Events

Pre-1600

* 69 – The

Roman legion The Roman legion ( la, legiō, ) was the largest military unit of the Roman army, composed of 5,200 infantry and 300 equites (cavalry) in the period of the Roman Republic (509 BC–27 BC) and of 5,600 infantry and 200 auxilia in the period o ...

s in

Germania Superior Germania Superior ("Upper Germania") was an imperial province of the Roman Empire. It comprised an area of today's western Switzerland, the French Jura and Alsace regions, and southwestern Germany. Important cities were Besançon ('' Vesontio ...

refuse to swear loyalty to Galba. They rebel and proclaim Vitellius as emperor. *

366 __NOTOC__ Year 366 ( CCCLXVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gratianus and Dagalaifus (or, less frequently, year 1119 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomina ...

– The

Alemanni The Alemanni or Alamanni, were a confederation of Germanic tribes * * * on the Upper Rhine River. First mentioned by Cassius Dio in the context of the campaign of Caracalla of 213, the Alemanni captured the in 260, and later expanded into pres ...

cross the frozen

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , source ...

in large numbers, invading the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...

. *

533 __NOTOC__ Year 533 ( DXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Iustinianus without colleague (or, less frequently, ye ...

– Mercurius becomes

Pope John II Pope John II ( la, Ioannes II; died 8 May 535), born Mercurius, was the bishop of Rome from 2 January 533 to his death. As a priest at St. Clement's Basilica, he endowed that church with gifts and commissioned stone carvings for it. Mercurius ...

, the first

pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

to adopt a new name upon elevation to the

papacy The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

. *

1492 Year 1492 ( MCDXCII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. 1492 is considered to be a significant year in the history of the West, Europe, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Spain, and the ...

–

Reconquista The ' ( Spanish, Portuguese and Galician for "reconquest") is a historiographical construction describing the 781-year period in the history of the Iberian Peninsula between the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in 711 and the fall of the N ...

: The

Emirate of Granada ) , common_languages = Official language: Classical ArabicOther languages: Andalusi Arabic, Mozarabic, Berber, Ladino , capital = Granada , religion = Majority religion: Sunni IslamMinority religions:R ...

, the last Moorish stronghold in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

, surrenders.

1601–1900

* 1680 – Trunajaya rebellion: Amangkurat II of Mataram and his bodyguards execute the rebel leader

Trunajaya Trunajaya (Madurese) or Tronajâyâ, also known as Panembahan Maduretno (1649 – 2 January 1680), was a prince and warlord from Arosbaya, Bangkalan, Madura, known for leading the Trunajaya rebellion (1674–1681) against the rulers of the Ma ...

. * 1777 –

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

: American forces under the command of

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

repulsed a British attack at the Battle of the Assunpink Creek near

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.1788 – Georgia becomes the fourth state to ratify the

United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the natio ...

. * 1791 – Big Bottom massacre in the Ohio Country, North America, marking the beginning of the

Northwest Indian War The Northwest Indian War (1786–1795), also known by other names, was an armed conflict for control of the Northwest Territory fought between the United States and a united group of Native American nations known today as the Northwestern ...

. * 1818 – The British Institution of Civil Engineers is founded by a group of six engineers;

Thomas Telford Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE, (9 August 1757 – 2 September 1834) was a Scottish civil engineer. After establishing himself as an engineer of road and canal projects in Shropshire, he designed numerous infrastructure projects in his native Scot ...

would later become its first president. *

1865 Events January–March * January 4 – The New York Stock Exchange opens its first permanent headquarters at 10-12 Broad near Wall Street, in New York City. * January 13 – American Civil War : Second Battle of Fort Fisher ...

– Uruguayan War: The Siege of Paysandú ends as the

Brazilians Brazilians ( pt, Brasileiros, ) are the citizens of Brazil. A Brazilian can also be a person born abroad to a Brazilian parent or legal guardian as well as a person who acquired Brazilian citizenship. Brazil is a multiethnic society, which ...

and

Coloradan Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of th ...

s capture Paysandú,

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

. * 1900 – American statesman and diplomat

John Hay John Milton Hay (October 8, 1838July 1, 1905) was an American statesman and official whose career in government stretched over almost half a century. Beginning as a private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln, Hay's highest office was U ...

announces the

Open Door Policy The Open Door Policy () is the United States diplomatic policy established in the late 19th and early 20th century that called for a system of equal trade and investment and to guarantee the territorial integrity of Qing China. The policy wa ...

to promote trade with China. * 1900 –

Chicago Canal The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, historically known as the Chicago Drainage Canal, is a canal system that connects the Chicago River to the Des Plaines River. It reverses the direction of the Main Stem and the South Branch of the Chicago R ...

opens.

1901–present

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...

– The second Palmer Raid, ordered by the

US Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United Stat ...

, results in 6,000 suspected communists and anarchists being arrested and held without trial. *

1921 Events January * January 2 ** The Association football club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, is founded as the multi-sports club Palestra Italia by Italian expatriates in Brazil. ** The Spanish liner ''Santa Isabel'' bre ...

– World premiere of the science fiction play by the Czech writer Karel Čapek R.U.R. in theater in Hradec Králové.Jarka M. Burien, "Čapek, Karel" in Gabrielle H. Cody, Evert Sprinchorn (eds.) ''The Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama'', Volume One. Columbia University Press, 2007. , (pp. 224–225). * 1941 –

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

: The Cardiff Blitz severely damages the

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...

Cardiff, Wales Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingdo ...

. * 1942 – The

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice ...

(FBI) obtains the conviction of 33 members of a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

spy ring headed by Fritz Joubert Duquesne in the largest espionage case in

United States history The history of the lands that became the United States began with the arrival of the first people in the Americas around 15,000 BC. Numerous indigenous cultures formed, and many saw transformations in the 16th century away from more densely ...

