First January Presidential Inauguration Day
On January 20, 1937, Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first US president to be sworn in under the new rules of the 20th Amendment. Since then, every president has been sworn in on January 20.
This Day in History
Launch of New Horizons Probe
On January 19, 2006, the New Horizons interplanetary space probe was launched on a mission that included studying Pluto. The mission was inspired in part a postage stamp!
Birth of Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was born in Salisbury (now Franklin), New Hampshire on January 18, 1782. A successful lawyer and statesman, he negotiated an important treaty with Canada and served as Secretary of State under three presidents.
The Battle of Cowpens
On January 17, 1781, the Continental Army fought the British near Cowpens, South Carolina. They used the only double envelopment of the war to claim an important victory in what’s considered the turning point in the battle for South Carolina.
Birth of Ethel Merman
Ethel Agnes Zimmermann was born on January 16, 1908, in Astoria, Queens, New York. Known as the “Queen of Broadway,” her dazzling career lasted more than 50 years.
Death of Timothy O’Sullivan
Timothy H. O’Sullivan died from tuberculosis on January 14, 1882. He was a well-known photographer who captured the brutality of the Civil War and the untamed beauty of the Western United States.
Second Battle of Fort Fisher
On January 13, 1865, Union forces launched the Second Battle of Fort Fisher. The fort, dubbed the “Gibraltar of the Confederacy,” was the largest in the South and key to Confederate international trade.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
On January 12, 1953, Cape Hatteras became America’s first national seashore. Stretched over 70 miles of barrier islands, this seashore is a fascinating combination of natural and cultural resources.
Birth of Alice Paul
Alice Paul was born on January 11, 1885, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Paul was a leader in the women’s suffrage movement, staging protests and parades to gain support for the right to vote.