Important Events From This day in History January 30

 

 

1969 Beatles last public performance

1969 : The Beatles make their last public performance giving an impromptu concert on the roof of the London recording studio. In April of the following year Paul McCartney formally announced the group's breakup.

1943 Nat King Cole Trio

The Nat King Cole Trio reaches the top of the charts with the song "That Ain't Right." It stays there for one week before dropping off the top spot.

Check Out Our History of Popular Music Page

1962 The Flying Wallendas

While performing their seven-person chair pyramid on a high wire 35 feet in the air at the State Fair Coliseum in Detroit the pyramid collapsed and after falling to the ground Richard Faughnan, Wallenda's son-in-law, and nephew Dieter Schepp are killed and adopted son, Mario, is paralyzed from the waist down.

1848 California Gold Rush

James Marshall finds the first gold nugget in 1848 at Coloma, California leading to more than half a million people rushing to California to find Gold

1933 - Adolf Hitler

1933 : Adolf Hitler the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party (or Nazi Party), becomes chancellor of Germany

1948 Mahatma Gandhi assassinated

After angering Hindu extremeists with his effort to bring peace to his beloved India by going on hunger strike to stop the fighting by his own countrymen and nearly dying from his fast Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in New Delhi by a terrorist sponsored by a right-wing Hindu militia group.

1977 Roots TV Mini Series

The Roots Part VIII finale episode is aired on ABC and is listed in the Top 3 network primetime telecasts of all time in Percent of Households with 51.1%

1. 1983 --- M*A*S*H series finale: "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" 60.2%

2. 1980 --- Dallas episode: "Who Done It?" aka "Who Shot J.R.?" 53.3%

3. 1977 --- Roots Part VIII (finale) 51.1%

1924 Northern Ireland Civil Rights Demonstrators

Northern Ireland Civil Rights demonstrators were gunned down on this day in 1924. They were shot by British Army Paratroopers.

There were 13 demonstrators in all that last their lives for the Catholic cause in this locality (Northern Ireland). The marchers were in protest of certain British policies concerning the internment (holding) of alleged Irish nationalists. (Nationalists are citizens of a country fighting for independence.)

This was one event of many that happened during the time of this Northern Ireland crisis. This particular conflict had continued for a few decades after this. The climax of this particular Irish crisis occurred in 1969, which was when British troops were sent to this location (Ireland) in an attempt to squelch the nationalist movement.

Peace agreements between the British and Northern Ireland did not actually occurred until the late 1990s. Part of the peace agreement included the dissolution (discontinuation) of the IRA.

1929 Gambling

A newspaper report dated this date and year indicated that a total sum of $5,000 dollars was raised for families of convicted gamblers. This money was also raised by Washington support circles as an extra incentive to the gambling convicts to reveal ring leaders' names in exchange for clemency (pardon).

The reason that the money was raised was because the guilty gamblers had turned down the first request for clemency. Gambling was considered a very controversial topic during this time-even more so than today.

1930 Route 80

Route 80 is expected to be paved as of this year from East Moline to Port Byron. After this project was to be completed, this road would extend to the Wisconsin state line.

1930 Federal Grant

1930 : This was the first day that a play put on was supported by a federal grant. The name of the play that was produced was called The Family Upstairs, and it was created by the Civil Works Administration.

This first government intervention in the theatrical world opened a whole new door for future movie producers. Within three months 17 more plays were shown, and seen by hundreds of thousands of people.

1952 Korea Truce Talks

After many weeks truce talks aimed at ending the fighting in the Korean War between North and South Korea remain unresolved. ( A truce is agreed eventualy in July 1953 )

1961 State of The Union

JFK's State of the Union Address was very somber this year. It included a recount of the collapsing economy that had been happening for several months by this time.

1968 Vietnam Tet Offensive

The Viet Cong launched surprise attacks in South Vietnam , beginning the Tet Offensive. The Communist offensive is one of the bloodiest of the war with thousands of Viet Cong suicide squads sent to certain death in an effort to humiliate the Americans and Vietnamese.

1972 Northern Ireland Civil Rights Demonstrators

In Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 13 unarmed civil rights demonstrators are shot dead by British Army paras that becomes known as Bloody Sunday. British authorities had ordered the march banned, and sent troops to confront the demonstrators when it went ahead. The soldiers fired indiscriminately into the crowd of protesters, killing 13 and wounding 17.