; Also known as the Duquesne Spy Ring. * 1942 – World War II:

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...

is captured by Japanese forces, enabling them to control the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. * 1949 – Luis Muñoz Marín is inaugurated as the first democratically elected

Governor of Puerto Rico The governor of Puerto Rico ( es, gobernador de Puerto Rico) is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and commander-in-chief of the Puerto Rico National Guard. The governor has a duty to enforce local laws, to co ...

. *

1954 Events January * January 1 – The Soviet Union ceases to demand war reparations from West Germany. * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown-IBM experiment: The fir ...

–

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

establishes its highest civilian awards, the

Bharat Ratna The Bharat Ratna (; ''Jewel of India'') is the highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferred in recognition of "exceptional service/performance of the highest orde ...

and the Padma Vibhushan. *

1955 Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijiangs ...

– Following the assassination of the

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

nian president José Antonio Remón Cantera, his deputy, José Ramón Guizado, takes power, but is quickly deposed after his involvement in Cantera's death is discovered. * 1959 – '' Luna 1'', the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the

Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...

and to orbit the Sun, is launched by the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

. * 1963 –

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

: The Viet Cong wins its first major victory, at the

Battle of Ap Bac The Battle of Ấp Bắc was a major battle fought on 2 January 1963 during the Vietnam War, in Định Tường Province (now part of Tiền Giang Province), South Vietnam. On 28 December 1962, US intelligence detected the presence of a radio ...

. * 1967 –

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

, past

movie actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), ...

and future

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

, is sworn in as

Governor of California The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard. Established in the Constitution of California, t ...

. *

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses ( February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events J ...

– The second Ibrox disaster kills 66 fans at a Rangers-

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foo ...

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

(soccer) match. *

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...

– United States President

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

signs a

bill Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Pla ...

lowering the maximum U.S.

speed limit Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed - expre ...

to 55 MPH in order to conserve

gasoline Gasoline (; ) or petrol (; ) (see ) is a transparent, petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines (also known as petrol engines). It consists mostly of organic c ...

during an

OPEC The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC, ) is a cartel of countries. Founded on 14 September 1960 in Baghdad by the first five members (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela), it has, since 1965, been headqua ...

embargo. *

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

– At the opening of a new railway line, a bomb blast at Samastipur, Bihar, India, fatally wounds Lalit Narayan Mishra,

Minister of Railways A Ministry of Railways is a Cabinet department that exists or has existed in many Commonwealth states as well as others. It generally occurs in countries where railroad transportation is a particularly important part of the national infrastructure. ...

. * 1975 – The Federal Rules of Evidence are approved by the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...

. * 1976 – The Gale of January 1976 begins, resulting in coastal flooding around the southern

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian ...

coasts, affecting countries from

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label= Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavij ...

and causing at least 82 deaths and US$1.3 billion in damage. *

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd government). * January 6 ...

– On the orders of the

President of Pakistan The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, paramilitary forces opened fire on peaceful protesting workers in Multan, Pakistan; it is known as 1978 massacre at Multan Colony Textile Mills. * 1981 – One of the largest investigations by a British police force ends when serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, the "Yorkshire Ripper", is arrested in

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire ...

South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. The county has four council areas which are the cities of Doncaster and Sheffield as well as the boroughs of Barnsley and Rotherham. ...

. * 1988 – Condor Flugdienst Flight 3782 crashes near

Seferihisar Seferihisar is a coastal district and the center town of the same district in İzmir Province, in Turkey. Seferihisar district area borders on other İzmir districts of Urla to the west and Menderes ( Cumaovası) to the east, and touches İzmir' ...

, Turkey, killing 16 people. * 1991 –

Sharon Pratt Dixon Sharon Pratt (born January 30, 1944), formerly Sharon Pratt Dixon and Sharon Pratt Kelly, is an American attorney and politician who was the third mayor of the District of Columbia, mayor of the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1995, the first ...

becomes the first

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

woman mayor of a major city and first woman Mayor of the District of Columbia. * 1993 – Sri Lankan Civil War: The Sri Lanka Navy kill 35–100 civilians on the Jaffna Lagoon. *

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight ...

– ''

Stardust Stardust may refer to: * A type of cosmic dust, composed of particles in space Entertainment Songs * “Stardust” (1927 song), by Hoagy Carmichael * “Stardust” (David Essex song), 1974 * “Stardust” (Lena Meyer-Landrut song), 2012 * ...

'' successfully flies past

Comet A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ...

Wild 2 Comet 81P/Wild, also known as Wild 2 (pronounced "vilt two") ( ), is a comet named after Swiss astronomer Paul Wild, who discovered it on January 6, 1978, using a 40-cm Schmidt telescope at Zimmerwald, Switzerland. For most of its 4.5 billion- ...

, collecting samples that are returned to

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's sur ...

Births

Pre-1600

869 __NOTOC__ Year 869 ( DCCCLXIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Summer – Emperor Basil I allies with the Frankish emperor L ...

– Yōzei, Japanese emperor (d. 949) * 1462 – Piero di Cosimo, Italian painter (d. 1522) * 1509 –

Henry of Stolberg Count Henry of Stolberg (2 January 1509 – 12 November 1572 at Stolberg Castle) was a German nobleman. Life Henry was born at Stolberg Castle in Stolberg, the fourth son of the ruling Count Bodo VIII and his wife Countess Anna of Eppstei ...

, German nobleman (d. 1572)

1601–1900

* 1642 – Mehmed IV, Ottoman sultan (d. 1693) * 1647 – Nathaniel Bacon, English-American rebel leader (d. 1676) * 1699 – Osman III, Ottoman sultan (d. 1757) * 1713 –

Marie Dumesnil Marie Françoise Dumesnil (2 January 171320 February 1803), original name Marie-Françoise Marchand, was a French actress. She was born in Paris, daughter of a poor nobleman, and began her stage career in the provinces, whence she was summoned i ...

, French actress (d. 1803) * 1727 – James Wolfe, English general (d. 1759) * 1732 – František Brixi, Czech organist and composer (d. 1771) * 1777 –

Christian Daniel Rauch Christian Daniel Rauch (2 January 1777 – 3 December 1857) was a German sculptor. He founded the Berlin school of sculpture, and was the foremost German sculptor of the 19th century. Life Rauch was born at Arolsen in the Principality of ...

