Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager completed the first non-stop flight around the world without refueling.
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Birth of Lady Bird Johnson
First Lady Lady Bird Johnson was born on December 22, 1912, in Karnack, Texas.