1991 Saudi Arabia Desert Storm

1991 : Iraqi troops have seize control of a Al Khafji inside the Saudi Arabian border after a fierce battle in which both sides suffer casualties. This is now the 14th day of Desert Storm and shows the Iraqis are not beaten yet.

1996 Magic Johnson

Four years after retiring from professional basketball, NBA player Magic Johnson returned to the Los Angles Lakers including origins, star players, growth, and the modern game.

2000 Kenya Plane Crash

A plan crashed after takeoff on this day. This plane was just leaving Kenya Airways, and only 10 people of the 179 people on board survived. This accident had just happened so fast that no one even was able to take the time to put on life support.

Today in Labor History January 30th, 2026

Saul Alinsky

After capturing Washington, D.C. the British burned the U.S. Capitol, destroying the Library of Congress and its 3,000-volume collection. Thomas Jefferson, in retirement at Monticello, offered to sell his personal library to the Library Committee of Congress in order to rebuild the collection of the Congressional Library - 1814

Organizer Saul Alinsky was born on this date in Chicago, Illinois. – 1909

The Paris Peace Conference established the Commission on International Labour Legislation to draft the constitution of a permanent international labor organization, founding the International Labour Organization (ILO).  Today, as part of the United Nations, the ILO is charged with drafting and overseeing international labor standards. – 1919

The greatest maritime disaster in history occurred as the German ocean liner Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk by a Soviet submarine, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 9,000 people - 1945

Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi—considered the father of his country and internationally esteemed for his doctrine of nonviolent protest (satyagraha) to achieve political and social progress—was assassinated on this day in 1948

Friday Morning in the Blogosphere

 Abu Dhabi, UAE

Sales lessons from John Candy’s Del Griffith - E&P Magazine

Know which levers to pull: Precision beats constant change - E&P Magazine

USA Today Co., Owner Of 'Detroit Free Press,' Buys 'The Detroit News' - Media Post

A Modest Proposal for Big Philanthropy in a Tale from the Past - Second Rough Draft

Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce to acquire three Missouri newspapers - Dirks, Van Essen 

Important Events From This day in History January 28th

 

 

 1986 Challenger Explodes

1986 : The space shuttle Challenger explodes just after liftoff , killing the seven astronauts aboard, this was the 10th trip for Challenger and included a teacher from New Hampshire, Christa MacAuliffe, among the astronauts, as part of a new Teacher in Space project. The Launch was shown live on CNN and many schools set up televisions for children to watch due to the involvement of a teacher in the shuttle.

Other crew members aboard the Challenger ship included Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, and Ronald McNair, as well as Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, and Judith Resnik. A warning was ignored that certain equipment on the ship was vulnerable at new temperatures.

1937 Rolls Royce

Testing of the Rolls Royce had begun on this day. The first model that appeared on the streets a few years after World War II ended was the Rolls Royce Silver Wraith.

1956 Elvis Presley

The young country rock singer Elvis Presley makes his first ever television appearance on Television in the musical variety program Stage Show singing "Heartbreak Hotel" check out our 50s Music page for more information .

1930 Chrysler Building

With the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York which is the tallest building in the world at 78 stories and dwarfs the 56 story Woolworths building and is even taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, this is at a cost of some $15,000,000 investment by Mr Chrysler and shows the world that the American Auto industry is the best in the world. Just 12 months later the Empire State Building is completed which is taller.

1917

- Pancho Villa Dead or Alive

US forces give up searching for Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa after nearly one year, following his massacre of 16 U.S. citizens at Santa Isabel in northern Mexico and 17 American Citizens in Columbus, New Mexico President Wilson had sent US forces into Mexico with orders to capture Villa dead or alive.

1978 Fantasy Island

First Episode of Fantasy Island Aired on Television. Many people probably remember Fantasy Island-especially those who grew up in the 1980's. The first episode of this show actually aired in 1978.

This show featured a guide known to have angelic qualities. This guide took people to an imaginary Island-one that they would want to go to, where their fantasies were to be fulfilled. However, even though this was a great opportunity, guests of Fantasy Island would pay as much as $50,000 dollars to benefit from this chance to escape.

Stars of this show included Ricardo Montalban who played Roarke (The angelic tour guide), and Herve Villianchase, who acted as Roarke's right hand man. The last episode of this show was aired in 1984.

