Passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Act
On January 16, 1883, President Chester A. Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, making major changes to the American Civil Service System.
American History
Happy Birthday Martin Luther King Jr.
Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. A Baptist minister, King sought equality for all Americans and fought for peaceful solutions to racial issues.
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.
America’s Smallest Postage Stamp
On January 11, 1978, the USPS issued its smallest postage stamp, featuring the famed Indian Head Penny. The stamp was a USPS experiment to cut costs and increase output.
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.”
First Shots of the Civil War?
On January 9, 1861, Southern rebels fired on an American ship attempting to resupply Fort Sumter. Some consider these to be the opening shots of the Civil War.
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.
First Official Transatlantic Phone Call
On January 7, 1927, men in New York and London staged the first official telephone call across the Atlantic Ocean. Using radio waves, it made instant communication across the ocean a reality, paving the way for our modern communication systems.
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.”