Birth of Robinson Jeffers
John Robinson Jeffers was born on January 10, 1887, in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. He was a prolific, yet controversial poet who captured the natural beauty surrounding his home in Carmel, California.
This Day in History
First Flown Letter in America
On January 9, 1793, Jean-Pierre Blanchard carried the first letter by hot air balloon in America. The letter came from President George Washington, an avid balloon enthusiast.
Birth of José Ferrer
José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón was born on January 8, 1912, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He won the first-ever Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play and was the first Hispanic actor to win an Oscar.
Happy Birthday, Albert Bierstadt
Artist Albert Bierstadt was born on January 7, 1830, in Solingen, Germany. He was the most successful of the Hudson River School Artists and his paintings of the American West helped inspire increased settlement.
Birth of Sam Rayburn
Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn was born on January 6, 1882, in Kingston, Tennessee. Famous for his integrity, Rayburn served as Speaker of the House of Representatives longer than anyone else and spent 49 consecutive years in Congress.
Birth of Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur Jr. was born on January 5, 1779, in Sinepuxent, Maryland. The youngest man in the navy to reach the rank of captain, Decatur was a hero of the War of 1812 and the Barbary Wars.
Birth of Louis Braille
Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809, in Coupvray, France. Braille invented the reading and writing system used by the visually impaired for nearly two centuries.
Birth of ZaSu Pitts
Actress ZaSu Pitts was born Eliza Susan Pitts on January 3, 1894, in Parsons, Kansas. Though known as “the screen’s greatest tragedienne” for her dramatic silent film roles, she went on to star in several comedies after the advent of sound films.
Death of Erroll Garner
Jazz pianist and composer Erroll Garner died on January 2, 1977, in Los Angeles, California. He’s been called “one of the most distinctive of all pianists” and a “brilliant virtuoso.”