1932 Japan Occupies Shanghai

Japan began it's bombing and reoccupation of Shanghai, China .

1940 Beat the Band

The popular TV program "Beat the Band" debuts on NBC radio

1953 Derek Bentley

1953 : Derek Bentley is hung at Wandsworth Prison in London for his part in the murder of Pc Sidney Miles who attempted to arrest him during a break in at a warehouse in Croydon, Surrey

1958 Murder Road Trip

Charles Starkweather, a 19-year-old high school dropout from Lincoln, Nebraska, and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, go on a deadly road trip and kill a Lincoln businessman, his wife and their maid, as part of a killing spree that began a week earlier when he killed Fugate's stepfather and mother, and strangled Fugate's two-and-a-half-year-old sister

1961 Shooting

Mrs. Koemick was shot in the head on this day with a .22-caliber rifle. This shooting took place in a local furniture store, and the husband of this woman was questioned. More answers were yet to be found as of this time.

Five firemen had been killed while on the scene of a bakery fire. They lost their lives after the walls of the bakery plant had closed down on them. There were 20 firemen total trapped in this fire as of this time

1964 East West Relations

1964 : Tension levels had risen between the U.S. and the Soviet Union dramatically during this time in history. On this day, a U.S. jet was shot down by Soviet troops. The jet was pulling into an East German airbase at the time that it had happened.

1968 Korea Soviet Union

The Soviet Union at this time was using caution in their dealings with Korea. The possibility of an explosion in the Far East was part of the reason

Coupled with the possibility that the Soviet Union did not believe they were equipped enough to deal with Korea if Korea became a Soviet enemy. Besides that, the Soviet Union had a vested interest in Korea a treaty had been signed between these two countries in earlier years.

1968 Greenland H Bombs Lost

A radiation alert is issued following B-52 bomber armed with four hydrogen bombs crashes near the Arctic air base of Thule in Greenland. After the bombs were found it took nine months to remove all the contaminated material including snow from the crash site.

1972 Black Caucus

The Black Caucus was gaining quite a bit of ground during this time in history. This organization is a group that was formed at this time in order to gain votes representing the 25 million U.S. African American citizens.

Black citizens have turned to the Black Caucus for quite a number of things, such as help and advice regarding local political issues. In fact, citizens have modeled their local political causes after that of the national Black Caucus organization. This particular association is still in existence today.

1972 Montreal Fires

It was believed that the possible cause of a fire that occurred in Montreal on this day had started on purpose. Part of the reason why it was suspected that this fire was started by an arsonist was the fact that 20 fires altogether had occurred in the same area within 15 days.

1982 Red Brigade

Italian police rescue US Brigadier General James Dozier after storming a flat in Padua where he was being held by Red Brigade guerrillas.

1997 Stephen Biko

1997 : Four police officers, appearing before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, admit to the 1977 killing of Stephen Biko, a leader of the South African Black consciousness movement.

2012 Yemeni President Arrives in US

President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen arrived in the United States to receive treatment for injuries that were a result of an assassination attempt. Saleh left Yemen after a law was passed that gave him immunity from prosecution and after he gave a farewell speech on television.

2013 Netherlands Queen Abdicates

2013 : Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands has decided to abdicate in order for her son Prince Willem-Alexander to take over the crown. She had recorded a televised address to declare her intentions and announced that she would formally step down on April 30th.

2014

Chickens Killed to Stop H7N9 Spread

2014 : Hong Kong announced that it will kill 20,000 chickens in order to stop the spread of the H7N9 bird flu. The culling was announced after the virus had been found in chickens that had been sent to China. A three week ban on live chicken importation was also put in place.

Today in labor history January 28th, 2026

 Mexican laborers being fumigated with the pesticide DDT 

in Hidalgo, Texas, in 1956.

