January 26

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:

1784 – In a letter to his daughter, Benjamin Franklin expressed unhappiness over the eagle being used as the symbol of America. He wanted the symbol to be the turkey.

1802 – Congress passed an act calling for a library to be established within the U.S. Capitol.

1837 – Michigan became the 26th state to join the United States.

1838 – Tennessee enacted the first prohibition law in the U.S.

1861 – In the U.S., Louisiana seceded from the Union.

1870 – The state of Virginia rejoined the Union.

1875 – George F. Green, of Kalamazoo, MI, patented the electric dental drill for sawing, filing, dressing and polishing teeth.

1905 – The Cullinan diamond, at 3,106.75 carats, was found by Captain Wells at the Premier Mine, near Pretoria, South Africa.

1911 – Inventor Glenn H. Curtiss flew the first successful seaplane.

1915 – The Rocky Mountain National Park was established by an act of Congress. It is one of the most visited National Parks in the country.

1920 – Former Ford Motor Company executive Henry Leland launched the Lincoln Motor Company which he later sold to his former employer.

1934 – The Apollo Theatre opened in New York, NY.

1940 – Ronald Reagan married Jane Wyman.

1950 – The American Associated Insurance Companies, of St. Louis, MO, issued the first baby sitter’s insurance policy.

1959 – “Alcoa Presents” debuted on ABC-TV. The show would later be renamed “One Step Beyond”.

1961 – President John F. Kennedy appointed Dr. Janet G. Travell as his personal physician, the first woman to hold the position of Physician to the President.

1962 – NASA launched Ranger 3 to land scientific instruments on the moon. The probe missed the moon by about 22,000 miles.

1978 – The Great Blizzard of 1978: A rare blizzard with the lowest non-tropical atmospheric pressure ever recorded in the U.S. (until October 2010) hit the Great Lakes regions with heavy snow and winds up to 100 mph. In West Michigan, two feet of snow was whipped by 60-75 mph winds into 10 ft drifts. The storm killed 20 and left 400,000 stranded along state highways. 50 out of Michigan’s 83 counties declared snow emergencies. Read more about it here.

1979 – The television show “The Dukes of Hazzard”, starring Tom Wopat, John Schneider and Catherine Bach, debuted on CBS. The show ran for seven seasons.

1979 – The ‘Gizmo’ guitar synthesizer was first demonstrated.

1984 – Michael Jackson’s hair ignited during the filming of a Pepsi commercial in Los Angeles, CA, leaving him with second degree burns on his head and neck.

1984 – CBS television debuted Mickey Spillane’s “Mike Hammer”, starring Stacy Keach.

1996 – Clear Channel Radio was given approval from the FCC to purchase WOOD Radio in Grand Rapids, MI.

1996 – First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton testified before a grand jury investigating the Whitewater real estate deal.

1998 – On a national television broadcast, President Bill Clinton denied having an affair with a former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, saying “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”

1999 – The National Transportation Safety Board released their report that concluded that John Denver died in a 1997 airplane crash because he took off with too little fuel in one tank, had trouble switching to his backup tank and inadvertently put his plane into a roll while his attention was diverted.

2003 – Billy Joel was hospitalized for several hours after crashing his car into a tree in Sag Harbor, NY. He was released early the next morning.

2004 – The Michigan quarter was unveiled at the Capitol in Lansing on the state’s 167th birthday.

2006 – Western Union discontinued use of its telegram service.

2009 – Nadya Suleman, an unemployed 33 year old California divorcée with six other children, gave birth to only the second live born set of octuplets in American history. The media dubbed her “Octomom”.

2010 – It was announced that James Cameron’s movie “Avatar” had become the highest grossing film worldwide.

2014 – The First Class postage rate increased to 49 cents.

2020 – A Sikorsky S-76B flying from John Wayne Airport to Camarillo Airport crashed in Calabasas, 30 miles west of Los Angeles, killing all nine people on board, including five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant.

