On January 14, 1957, we said goodbye to Humphrey Bogart. Humphrey Bogart was one of the few individuals able to transcend the silver screen to become a true legend. His rugged good looks, husky voice, and gruff, yet sensitive attitude earned him worldwide recognition and made him one of the most distinctive leading men of film’s Golden Age.
Horatio Alger Jr. was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on January 13, 1832. Alger was most well-known for his “rags to riches” stories that were especially popular with children.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg was born on January 6, 1878, in Galesburg, Illinois. He wrote his own “American fairytales” as well as children’s books and biographies on Abraham Lincoln.