Today in labor history, January 28, 17-year old house cleaner Carmelita Torres leads what will become known as the “Bath Riots” at the Juarez/El Paso border, refusing the gasoline and chemical “bath” imposed on Mexican workers crossing the border into the U.S. Torres and 30 other women resisted and several hundred people quickly joined in the demonstration. Troops eventually quelled the riot and Torres was arrested. The practice continued for decades - 1956

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn spoke in Seattle about the "fighting joy of living". Flynn was a leader in the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and became a full-time organizer for the group in 1907

The first U.S. unemployment compensation law was enacted in Wisconsin – 1932

Iceland became the first Western country to legalize therapeutic (elective) abortion. The Soviet Union legalized it in 1919. And the Nazis legalized abortion in 1935, but only to get rid of what they considered genetically inferior people. They prohibited women of Protestant German heritage from having abortions - 1935

The first national coal miners’ union, the American Miners’ Association, was formed. – 1861

Tuesday Morning in the Blogosphere

 New newspaper 

California Post launch shakes up Golden State - Fox News

Defining local news: Why a newsroom census matters - E&P Magazine

California Post brings brash New York-style tabloid news to the West Coast - AP

Launch team explain why News Corp has launched California Post - Press Gazette

People who use chatbots for news consider them unbiased and “good enough,” new study finds - NL

Important Events From This day in History January 27

 

 

 1967 Apollo 1

1967 : Three astronauts aboard Apollo 1 ( Virgil I. Grissom, Edward H. White II and Roger B. Chaffee ) die while still on the launch pad as they are practicing for a two-week mission in space.

1967 Outer Space Treaty

1967 : The Outer Space Treaty which banned the placing of nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction in orbit of Earth is signed by 60 countries of the world including the two most important superpowers at the time The Soviet Union and The United States Of America who both had large Space Exploration programmes and Large Nuclear programmes. This was an important treaty because if any country was to place Nuclear Weapons or other Weapons of Mass Destruction in Orbit no country in the world would be safe.

1984 Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson receives serious burns to his head after his hair caught light while singing his hit "Billie Jean" for a Pepsi Cola commercial in Los Angeles when the special effects went wrong.

1888 The National Geographic Society

1888 in Washington D.C., the National Geographic Society has gone on to become the world's largest scientific and geographical distribution organization. Its original premise was 'for the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge.'

1926 - Birth of Television

John Logie Baird, gives the first public demonstration of a television system in London.

The BBC started the first public broadcasts in London in 1936.

Regular television broadcasts began in the United States in 1939.

1938 Honeymoon Bridge Collapses

1938 : The Honeymoon Bridge across Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada collapses after a severe ice storm causes the lower river to flood with ice and place undue stress on the abutments causing the bridge to collapse.

1944 Siege of Leningrad

After 872 days of the siege of Leningrad by German forces allowing no food or medical supplies to enter which caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Russian lives, The Siege was finally broken

1945 Poland Auschwitz

The Red Army liberates the Nazi's biggest concentration camp at Auschwitz in southern Poland. During the concentration camps existence it is believed up to 1 million Jews were murdered ,75,000 Poles, 21,000 Gypsies, and 15,000 Soviet POWs.

1951 Nuclear Bomb Tests

The US government detonates the first of a series of nuclear bombs at its new Nevada test site.

1961 Tax Fraud

1961 : A district attorney and his staff were soon to be investigated for tax fraud. They had been asked to be disqualified from office as of this date as well. This petition was drawn up by lawyer Dave Cargo.

An investigation was started after explanations were sought pertaining to the fact that large numbers of homes and commercial property were not taxed the same as other properties. One reason was because the county assessor (Armando Gianini) would list products much lower than the current selling prices.

Additionally, Armando Gianini did not asses all the homes on which property taxes were owed. Some of the homes were not even on the record come 1960 tax season.

1968 Communist and Defence Industry

One of the biggest issues discussed during this time period was that of whether or not to allow representatives of the Communist Party to be allowed to work in defense facilities. In fact, the 1950 Internal Security Act was passed prohibiting the communist party from doing so.

On this day in 1968, the U.S. Senate examined the issue of subversive (i.e. rebellious, insubordinate) activity as related to possible opposition of the internal security laws, which already passed nearly 10 years ago. Furthermore, the U.S. Senate was discussing the possibility of "cracking down" on Senate subcommittee members w ho discount or invalidate decisions made by the Senate and/or the Supreme Court.

However, subcommittees defend themselves by saying they have no intention of challenging the Supreme Court. Certain subcommittees also have mentioned that they had no intention of reversing any decisions made by the Court.

1968 3,500 more air troops were sent to Sahn, in Vietnam

It is reported on this day that 3,500 more air troops were sent to Sahn, in Vietnam. They were sent to help fight against North Vietnam, who had just launched new shell attacks.