, German sculptor and educator (d. 1857) * 1803 – Guglielmo Libri Carucci dalla Sommaja, Italian mathematician and academic (d. 1869) * 1822 –

Rudolf Clausius Rudolf Julius Emanuel Clausius (; 2 January 1822 – 24 August 1888) was a German physicist and mathematician and is considered one of the central founding fathers of the science of thermodynamics. By his restatement of Sadi Carnot's princip ...

, Polish-German physicist and mathematician (d. 1888) * 1827 – Pyotr Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky, Russian geographer and statistician (d. 1914) *

1833 Events January–March * January 3 – Reassertion of British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. * February 6 – His Royal Highness Prince Otto Friedrich Ludwig of Bavaria assumes the title His Majesty Othon the ...

– Frederick A. Johnson, American banker and politician (d. 1893) * 1836 – Mendele Mocher Sforim, Russian author (d. 1917) * 1836 – Queen Emma of Hawaii (d. 1885) * 1837 – Mily Balakirev, Russian pianist and composer (d. 1910) *

1857 Events January–March * January 1 – The biggest Estonian newspaper, ''Postimees'', is established by Johann Voldemar Jannsen. * January 7 – The partly French-owned London General Omnibus Company begins operating. * Jan ...

– M. Carey Thomas, American educator and activist (d. 1935) *

1860 Events January–March * January 2 – The discovery of a hypothetical planet Vulcan is announced at a meeting of the French Academy of Sciences in Paris, France. * January 10 – The Pemberton Mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts ...

–

Dugald Campbell Patterson Dugald Campbell Patterson Sr., (January 2, 1860 – June 25, 1931) is recognized in Vancouver, Burnaby, and New Westminster, British Columbia as a significant pioneer. He arrived in Canada on July 1, 1884 and engaged in the building trade while ...

, Canadian engineer (d. 1931) * 1860 – William Corless Mills, American historian and curator (d. 1928) * 1866 – Gilbert Murray, Australian-English playwright and scholar (d. 1957) *

1870 Events January–March * January 1 ** The first edition of ''The Northern Echo'' newspaper is published in Priestgate, Darlington, England. ** Plans for the Brooklyn Bridge are completed. * January 3 – Construction of the Br ...

– Ernst Barlach, German sculptor and playwright (d. 1938) * 1870 – Tex Rickard, American boxing promoter and businessman (d. 1929) * 1873 – Antonie Pannekoek, Dutch astronomer and theorist (d. 1960) * 1873 –

Thérèse of Lisieux Thérèse of Lisieux (french: Thérèse de Lisieux ), born Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin (2 January 1873 – 30 September 1897), also known as Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (), was a French Catholic Discalced Carmelite ...

, French nun and saint (d. 1897) * 1878 – Mannathu Padmanabha Pillai, Indian activist, founded the Nair Service Society (d. 1970) * 1884 – Ben-Zion Dinur, Russian-Israeli historian and politician, 4th Israeli Minister of Education (d. 1973) *

1885 Events January–March * January 3– 4 – Sino-French War – Battle of Núi Bop: French troops under General Oscar de Négrier defeat a numerically superior Qing Chinese force, in northern Vietnam. * January 4 &n ...

–

Gordon Flowerdew Gordon Muriel Flowerdew (2 January 1885 – 31 March 1918) was an English-born Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth ...

, Canadian lieutenant,

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...

recipient (d. 1918) * 1886 – Apsley Cherry-Garrard, English explorer and author (d. 1959) * 1889 – Bertram Stevens, Australian accountant and politician, 25th

Premier of New South Wales The premier of New South Wales is the head of government in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Government of New South Wales follows the Westminster Parliamentary System, with a Parliament of New South Wales acting as the legislatur ...

(d. 1973) * 1891 – Giovanni Michelucci, Italian architect and urban planner, designed the Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station (d. 1990) * 1892 –

Seiichiro Kashio was a tennis player from Japan, and with Ichiya Kumagae was one of the first Japanese Olympic medalists. He won the Canadian Open by defeating United States player Walter K. Wesbrook 3–6, 6–3, 6–1, 11–9. Biography A native of Osaka ...

, Japanese tennis player (d. 1962) * 1895 – Folke Bernadotte, Swedish diplomat (d. 1948) * 1896 – Dziga Vertov, Polish-Russian director and screenwriter (d. 1954) * 1896 – Lawrence Wackett, Australian commander and engineer (d. 1982) * 1897 – Theodore Plucknett, English legal historian (d. 1965) * 1900 – Una Ledingham, British physician, known for research on diabetes in pregnancy (d. 1965)

1901–present

* 1901 – Bob Marshall, American activist, co-founded The Wilderness Society (d. 1939) * 1902 – Dan Keating,

Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dedicated to irredentism through Irish republicanism, the belief th ...

volunteer (d. 2007) * 1903 –

Kane Tanaka was a Japanese supercentenarian who, until her death at the age of , was the world's oldest verified living person following the death of Chiyo Miyako on 22 July 2018. She is the oldest verified Japanese person and the second-oldest verified ...

, Japanese Supercentenarian, Oldest Japanese person ever, Second oldest verified person in world history (d. 2022) * 1904 –

Walter Heitler Walter Heinrich Heitler (; 2 January 1904 – 15 November 1981) was a German physicist who made contributions to quantum electrodynamics and quantum field theory. He brought chemistry under quantum mechanics through his theory of valence bo ...

, German physicist and chemist (d. 1981) * 1905 – Luigi Zampa, Italian director and screenwriter (d. 1991) * 1905 – Michael Tippett, English composer and conductor (d. 1998) * 1909 – Barry Goldwater, American politician, businessman, and author (d. 1998) * 1909 – Riccardo Cassin, Italian mountaineer and author (d. 2009) * 1913 – Anna Lee, English-American actress (d. 2004) * 1913 – Juanita Jackson Mitchell, American lawyer and activist (d. 1992) * 1917 – Vera Zorina, German-Norwegian actress and dancer (d. 2003) *

1918 This year is noted for the end of the First World War, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as well as for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50–100 million people worldwide. Events Below, the events ...

