January 31
Today in America's Present Past
1734 | Founder Robert Morris was born.
1752 | Founder Gouverneur Morris was born.
1800 | Poet Jane Johnston Schoolcraft was born.
1830 | Politician James Blaine was born.
1846 | Juneautown and Kilbourntown unified following the Milwaukee Bridge War into the municipality of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1963 | Civil War: South Carolina Volunteers, an all-Black regiment, mustered into the Union.
1865 | Congress: Adopted the 13th Amendment.
1868 | Chemist Theodore Richards was born.
1872 | Author Zane Grey was born.
1881 | Chemist Irving Langmuir was born.
1884 | Physician Elisha Harris died.
1892 | Entertainer Eddie Cantor was born.
1900 | Painter Betty Parsons was born.
1902 | Anthropologist Julian Steward was born.
1903 | Publisher Gardner Cowles was born.
1905 | Author John O’Hara was born.
1917 | WWI: Germany declared U.S. ships targets.
1919 | Baseballer Jackie Robinson was born.
1920 | Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity established at Howard University.
1921 | Actress Carol Channing was born.
1923 | Author Norman Mailer was born.
1928 | Inventor S. Newman Darby was born.
1934 | POTUS: Democrat President Franklin Roosevelt devalues the U.S. dollar.
1936 | “Green Hornet” debuted on the radio.
1944 | WWII: Allied forces postpone D-Day Europe.
1944 | WWII: Allied forces liberate Kwajalein Atoll.
1945 | WWII: Private Eddie Slovik was executed for desertion.
1945 | WWII: U.S. Forces occupy Elcherrath.
1948 | J.D. Salinger publishes the short story “A Perfect Day for Banana Fish.”
1949 | Philosopher Ken Wilber was born.
1950 | POTUS: Democrat President Truman publicly supports the development of a hydrogen bomb.
1954 | Inventor Edwin H. Armstrong died.
1955 | YMCA founder John Mott died.
1958 | The first U.S. satellite, Explorer I, was launched.
1974 | Movie Producer Samuel Goldwyn died.
1977 | Actress Kerry Washington was born.
1981 | Musician Justin Timberlake was born.
1995 | POTUS: Democrat President Bill Clinton authorizes a loan to stabilize the Mexican economy.
1999 | TV: “Family Guy” debuted
2000 | Entrepreneur Anne Cox Chambers died.
2006 | SCOTUS: Justice Sandra Day O’Connor retired.
2006 | SCOTUS: Justice Samuel Alito was sworn in.
2020 | Author Mary Higgins Clark died.