1972 Howard Hughes

Author Clifford Irving attested to the fact that he indeed had given Howard Hughes a check for $275,000. This payment was for the rights to Howard Hughes name and history for the creation of a biography.

Due to laryngitis, Irving's lawyer did most of the talking for him during a news conference that took place on the premises of the Kennedy airport. Irving's lawyer reassured the public that the book will be coming out and that it will be a successful book, and authentic.

In all, Howard Hughes was to receive a total of $650,000 for the book. He said that the publishing company was supposed to give him this money, and never did.

It turned out some time later that a woman known to the public as H.R. Hughes had taken the three checks and had deposited them into a Swiss Bank account. The paper that issued this report also mentioned that the Swiss police were looking for a woman, and the whereabouts of Hughes' wife was to be confirmed as well.

1973 The Vietnam war formally ended

The Vietnam war formally ended when ministers from the United States, North and South Vietnam and the Viet Cong signed an agreement in Paris

1974 Brisbane River Floods

1974 : The Brisbane River Floods causing much of the city to suffer because the river banks in many areas are higher than the surrounding plains and the floods spread over wide areas of the city of Brisbane.

1980 Robert Mugabe

The Rhodesian black nationalist leader Robert Mugabe returns to Rhodesia after five years in exile. Cheering crowds greeted Mr Mugabe's arrival in the capital, Salisbury, from Mozambique where he has been gathering support for his Zimbabwe African National Union (Patriotic Front) or Zanu (PF) party.

1985 Coca Cola

Coca Cola starts distribution in the Soviet Union 12 years after Pepsi

1993 Andre the Giant

The wrestler Andre the Giant ( 7ft4in and 520 LBS ) , dies of a heart attack after attending his fathers funeral in France.

1995 Eric Cantona

Eric Cantona has been fined £20,000 and banned from playing football over his kung fu-style attack on a fan, and Manchester United have relegated him to the bench for nine months. He has also lost the captaincy and his place on the team of the French National Team.

Today in Labor History January 27th, 2026

 New York City maids organize to improve working conditions - 1734

Mine explosion in Mount Pleasant, Pa., leaves more than 100 dead - 1891
 
First meeting of the Int’l Labor Organization (ILO) - 1920
 
Kansas miners strike against compulsory arbitration - 1920
 
A 3¢ postage stamp is issued, honoring AFL founder Samuel Gompers - 1950

(There is Power in a Union: The Epic Story of Labor in America is the sympathetic, thoughtful and highly readable history of the American labor movement traces unionism from the textile mills of Lowell, Massachusetts in the 1820s to organized labor’s decline in the 1980s and struggle for survival and growth today.)
 
A group of Detroit African-American auto workers known as the Eldon Avenue Axle Plant Revolutionary Union Movement leads a wildcat strike against racism and bad working conditions.  They are critical of both automakers and the UAW, condemning the seniority system and grievance procedures as racist – 1969

Pete Seeger dies in New York at age 94. A musician and activist, he was a revered figure on the American left, persecuted during the McCarthy era for his support of  progressive, labor and civil rights causes. A prolific songwriter, he is generally credited with popularizing the civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome.” He actively participated in demonstrations until shortly before his death – 2014

Members of the Northwestern University football team announce they are seeking union recognition. A majority signed cards, later delivered to the National Labor Relations Board office in Chicago, asking for representation by the College Athletes Players Association - 2014

Monday Morning in the Blogosphere

 New York Times 1942

Urgent update for publishers on privacy issues - America's Newspapers

TikTok moderation has pushed some news creators to the limit - Digiday

How student newsrooms are filling America’s local news gaps - E&P Magazine

Some newsrooms take steps toward a different kind of hiring process - Nieman Lab

Sameer Padania on why the BBC needs radical reform and how citizens can save it - Journalism UK

Important Events From This day in History January 26

 

 

1988 The Phantom of the Opera

1988 : Andrew Lloyd Webber's Musical The Phantom of the Opera ( Based on the French novel Le Fantome de lOpera 1909 by Gaston Leroux ) has its first performance on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre in New York and is now the longest running Broadway show in history.

2006 Telegram Ends

2006 : Western Union announces the end of Telegram Services from January 31st 2006 the last telegram is sent the next day. The Telegram service more than any other is superceded by the use of E-Mail with the dawning of the Internet age but still exists in some form or other around the world but not as the primary force of fast communication it was at it's beginnings when the Telephone still only had limited numbers. Today when it is used it is for such things as weddings, births, funerals and graduations and even as a secure form of communication ( due to perceptions of the Internet as an insecure medium.