– Willi Graf, German physician and activist (d. 1943) * 1919 – Ernest Bender, American Indologist (d. 1996) * 1919 – Beatrice Hicks, American engineer (d. 1979) *

(probable) –

Isaac Asimov yi, יצחק אזימאװ , birth_date = , birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR , spouse = , relatives = , children = 2 , death_date = , death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S. , nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...

, American writer and professor of biochemistry (d. 1992) *

–

Glen Harmon David Glen Harmon (January 2, 1921 – March 9, 2007) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1942 to 1951. He was born in Holland, Manitoba and died in Mississauga, Ontario. Playing career Harmon's profes ...

, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2007) * 1926 –

Gino Marchetti Gino John Marchetti (January 2, 1926 – April 29, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end and offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played in 1952 for the Dallas Texans and from 19 ...

, American football player (d. 2019) *

1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhano ...

– Dan Rostenkowski, American politician (d. 2010) * 1929 –

Tellervo Koivisto Taimi Tellervo Koivisto ( Kankaanranta; born 2 January 1929), is a Finnish politician and the former First Lady of Finland from 1982 to 1994. Koivisto is the widow of the 9th President of Finland Mauno Koivisto and a former member of the Finni ...

, Finnish politician, former First Lady of Finland * 1931 –

Toshiki Kaifu was a Japanese politician who served as the 77th Prime Minister of Japan from 1989 to 1991. Early life and education Kaifu was born on 2 January 1931, in Nagoya City, the eldest of six brothers. His family's business Nakamura Photo Studio w ...

, Japanese lawyer and politician, 76th

Prime Minister of Japan The prime minister of Japan ( Japanese: 内閣総理大臣, Hepburn: ''Naikaku Sōri-Daijin'') is the head of government of Japan. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its Ministers of S ...

(d. 2022) * 1934 –

John Hollowbread John Frederick Hollowbread (2 January 1934 – 7 December 2007) was an English football goalkeeper who played for Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton. Playing career He was born at Ponders End and represented Middlesex Schools and played fo ...

, English footballer, goalkeeper (d. 2007) * 1936 –

Roger Miller Roger Dean Miller Sr. (January 2, 1936 – October 25, 1992) was an American singer-songwriter, widely known for his honky-tonk-influenced novelty songs and his chart-topping country and pop hits " King of the Road", " Dang Me", and "Eng ...

, American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor (d. 1992) *

1938 Events January * January 1 ** The new constitution of Estonia enters into force, which many consider to be the ending of the Era of Silence and the authoritarian regime. ** State-owned railway networks are created by merger, in France ...

– David Bailey, English photographer and painter * 1938 –

Lynn Conway Lynn Ann Conway (born January 2, 1938) is an American computer scientist, electrical engineer and transgender activist. She worked at IBM in the 1960s and invented generalized dynamic instruction handling, a key advance used in out-of-order ...

, American computer scientist and electrical engineer * 1938 – Robert Smithson, American sculptor and photographer (d. 1973) * 1940 – Jim Bakker, American televangelist * 1940 – Saud bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabian economist and politician, Saudi Arabian Minister of Foreign Affairs (d. 2015) * 1942 –

Dennis Hastert John Dennis Hastert (; born January 2, 1942) is an American former politician and convicted felon who represented from 1987 to 2007 and served as the 51st speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007. The longest-se ...

, American educator and politician, 59th

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives The speaker of the United States House of Representatives, commonly known as the speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. The office was established in 1789 by Article I, Section 2 of the ...

* 1942 – Thomas Hammarberg, Swedish lawyer and diplomat * 1943 – Janet Akyüz Mattei, Turkish-American astronomer (d. 2004) *

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in ...

– Charlie Davis, Trinidadian cricketer * 1944 – Norodom Ranariddh, Cambodian field marshal and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Cambodia (d. 2021) * 1944 –

Péter Eötvös Péter Eötvös ( hu, Eötvös Péter, ; born 2 January 1944) is a Hungarian composer, conductor and teacher. Eötvös was born in Székelyudvarhely, Transylvania, then part of Hungary, now Romania. He studied composition in Budapest and C ...

, Hungarian composer and conductor * 1947 – Calvin Hill, American football player * 1947 – David Shapiro, American poet, historian, and critic * 1947 –

Jack Hanna Jack Bushnell Hanna (born January 2, 1947) is a retired American zookeeper and a former director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. "Jungle Jack" was director of the zoo from 1978 to 1992, and is viewed as largely responsible for elevat ...

, American zoologist and author * 1949 – Christopher Durang, American playwright and screenwriter * 1949 –

Iris Marion Young Iris Marion Young (2 January 1949 – 1 August 2006) was an American political theorist and socialist feminist who focused on the nature of justice and social difference. She served as Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago ...

, American political scientist and academic (d. 2006) * 1952 – Indulis Emsis, Latvian biologist and politician, 9th Prime Minister of Latvia *

– Henry Bonilla, American broadcaster and politician * 1954 – Évelyne Trouillot, Haitian playwright and author *

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba (Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 (K ...

– Craig James, American football player and sportscaster * 1961 – Gabrielle Carteris, American actress * 1961 – Paula Hamilton, English model * 1961 –

Robert Wexler Robert Ira Wexler (born January 2, 1961) is an American politician and lawyer from Florida. He is the president of the Washington-based S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace. Wexler was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Represe ...

, American lawyer and politician * 1963 –

David Cone David Brian Cone (born January 2, 1963) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, and current color commentator for the New York Yankees on the YES Network and WPIX as well as for ESPN on Sunday Night Baseball.Edgar Martínez, American baseball player * 1964 – Pernell Whitaker, American boxer (d. 2019) *

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in for a full term ...

