This Day In History

On January 15, 1896, America lost one of its most influential visual storytellers—Mathew Brady. Known as the father of American war photography, Brady brought the distant battlefields of the Civil War into the public eye, using his camera to reveal the real cost of conflict in a way words never could.

In the dark days of World War II, when victory was far from certain, Allied leaders gathered in secret to make decisions that would shape the course of the conflict—and the world that followed. Beginning on January 14, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill met in Casablanca, Morocco, for a high-stakes conference that set the direction of the war in Europe and beyond. What was decided would influence battles, alliances, and the meaning of victory itself.

On January 13, 1864, Stephen Foster—the man often called the “father of American music”—died alone in a New York City boardinghouse. He was just 37 years old, yet the songs he left behind would echo for generations. Long after his death, Americans would still be singing his melodies at home, on stage, and at public events, often without realizing they were hearing the work of one of the nation’s earliest and most influential songwriters.

On January 12, 1932, Hattie Caraway became the first women elected to serve in the United States Senate. Her historic election broke barriers for women in government and set a precedent for future female leaders in the Senate.

Baseball pitcher Walter “The Big Train” Johnson was born on November 6, 1887, in Humboldt, Kansas. Today, he is remembered not only as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history but also as a model of sportsmanship and character—an enduring symbol of the game’s early golden age.    

On October 30, 1974, Muhammad Ali faced off against heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman in one of the most famous matches in sports history — the “Rumble in the Jungle.”

On September 30, 1972, Roberto Clemente scored his 3,000th hit on the very last regular season at-bat of his career. He became just the 11th person at the time to reach this milestone. To date, more than 30 players have over 3,000 hits.

Baseball legend Theodore Samuel Williams was born on August 30, 1918, in San Diego, California. One of the game’s all-time great hitters, he holds the record for career on-base percentage.

George Dewey, the only man to hold the rank of Admiral of the Navy, died on January 16, 1917. He was a hero of the Civil War and the Spanish-American War.

On January 16, 1786, Virginia enacted Thomas Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom. It was one of the most important laws ever passed by the Virginia Assembly, provided inspiration for the Bill of Rights, and was one of the achievements of which Jefferson was most proud.

On January 16, 1883, President Chester A. Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, making major changes to the American Civil Service System.

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.