BIRTHDAYS:

Sal Buscema – 90 years old (1936) – Illustrator

Angela Davis – 82 years old (1944) – Activist, academic, and author

Jerry Sandusky – 82 years old (1944) – Football coach and criminal

Susan Friedlander – 80 years old (1946) – Mathematician

Richard Portnow – 79 years old (1947) – Actor

Jonathan Carroll – 77 years old (1949) – Author

David Strathairn – 77 years old (1949) – Actor

Jack Youngblood – 76 years old (1950) – Football player

Tom Henderson – 74 years old (1952) – Basketball player

Lucinda Williams – 73 years old (1953) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Anita Baker – 68 years old (1958) – Singer-songwriter

Ellen DeGeneres – 68 years old (1958) – Comedian, actress, and talk show host

Charlie Gillingham – 66 years old (1960) – Musician

Tom Keifer – 65 years old (1961) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Paul Johansson – 62 years old (1964) – American-Canadian actor

Kevin McCarthy – 61 years old (1965) – Politician, 55th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

Bryan Callen – 59 years old (1967) – Comedian, actor, and writer

Kirk Franklin – 56 years old (1970) – Singer-songwriter and producer

Nate Mooney – 54 years old (1972) – Actor

Jennifer Crystal Foley – 53 years old (1973) – Actress

Vince Carter – 49 years old (1977) – Basketball player

Justin Gimelstob – 49 years old (1977) – Tennis player and coach

Corina Morariu – 48 years old (1978) – Tennis player and sportscaster

Andrés Torres – 48 years old (1978) – Baseball player

Sara Rue – 47 years old (1979) – Actress

Eric Werner – 43 years old (1983) – Ice hockey player

Gerald Green – 40 years old (1986) – Basketball player

Dan Bailey – 38 years old (1988) – Football player

MarShon Brooks – 37 years old (1989) – Basketball player

Emily Hughes – 37 years old (1989) – Figure skater

Torrey Smith – 37 years old (1989) – Football player

Brandon Bolden – 36 years old (1990) – Football player

Nicolò Melli – 35 years old (1991) – Italian-American basketball player

Manti Te'o – 35 years old (1991) – Football player

Mercedes Moné – 34 years old (1992) – Wrestler

Montrezl Harrell – 32 years old (1994) – Basketball player

Gedion Zelalem – 29 years old (1997) – German-born American soccer player

Travis Etienne – 27 years old (1999) – Football player

Darius Garland – 26 years old (2000) – Basketball player

Isaac Okoro – 25 years old (2001) – Basketball player

YaYa Gosselin – 17 years old (2009) – Actress

TODAY IS:

• National Bubble Wrap Day: It's that satisfying pop, the protection for fragile stuff, the stress-relief tool, all rolled into one — a true unsung hero of packaging!
• National Green Juice Day: Sipping a refreshing blend of leafy greens and zesty fruits is like getting a vitamin-packed energy boost — the perfect way to start the day!
• National Spouses Day: Show appreciation for your life partner by reminiscing about your favorite memories, planning a getaway or trying a new activity together.
• Dundee Day: Scenic landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture characterize the Scottish city with bridges spanning the silvery Tay.
• Community Manager Appreciation Day: Being the go-to person for a community — keeping things running smoothly and creating a sense of belonging for everyone involved.
• National Peanut Brittle Day: A crunchy, delicious treat that's perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth. With its caramelized taste and nutty texture, it's hard to resist!
• International Day of Clean Energy:
• Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement: Spread kindness like confetti and watch the world sparkle! A sprinkle of encouragement is all it takes to help someone achieve their dreams.
• Better Business Communication Day:
• Dental Drill Appreciation Day:
• International Customs Day: When importing goods, some countries charge an additional fee to protect their industries, generate revenue, or promote economic policies.
• Australia Day: Down under — land of the kangaroos, beaches, and barbecues. A vast, diverse, and adventurous continent waiting to be explored!
• World Environmental Education Day:
• Indian Republic Day: India's supreme legal document has been guiding the country since its inception, laying out fundamental rights and powers of government.
• Catholic Schools Week:
• National School Choice Week:
• World Kiwanis Week:

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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.