– Francois Pienaar, South African rugby player * 1967 – Jón Gnarr, Icelandic actor and politician; 20th Mayor of Reykjavík * 1967 –

Tia Carrere Althea Rae Duhinio Janairo (born January 2, 1967), known professionally as Tia Carrere (), is an American actress, singer and former model who got her first big break as a regular on the daytime soap opera '' General Hospital''. Carrere played C ...

, American actress *

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * J ...

–

Anky van Grunsven Theodora Elisabeth Gerarda "Anky" van Grunsven (born 2 January 1968) is a Dutch dressage champion who is the only rider to record three successive Olympic wins in the same event. Along with he ...

, Dutch dressage champion * 1968 – Cuba Gooding, Jr., American actor and producer *

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

– Christy Turlington, American model * 1969 – István Bagyula, Hungarian pole vaulter * 1969 –

William Fox-Pitt William Speed Lane Fox-Pitt (born 2 January 1969) is an English people, English Equestrianism, equestrian who competes in eventing. His career highlights include winning three Olympic Games, Olympic medals in the team event, with silver in 2 ...

, English horse rider and journalist * 1970 –

Eric Whitacre Eric Edward Whitacre (born January2, 1970) is an American composer, conductor, and speaker best known for his choral music. In March2016, he was appointed as Los Angeles Master Chorale's first artist-in-residence at the Walt Disney Concert Hall ...

, American composer and conductor *

– Renée Elise Goldsberry, American actress * 1971 – Taye Diggs, American actor and singer * 1972 –

Mattias Norström Erik Johan Mattias "Notan" Norström (born 2 January 1972) is a Swedish retired professional ice hockey defenceman, currently working for the AIK organization. Norström began his National Hockey League career with the New York Rangers. How ...

, Swedish ice hockey player and manager * 1972 – Rodney MacDonald, Canadian educator and politician, 26th

Premier of Nova Scotia The premier of Nova Scotia is the first minister to the lieutenant governor of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia and presides over the Executive Council of Nova Scotia. Following the Westminster system, the premier is normally the leader of t ...

* 1972 – Shiraz Minwalla, Indian theoretical physicist and string theorist *

–

Ludmila Formanová Ludmila Formanová () (born 2 January 1974) is a former Czech middle-distance runner who specialized in the 800 metres. She was born in Čáslav. In 1999 she broke Maria de Lurdes Mutola's winning streak at the World Indoor Championships, and wo ...

, Czech runner * 1974 –

Tomáš Řepka Tomáš Řepka (born 2 January 1974) is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a defender for Baník Ostrava, Sparta Prague, Fiorentina, West Ham United and České Budějovice, and the Czech national team. Currently, Řepka is ...

, Czech footballer *

–

Reuben Thorne Reuben David Thorne (born 2 January 1975) is a New Zealand rugby union player, and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. Professional Career and the All Blacks Super 12 Playing as a flanker, Thorne first appeared in the Super 12 ...

, New Zealand rugby player * 1975 – Dax Shepard, American actor * 1977 – Brian Boucher, American ice hockey player and sportscaster * 1977 –

Stefan Koubek Stefan Koubek (born 2 January 1977) is a retired tennis player from Austria. Koubek played left-handed with a double-handed backhand. His idol when growing up was Thomas Muster. Koubek won three titles, two of which came on hardcourts; despite th ...

, Austrian tennis player * 1979 –

Jonathan Greening Jonathan Greening (born 2 January 1979) is an English professional football coach and former player who is currently the manager of Scarborough Athletic of the Northern Premier League. As a player, Greening played as a midfielder. He began hi ...

, English footballer * 1981 –

Maxi Rodríguez Maximiliano "Maxi" Rubén Rodríguez (; born 2 January 1981) is an Argentine former footballer. Nicknamed ''La Fiera'' (''The Beast'' in English), he was commonly used as a winger on both flanks but could also operate as an attacking midfielde ...

, Argentinian footballer * 1983 – Kate Bosworth, American actress * 1987 – Robert Milsom, English footballer * 1988 – Damien Tussac, French-German rugby player * 1992 –

Paulo Gazzaniga Paulo Dino Gazzaniga (born 2 January 1992) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Spanish La Liga club Girona, on loan from English Premier League club Fulham. Early life Gazzaniga was born in Murphy, Santa Fe, the ...

, Argentinian footballer * 1992 –

Korbin Sims Korbin Sims (born 2 January 1992) is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who last played as a and forward for Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League. He previously played for the Newcastle Knights, Brisbane Broncos and the St. G ...

, Australian-Fijian rugby league player * 1998 –

Timothy Fosu-Mensah Evans Timothy Fosu Fosu-Mensah (born 2 January 1998) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder, centre-back or full-back for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen and the Netherlands national team. He formerly played fo ...

, Dutch footballer *

1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...

– Fernando Tatís Jr., American baseball player

Deaths

Pre-1600

* 951 – Liu Chengyou, Emperor Yin of the Later Han * 951 – Su Fengji, Chinese official and

chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

1096 Year 1096 ( MXCVI) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place First Crusade * Spring – Peter the Hermit begins his preaching of the First Crusade, traveling ...

– William de St-Calais, Bishop of Durham and chief counsellor of

William II of England William II ( xno, Williame; – 2 August 1100) was King of England from 26 September 1087 until his death in 1100, with powers over Normandy and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales. The third so ...

* 1169 – Bertrand de Blanchefort, sixth Grand Master of the Knights Templar (b. c. 1109) * 1184 – Theodora Komnene, Duchess of Austria, daughter of Andronikos Komnenos * 1298 – Lodomer, Hungarian prelate, Archbishop of Esztergom * 1470 – Heinrich Reuß von Plauen, Grand Master of the Teutonic Order * 1512 – Svante Nilsson, Sweden politician (b. 1460) * 1514 – William Smyth, English bishop and academic (b. 1460) * 1543 – Francesco Canova da Milano, Italian composer (b. 1497) * 1557 –

Pontormo Jacopo Carucci (May 24, 1494 – January 2, 1557), usually known as ''Jacopo da Pontormo'', ''Jacopo Pontormo'', or simply Pontormo, was an Italian Mannerist painter and portraitist from the Florentine School. His work represents a profound sty ...

