Happy Birthday Cary Grant
Actor Archibald Alexander Leach (aka Cary Grant) was born on January 18, 1904, in Horfield, Bristol, United Kingdom. He was a versatile actor known for his comedies, dramas, and acclaimed films with Alfred Hitchcock.
American History
Happy Birthday Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony. “The first citizen of Philadelphia,” Franklin was a printer, inventor, postmaster, and the only person to sign all four of the key documents in US history.
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
On January 16, 1786, Virginia enacted Thomas Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom. It was one of the most important laws ever passed by the Virginia Assembly, provided inspiration for the Bill of Rights, and was one of the achievements of which Jefferson was most proud.
Ratification Day
On January 14, 1784, the Confederation Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris, officially ending the American Revolutionary War. New boundaries were set and Great Britain acknowledged the United States as an independent nation.
Birth of Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 (or 57 – the year is unknown), in Nevis in the British West Indies. He was a hero of the Revolutionary War and first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States.
First Stamp with Mr. Zip in the Selvage
On January 10, 1964, Mr. Zip first appeared in the selvage of a stamp sheet honoring Texas icon Sam Houston. Created to help promote the use of ZIP Codes, he appeared in the selvage of more than 350 stamp sheets over 20 years.
First Definitive U.S. Flag Stamp
On January 9, 1963, the US Post Office issued its first definitive stamp to feature the US flag as its main subject, flying over the White House. This began a long-running tradition of “flag over…” stamps.
Birth of William Piper
William Thomas Piper was born on January 8, 1881, in Knapp Creek, New York. He developed the popular and inexpensive Piper Cub and became known as the “Henry Ford of Aviation.”
Birth of Zora Neale Hurston
Novelist and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7, 1891, in Notasulga, Alabama. She was a prolific writer, credited with accurately documenting the lives of everyday working black families in the Deep South during the Depression.