2005 Glendale Train Crash

A Metrolink commuter train collides with a SUV abandoned on the track causing two trains to derail killing 11 and injuring 200 in Glendale, California, near Los Angeles. The orinal plan of the SUV owner was to commit suicide but he lost his nerve at the last moment he was later arrested and charged and found guilty of 11 counts of murder with "special circumstances."

1945 Auschwitz

Soviet troops enter Auschwitz, Poland, freeing 7,000 starving camp survivors from the network of concentration camps revealing to the world the depth of the horrors perpetrated there.

Following the repudiation of oil concessions to the Anglo Persian Oil company by the Persian Government in October last year Persia has gone to the league of nations telling of British threats to Persian Sovereignty. The British government is the major shareholder in the Anglo Persian Oil Company and denies claims by Persia that they are giving back the 10% of profits agreed in the 1901 agreement between the two countries and that profits have declined due to economic circumstances.

1939 Nationalists enters Barcelona

Barcelona, the Republican capital of Spain, falls to the Nationalist forces of General Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War .

1950 India Independence

India Formally becomes a republic no longer under British rule. The new President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, takes the oath of office. Dr Prasad was a key campaigner in the nationalist movement of Mahatma Gandhi, along with India's interim Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

1952 Anti British Riots

Anti British riots in the capital of Egypt Cairo have left 17 British residents murdered or burnt to death during the trouble. King Farouk has declared martial law and A dawn to dusk curfew has been imposed and police have been given orders to shoot on sight.

1964 JFK Dallas Police Officer

A report in a newspaper dated today had revealed that the funds raised for the family of an assassination victim had reached over $700,000 dollars. The victim of this murder crime was a J.D. Tibbit, a Dallas police officer, who was believed to have been shot by the same man who was suspected to have killed John F. Kennedy.

Governor John Connally was nearly killed as well on the same day as JFK. He was admitted into the hospital in critical condition shortly after the assassination shootings took place.

On this day 1964), Nellie Connally, Governor Connally's wife is seen in great distress on the day of a 16-gun solute that took place at Bergstrom Air Force Base. This was the first day that she had heard a gunshot since the near-death of her husband, and had symptoms of post-traumatic stress, such as severe shivering and crying.

1965 India Hindi

Hindi becomes the official language of India.

1968 Switzerland Avalanche

1968 : Millions of tons of ice and wet snow tumbled rapidly down from the peaks of Swiss Alps. Casualties and damage occurred in an area of over 120 miles right in the midst of central Europe. At least 15 people had died as a result, as reported two days later, and at least 13 more people were yet to be found.

The fear as of this report was that there were actually hundreds more that were dead or missing than those confirmed. Roads and railways were blocked, and it was speculated that thousands of visitors and tourists were isolated in villages and resorts.

1969 Czechoslovakia Student Unrest

Violence erupts after police using truncheons and tear gas to disperse crowds gathered at the foot of the Wenceslas Statue, to pay tribute to Jan Palach, the student who burned himself to death in protest at the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia.

1972 Vietnam War

A recap was printed in a U.S. newspaper which revealed a summary of Nixon's Eight-Point plan to end the Vietnam War. One of the actions revealed in this recount of Nixon's plan was that of an action proposed eight months prior to this time.

The plan presented eight months prior was a plea for the release of all prisoners of war in exchange for U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam. In addition to U.S. withdrawal, this plan also included an agreement that South Vietnam's Nguyen would step down come time for a new election.

It was also recorded in print on this day that Nixon had dispatched Henry Kissinger, his security advisor, to Paris at least a dozen times since August 4 , 1969. The reason for these attempted contacts was to make negotiations with North Vietnam.

In one news source, a quote by Nixon revealed what Nixon has said was the original withdrawal date from Vietnam-May 31, 1971. This plan was rejected by North Vietnam at the next private meeting which had taken plan on June 26th , only less than a month later.

Instead, North Vietnam made a counter nine-point offer that insisted that the U.S. overthrow the government of North Vietnam. If North Vietnam had accepted the United State's original

eight-point plan presented by Nixon, the U.S. troops would have withdrawn within six months and Indo-China cease-fire would have taken place.