, Italian painter and educator (b. 1494)

1601–1900

1613 Events January–June * January 11 – Workers in a sandpit in the Dauphiné region of France discover the skeleton of what is alleged to be a 30-foot tall man (the remains, it is supposed, of the giant Teutobochus, a legendar ...

– Salima Sultan Begum, Empress of the Mughal Empire (b. 1539) * 1614 – Luisa Carvajal y Mendoza, Spanish mystical poet and Catholic martyr (b. 1566) * 1726 –

Domenico Zipoli Domenico Zipoli (1688-1726) was a composer from the Baroque period. He worked and died in Córdoba, in the Viceroyalty of Peru, Spanish Empire, (presently in Argentina). He became a Jesuit in order to work in the Reductions of Paraguay where ...

, Italian organist and composer (b. 1688) * 1763 – John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville, English statesman (b. 1690) *

1850 Events January–June * April ** Pope Pius IX returns from exile to Rome. ** Stephen Foster's parlor ballad " Ah! May the Red Rose Live Alway" is published in the United States. * April 4 – Los Angeles is incorporated as a city ...

– Manuel de la Peña y Peña, Mexican lawyer and 20th President (1847) (b. 1789) * 1861 – Frederick William IV of Prussia (b. 1795) * 1892 – George Biddell Airy, English mathematician and astronomer (b. 1801)

1901–present

* 1904 – James Longstreet, American general and diplomat (b. 1821) * 1913 –

Léon Teisserenc de Bort Léon Philippe Teisserenc de Bort (5 November 1855 in Paris, France – 2 January 1913 in Cannes, France) was a French meteorologist and a pioneer in the field of aerology. Together with Richard Assmann (1845-1918), he is credited as co-discove ...

, French meteorologist (b. 1855) * 1915 – Karl Goldmark, Hungarian violinist and composer (b. 1830) * 1917 – Léon Flameng, French cyclist (b. 1877) *

– Paul Adam, French author (b. 1862) *

1924 Events January * January 12 – Gopinath Saha shoots Ernest Day, whom he has mistaken for Sir Charles Tegart, the police commissioner of Calcutta, and is arrested soon after. * January 20– 30 – Kuomintang in China hold ...

–

Sabine Baring-Gould Sabine Baring-Gould ( ; 28 January 1834 – 2 January 1924) of Lew Trenchard in Devon, England, was an Anglican priest, hagiographer, antiquarian, novelist, folk song collector and eclectic scholar. His bibliography consists of more than 1,240 ...

, English author and scholar (b. 1834) *

1939 This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Third Reich *** Jews are forbidden to ...

–

Roman Dmowski Roman Stanisław Dmowski (Polish: , 9 August 1864 – 2 January 1939) was a Polish politician, statesman, and co-founder and chief ideologue of the National Democracy (abbreviated "ND": in Polish, "''Endecja''") political movement. He saw th ...

, Polish politician, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1864) * 1941 –

Mischa Levitzki Mischa Levitzki (also spelled Levitski; uk, Міша Левицький (); May 25, 1898 – January 2, 1941) was a Russian-born U.S.-based concert pianist. Levitzki was born in Kremenchuk, Ukraine (then part of the Russian Empire), to Jew ...

, Russian-American pianist and composer (b. 1898) * 1946 – Joe Darling, Australian cricketer and politician (b. 1870) * 1950 – James Dooley, Irish-Australian politician, 21st

(b. 1877) * 1951 – William Campion, English colonel and politician, 21st Governor of Western Australia (b. 1870) * 1951 –

Edith New Edith Bessie New (17 March 1877 – 2 January 1951) was an English suffragette. She was one of the first two suffragettes to use vandalism as a tactic. She and Mary Leigh were surprised to find their destruction was celebrated and they were pul ...

, English militant suffragette (b. 1877) *

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito is chosen President of Yugosl ...

– Guccio Gucci, Italian businessman and fashion designer, founder of

Gucci Gucci (, ; ) is an Italian high-end luxury fashion house based in Florence, Italy. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and branding to Coty, Inc. for fragranc ...

(b. 1881) *

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...

–

Paul Sauvé Joseph-Mignault-Paul Sauvé (March 24, 1907 – January 2, 1960) was a Canadian lawyer, World War II veteran, and politician. He was the 17th premier of Quebec in 1959 and 1960. Life Paul Sauvé was born in Saint-Benoit, Quebec, Canada to jour ...

, Canadian lawyer and politician, 17th

Premier of Quebec The premier of Quebec ( French: ''premier ministre du Québec'' (masculine) or ''première ministre du Québec'' (feminine)) is the head of government of the Canadian province of Quebec. The current premier of Quebec is François Legault of t ...

(b. 1907) * 1963 –

Dick Powell Richard Ewing Powell (November 14, 1904 – January 2, 1963) was an American actor, musician, producer, director, and studio head. Though he came to stardom as a musical comedy performer, he showed versatility, and successfully transformed into ...

, American actor, singer, and director (b. 1904) * 1963 – Jack Carson, Canadian-American actor (b. 1910) *

– Tex Ritter, American actor (b. 1905) *

–

Siraj Sikder Siraj Sikder (27 October 1944 – 2 January 1975) was a Bangladeshi revolutionary politician. Early life Sikder was born on 27 October 1944 in Bhedarganj, Shariatpur District, East Bengal. His father was Abdur Razzaq Sikder, and belonged t ...

, Bangladesh revolutionary leader (b. 1944) * 1977 –

Erroll Garner Erroll Louis Garner (June 15, 1921 – January 2, 1977) was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his swing playing and ballads. His instrumental ballad " Misty", his best-known composition, has become a jazz standard. It was first re ...

, American pianist and composer (b. 1921) *

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal en ...

