January 7

A quick look at Today in History, check out some Celebrity Birthdays, and find out what Days of the Year to celebrate.

 

TODAY IN HISTORY:

1714 – The typewriter was patented.

1782 – The Bank of North America opened in Philadelphia, PA. It was the first commercial bank in the United States.

1789 – Americans voted for the electors that would choose George Washington to be the first President of the United States.

1887 – The Grand Rapids Hand Screw Company was incorporated. They manufactured wood clamps for the furniture industry.

1887 – Thomas Stevens completed the first worldwide bicycle trip. He started his trip in April 1884. Stevens and his bike traveled 13,500 miles. It took him almost 3 years.

1894 – W.K. Dickson received a patent for motion picture film.

1904 – The distress signal “CQD” was established. Two years later “SOS” became the radio distress signal because it was quicker to send by wireless radio.

1926 – George Burns and Gracie Allen were married.

1927 – Transatlantic telephone service began between New York, NY and London, England, with 31 calls made the first day.

1927 – The Harlem Globetrotters played their first game, in Hinkley, IL.

1929 – The comic strip “Buck Rogers 2429 A.D.” debuted in newspapers around the U.S. The title was later changed to “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.”

1949 – The announcement of the first photograph of genes was shown at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA.

1950 – Chevrolet introduced its first automatic transmission – the “Powerglyde”. They sold 300,000 the first year.

1953 – President Harry Truman announced the development of the hydrogen bomb.

1954 – The Duoscopic TV receiver was unveiled. The TV set allowed the watching of two different shows at the same time.

1965 – On the television show “My Three Sons”, William Frawley made his last appearance as “Bub”, Fred MacMurray’s father-in-law and grandfather-housekeeper-nanny for the boys. The 78 year old Frawley was ailing and was written out of the show. The next week, “Charlie” (played by William Demarest) arrived to step into his shoes.

1968 – The cost of a first class stamp was raised to 6 cents.

1968 – Surveyor 7, the last spacecraft in the Surveyor series, lifted off from Cape Canaveral, FL.

1970 – Max Yasgur was sued for $35,000 in property damages by neighboring farmers. It was Yasgur’s property on which the August 1969 Woodstock Festival was held.

1980 – President Jimmy Carter signed legislation that authorized $1.5 billion in loans for the bailout of the Chrysler Corporation.

1982 – The TV show “Fame” premiered on NBC with Debbie Allen in an expanded role from the 1980 film it was based on.

1990 – The Leaning Tower of Pisa was closed to the public. The accelerated rate of “leaning” raised fears for the safety of its visitors.

1998 – Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky signed an affidavit denying that she had an affair with President Bill Clinton.

1999 – President Bill Clinton went on trial before the Senate. It was only the second time in U.S. history that an impeached President had gone to trial. Clinton was later acquitted of perjury and obstruction of justice charges.

2002 – Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates introduced a new device code named Mira. The device was tablet-like and was a cross between a handheld computer and a TV remote control.

2023 – The longest U.S. House of Representatives speaker election since the December 1859-February 1860 U.S. speaker election concluded and Kevin McCarthy was elected 55th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

2025 – A series of wildfires ravaged the Greater Los Angeles area, resulting in at least 16 deaths and 13,401 structures destroyed.

 

BIRTHDAYS:

Terry Moore – 97 years old (1929) – Actress

Lou Graham – 88 years old (1938) – Golfer

Jann Wenner – 80 years old (1946) – Publisher, co-founded Rolling Stone

Kenny Loggins – 78 years old (1948) – Singer-songwriter

Erin Gray – 76 years old (1950) – Actress and model

Robert Longo – 73 years old (1953) – Painter and sculptor

David Caruso – 70 years old (1956) – Actor

Nicholson Baker – 69 years old (1957) – Novelist and essayist

Katie Couric – 69 years old (1957) – Television journalist, anchor, and author

Kathy Valentine – 67 years old (1959) – Bass player and songwriter

David Marciano – 66 years old (1960) – Actor

Loretta Sanchez – 66 years old (1960) – Politician

John Thune – 65 years old (1961) – Lawyer and politician

Ron Rivera – 64 years old (1962) – Football player and coach

Hallie Todd – 64 years old (1962) – Actress

Rand Paul – 63 years old (1963) – Politician and physician

Nicolas Cage – 62 years old (1964) – Actor

Five for Fighting – 61 years old (1965) – Singer-songwriter and pianist

Rex Lee – 57 years old (1969) – Actor

Doug E. Doug – 56 years old (1970) – Actor

Kevin Rahm – 55 years old (1971) – Actor

Jeremy Renner – 55 years old (1971) – Actor

Donald Brashear – 54 years old (1972) – American-Canadian ice hockey player and mixed martial artist

Reggie Austin – 47 years old (1979) – Actor

Aloe Blacc – 47 years old (1979) – Musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, businessman and philanthropist

Marquis Daniels – 45 years old (1981) – Basketball player

Lauren Cohan – 44 years old (1982) – American-English actress

Brett Dalton – 43 years old (1983) – Actor

Cappie Pondexter – 43 years old (1983) – Basketball player

Robert Ri'chard – 43 years old (1983) – Actor

Jon Lester – 42 years old (1984) – Baseball player

Lyndsy Fonseca – 39 years old (1987) – Actress

Haley Bennett – 38 years old (1988) – Actress and singer

Liam Aiken – 36 years old (1990) – Actor

Camryn Grimes – 36 years old (1990) – Actress

Tucker Barnhart – 35 years old (1991) – Baseball player

Jarnell Stokes – 32 years old (1994) – Basketball player

Jordan Bell – 31 years old (1995) – Basketball player

Alex Nedeljkovic – 30 years old (1996) – Ice hockey player

Lamar Jackson – 29 years old (1997) – Football player

Marcus Scribner – 26 years old (2000) – Actor

Ryan Dunn – 23 years old (2003) – Basketball player

Sofia Wylie – 22 years old (2004) – Actress, singer, and dancer

Blue Ivy Carter – 14 years old (2012) – Singer and actress

 

TODAY IS:

• National Tempura Day: Batter and deep-fry a wide range of foods, from prawns to vegetables, and pair with Japanese staples like donburi or soba for some delicious dining.
• National Bobblehead Day: Those fun, oversized head-bobbing collectibles that make any shelf or desk instantly more entertaining with their quirky, caricatured charm.
• Harlem Globetrotter’s Day: Those basketball entertainers with jaw-dropping skills, comedic antics, and dazzling tricks — they turn the court into a stage of sheer amusement.
• Alilo Parade:
• Old Rock Day: Discover the beauty and history of the earth with these timeless treasures that offer a glimpse into the past and a connection to the natural world.
• National Pass Gas Day: While it may not be the most polite topic, everyone does it — a natural bodily function that can happen to anyone!
• I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore Day: Standing tall, refusing to accept what's wrong, and pushing for what's right; it's about making things fair for everyone.
• National Distaff Day:
• Invisible Pain Day:
• Coptic Christmas:
• Orthodox Christmas Day: Orthodox Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ with customs varying across different cultures and countries.
• Zagreb Advent:
• Diet Resolution Week: Exploring vibrant, nutrient-rich choices to fuel vitality and well-being, embracing a refreshed approach to nourishment.

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For additional information check out websites like: www.on-this-day.com, www.born-today.com, www.famousbirthdays.com, www.daysoftheyear.com, and www.nationaldaycalendar.com.