First U.S. Olympic Stamp
On January 25, 1932, the US Post Office Department issued its first stamp honoring the Olympic Games. Those games were the first to be held in the US.
This Day in History
Start of the California Gold Rush
On January 24, 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, beginning the California Gold Rush. Thousands quickly flocked to the area in hopes of striking gold.
America’s First Female Doctor
On January 23, 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in America to graduate from medical school.
The Year of the Rabbit
This year, January 22, 2023, marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit on the Chinese calendar. The New Year celebration – also known as the Spring Festival – is the most important holiday in Chinese culture.
U.S. Launches First Nuclear Submarine
On January 21, 1954, the USS Nautilus, the world’s first operational nuclear-powered submarine, was launched. It would quickly break all speed and distance records and mark the start of a new age of underwater travel.
Birth of Singer Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was born on January 19, 1943, in Port Arthur, Texas. The “Queen of Psychedelic Soul,” Joplin infused her blues-inspired songs with a raw emotion and distinctive voice that made her one of the era’s leading female rockers.
Ignacy Paderewski Becomes Prime Minister of Poland
On January 18, 1919, composer-turned statesman Ignacy Paderewski was sworn in as the first prime minister of newly independent Poland.
Universal Postal Union Colors
On January 17, 1898, the first US stamp created to conform to the change in colors recommended by the Universal Postal Union was issued. The UPU had recommended the standardization of colors to make international mail easier to process.
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.