– Una Merkel, American actress (b. 1903) * 1987 –

Harekrushna Mahatab Harekrushna Mahatab (21 November 1899 – 2 January 1987) was the leader of the Indian National Congress, a notable figure in the Indian independence movement and the Chief Minister of Odisha from 1946 to 1950 and again from 1956 to 1961. He wa ...

, Indian journalist and politician, 1st Chief Minister of Odisha (b. 1899) *

1989 File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...

– Safdar Hashmi, Indian actor, director, and playwright (b. 1954) *

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicis ...

–

Alan Hale Jr. Alan Hale Jr. (born Alan Hale MacKahan; (March 8, 1921 - January 2, 1990) was an American actor and restaurateur. He was the son of actor Alan Hale Sr. His television career spanned four decades, but he was best known for his secondary lead role ...

, American film and television actor (b. 1921) * 1990 – Evangelos Averoff, Greek historian and politician, Greek Minister for National Defence (b. 1910) *

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which sank in the Baltic Sea; Nels ...

–

Dixy Lee Ray Dixy Lee Ray (September 3, 1914 – January 2, 1994) was an American politician who served as the 17th governor of Washington from 1977 to 1981. Variously described as idiosyncratic and "ridiculously smart," she was the state's first female gover ...

, American biologist and politician; 17th Governor of Washington (b. 1914) * 1994 – Pierre-Paul Schweitzer, French lawyer and businessman (b. 1915) * 1995 – Nancy Kelly, American actress (b. 1921) * 1995 –

Siad Barre Mohamed Siad Barre ( so, Maxamed Siyaad Barre, Osmanya script: ; ar, محمد سياد بري; c. 1910 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali head of state and general who served as the 3rd president of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 19 ...

, Somalian general and politician; 3rd President of Somalia (b. 1919) *

–

Rolf Liebermann Rolf Liebermann (14 September 1910 – 2 January 1999), was a Swiss composer and music administrator. He served as the Artistic Director of the Hamburg State Opera from 1959 to 1973 and again from 1985 to 1988. He was also Artistic Director of ...

, Swiss-French composer and manager (b. 1910) * 1999 – Sebastian Haffner, German journalist and author (b. 1907) * 2000 – Elmo Zumwalt, American admiral (b. 1920) * 2000 – Patrick O'Brian, English author and translator (b. 1914) *

2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...

–

William P. Rogers William Pierce Rogers (June 23, 1913 – January 2, 2001) was an American diplomat and attorney. He served as United States Attorney General under President Dwight D. Eisenhower and United States Secretary of State under President Richard Nixo ...

, American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician, 55th

United States Secretary of State The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...

(b. 1913) *

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; " Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discover ...

–

Maclyn McCarty Maclyn McCarty (June 9, 1911 – January 2, 2005) was an American geneticist, a research scientist described in 2005 as "the last surviving member of a Manhattan scientific team that overturned medical dogma in the 1940's and became the first to ...

, American geneticist and physician (b. 1911) *

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...

– Cecilia Muñoz-Palma, Filipino lawyer and jurist (b. 1913) * 2006 – Osa Massen, Danish-American actress (b. 1914) *

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...

– A. Richard Newton, Australian-American engineer and academic (b. 1951) * 2007 – Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, American historian and author (b. 1941) * 2007 –

Teddy Kollek Theodor "Teddy" Kollek ( he, טדי קולק; 27 May 1911 – 2 January 2007) was an Israeli politician who served as the mayor of Jerusalem from 1965 to 1993, and founder of the Jerusalem Foundation. Kollek was re-elected five times, in 1969, 19 ...

, Hungarian-Israeli politician, Mayor of Jerusalem (b. 1911) *

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

– George MacDonald Fraser, Scottish journalist and author (b. 1925) * 2008 – Lee S. Dreyfus, American sailor, academic, and politician, 40th Governor of Wisconsin (b. 1926) *

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; Protests ...

–

Inger Christensen Inger Christensen (16 January 1935 – 2 January 2009) was a Danish poet, novelist, essayist and editor. She is considered the foremost Danish poetic experimentalist of her generation. Life and work Born in the town of Vejle, on the eastern J ...

, Danish poet and author (b. 1935) * 2009 –

Dnyaneshwar Agashe Dnyaneshwar Agashe ( mr, ज्ञानेश्वर आगाशे; IAST: Jñāneśvara Āgāśe; 17 April 1942 – 2 January 2009) was an Indian businessman, cricketer, cricket administrator and philanthropist. He is best remembered for fo ...

, Indian businessman and cricketer (b. 1942) *

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

–

David R. Ross David Robertson Ross (28 February 1958 – 2 January 2010) was a Scottish people, Scottish author and historian. He published eight books, most of them mixing elements of History of Scotland, Scottish history and travel literature. He was for m ...

, Scottish historian and author (b. 1958) *

2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrates ...

–

Anne Francis Anne Francis (also known as Anne Lloyd Francis; September 16, 1930 – January 2, 2011) was an American actress known for her ground-breaking roles in the science-fiction film ''Forbidden Planet'' (1956) and the television action-drama seri ...

, American actress (b. 1930) * 2011 –

Bali Ram Bhagat Bali Ram Bhagat (7 October 1922 – 2 January 2011) was an Indian politician and member of the Indian National Congress (INC). He has served as Member of Parliament (MP) in Lok Sabha representing Arrah from 1952 to 1977 and 1984 to 1989. Bha ...

, Indian politician; 16th Governor of Rajasthan (b. 1922) * 2011 – Pete Postlethwaite, English actor (b. 1946) * 2012 – Gordon Hirabayashi, American-Canadian sociologist and academic (b. 1918) * 2012 –

Silvana Gallardo Sandra Silvana Gallardo (January 13, 1953 – January 2, 2012) was an American film and television actress. Born in New York City, Gallardo's television credits include episodes of ''Starsky & Hutch'', '' Lou Grant'', '' Quincy'', '' Hill Str ...

, American actress and producer (b. 1953) * 2012 –

William P. Carey William Polk Carey (May 11, 1930 – January 2, 2012) was an American philanthropist and businessman. He was the founder of W. P. Carey & Co., a corporate real estate financing firm headquartered in New York City, and donated the funds to e ...

, American businessman and philanthropist, founded W. P. Carey (b. 1930) *

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...

– Gerda Lerner, Austrian-American historian, author, and academic (b. 1920) * 2013 – Teresa Torańska, Polish journalist and author (b. 1944) *

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...

– Bernard Glasser, American director and producer (b. 1924) * 2014 – Elizabeth Jane Howard, English author and screenwriter (b. 1923) *

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the April ...

– Tihomir Novakov, Serbian-American physicist and academic (b. 1929) * 2016 –

Ardhendu Bhushan Bardhan Ardhendu Bhushan Bardhan (24 September 1924 – 2 January 2016) was a trade union leader and the former general secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), one of the oldest political parties in India. Early life Bardhan was born in Baris ...

, Indian lawyer and politician (b. 1924) * 2016 – Frances Cress Welsing, American psychiatrist and author (b. 1935) * 2016 – Nimr al-Nimr, Saudi Arabian religious leader (b. 1959) * 2016 –

Gisela Mota Ocampo Gisela Raquel Mota Ocampo (13 March 1982 – 2 January 2016) was a Mexican politician affiliated with the PRD. As of 2013, she served as plurinominal deputy in the LXII Legislature of the Mexican Congress, representing Morelos. After winning the ...

, mayor of

Temixco Temixco is the fourth-largest city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at in the west-northwest part of the state. The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name. The municipality rep ...

, Morelos, Mexico, assassinated (b. 1982) * 2017 – Jean Vuarnet, French ski racer (b. 1933) * 2017 – John Berger, English art critic, novelist and painter (b. 1926) *

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

– Guida Maria, Portuguese actress (b. 1950) * 2018 –

Thomas S. Monson Thomas Spencer Monson (August 21, 1927 – January 2, 2018) was an American religious leader, author, and the 16th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). As president, he was considered by adherents of the rel ...

, American religious leader, 16th president of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

(b. 1927) * 2019 – Daryl Dragon, American musician (b. 1942) * 2019 –

Bob Einstein Stewart Robert Einstein (November 20, 1942 – January 2, 2019) was an American actor, comedy writer, and producer. He created and performed the satirical stuntman character Super Dave Osborne, and was also known for his roles as Marty Funkh ...

, American actor and comedian (b. 1942) * 2019 – Gene Okerlund, American wrestling announcer (b. 1942) * 2022 – Richard Leakey, Kenyan paleontologist and politician (b. 1944)

Holidays and observances

Ancestry Day The following are public holidays in Haiti. Many Haitian Vodou, Vodou holidays are also celebrated, but are not considered public holidays. The two most important holidays for Haitian Americans are Haitian Independence Day and Haitian Flag Day. ...

(

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and s ...

) * Berchtold's Day (

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

and

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: link=no, Fürstentum Liechtenstein), is a German language, German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constit ...

) * Carnival Day ( Saint Kitts and Nevis) *Christian

feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context do ...

: ** Basil the Great (

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

and

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Brit ...

) ** Defendens of Thebes **Earliest day on which the

Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is a feast of the liturgical year celebrated by Christians on varying dates.''New Book of Festivals and Commemorations'' by Philip H. Pfatteicher 2008 pages3-5 History The feast of the Holy Name of Jesus has ...

is observed, while January 5 is the latest; celebrated on Sunday between January 2 and 5. (

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, 1960 calendar) **

Gregory of Nazianzus Gregory of Nazianzus ( el, Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, ''Grēgorios ho Nazianzēnos''; ''Liturgy of the Hours'' Volume I, Proper of Saints, 2 January. – 25 January 390,), also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory N ...

(Catholic Church) ** Johann Konrad Wilhelm Löhe (

Lutheran Church Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

) ** Macarius of Alexandria **

Seraphim of Sarov Seraphim of Sarov (russian: Серафим Саровский; – ), born Prókhor Isídorovich Moshnín (Mashnín) �ро́хор Иси́дорович Мошни́н (Машни́н) is one of the most renowned Russian saints and is venerate ...

(repose) (

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops via ...

) ** Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah ( Episcopal Church) ** January 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) * Nyinlong (

Bhutan Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainou ...

) *The first day of

Blacks and Whites' Carnival Blacks and Whites' Carnival (''Spanish: Carnaval de Negros y Blancos''), is the largest and most important festival in south Colombia. Although its geographical indication belongs to the city of Pasto it has also been adopted by other municip ...

, celebrated until January 7. (southern

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the ...

) *The first day of the Carnival of Riosucio, celebrated until January 8 every 2 years. ( Riosucio) *The ninth of the Twelve Days of Christmas (

Western Christianity Western Christianity is one of two sub-divisions of Christianity ( Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the Old Catholi ...

) *The second day of

New Year New Year is the time or day currently at which a new calendar year begins and the calendar's year count increments by one. Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner. In the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system ...

(a holiday in

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...

Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It ...

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...

): **

New Year Holiday (Scotland) Bank holidays in Scotland are determined under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 and the St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007. Unlike the rest of the United Kingdom, most bank holidays are not recognised as statutory pu ...

, if it is a Sunday, the day moves to

January 3 Events Pre-1600 *AD 69, 69 – The Roman legions on the Rhine refuse to declare their allegiance to Galba, instead proclaiming their legate, Aulus Vitellius, as emperor. * 250 – Emperor Decius orders everyone in the Roman Empire (ex ...

Kaapse Klopse The Kaapse Klopse (or simply Klopse), formerly known as the Coon Carnival and officially called Cape Town Minstrel Carnival, is a Cape coloured minstrel festival that takes place annually on 2 January in Cape Town, South Africa. It is also ref ...

(

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

) * Victory of Armed Forces Day (

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...

)

References

External links

BBC: On This Day
*
Historical Events on January 2
{{months Days of the year January