1974 Australia Cyclone Wanda

Following unusualy high amounts of Rainfall in Queensland Australia causing rivers to be at maximum, and when Cyclone Wanda came ashore bringing even more rain significant portions of Brisbane covered by two feet of water.

1982 England Unemployment

Unemployment in the UK has risen above three million for the first time since the Thirties.

1995 Norway Missile Launch

Unexpected missile launch was detected near Norway by Russians early-warning defense radar system. This sudden missile launch occurred must a few minutes away from Moscow.

As it turns out, the missile was launched in Spitzbergen, Norway. The purpose of this launch was to carry out scientific measurements. Norway had actually notified 35 countries including Russia of this launch, but the Russian Defense Ministry had failed to report that information to early-warning defense personnel.

1998 Clinton / Lewinsky

1998: President Bill Clinton appears on American Television and denies having "sexual relations" with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky

2001 India Earthquake

An earthquake that registered 7.9 on the Richter scale destroyed the city of Bhuj, India claiming the lives of 20,000 people and could be felt as far away as 1,200 miles from the epicenter.

Today in Labor History January 26, 2026

 In what could be considered the first workers’ compensation agreement in America, pirate Henry Morgan pledges his underlings 600 pieces of eight or six slaves to compensate for a lost arm or leg. Also part of the pirate’s code, reports Roger Newell: shares of the booty were equal regardless of race or sex, and shipboard decisions were made collectively - 1695

Samuel Gompers, first AFL president, born in London, England. He emigrated to the U.S. as a youth - 1850
 
The Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America is chartered by the American Federation of Labor to organize "every wage earner from the man who takes the bullock at the house until it goes into the hands of the consumer." - 1897
 
Workers win a two-day sit-down strike at the Brooklyn electric plant that powers the city's entire subway system - 1937
 
A handful of American companies announce nearly 60,000 layoffs today, as the recession that began during the George W. Bush presidency charges full-tilt toward what became known as the Great Recession - 2009

Today in Labor History January 25, 2026

 Sojourner Truth addresses first Black Women’s Rights convention - 1851

The Sheet Metal Workers Int'l Association (SMWIA) is founded in Toledo, Ohio, as the Tin, Sheet Iron and Cornice Workers’ Int’l Association - 1888
 
Two hundred miners are killed in a horrific explosion at the Harwick mine in Cheswick, Pa., Allegheny County. Many of the dead lie entombed in the sealed mine to this day - 1904

(The novel Sixteen Tons carries the reader down into the dark and dangerous coal mines of the early 1900s, as Italian immigrant Antonio Vacca and his sons encounter cave-ins and fires deep below the earth’s surface. Above ground, miners battle gun thugs and corrupt sheriffs at Virden, Matewan and Ludlow in an epic struggle to form a union and make the mines a safer place to work. Historian Kevin Corley’s depiction of miners’ lives is based on his own interviews with mining families.)
 
The Supreme Court upholds “Yellow Dog” employment contracts, which forbid membership in labor unions. Yellow Dog contracts remained legal until 1932 - 1915
 
Some 16,000 textile workers strike in Passaic, N.J. – 1926

The federal minimum wage rate rises to 75 cents an hour - 1950

Important Events From This day in History January 25

 

 

 1964 The Beatles "I Want To Hold Your Hand"

1964: The Beatles get their first number one with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Check Out our 1960's Music Page

1933 New Rate 35 cents per hour

1933 : Many state emergency work relief bureau are cutting the hourly rate for laborers from 40 cents per hour to 35 cents per hour and implementing a five day week . These changes will affect workers pay down from $19.00 per week to $14.00 per week in line with the changing economic trends throughout the country and should help to provide more work for those seeking jobs.

1990 UK Hurricane Force Winds

Hurricane Force winds with sustained winds of 75 mph and wind gusts of 104 mph part of the "Burns' Day Storm" have forced many ports and airports to close in one of the worst storms seen in the UK since 1987, causing overturned lorries blocking motorways, buildings collapsing and power and telecommunications lines blown down, at least half a million homes are without electricity. Current estimates put the loss of life over 90 making this storm the worst for casualties since the East Coast Flood disaster in 1953.

1995 Norway Cold War Jitters

Russia prepares to launch a nuclear attack following a Norwegian launch of a Black Brant XII four-stage sounding rocket to study the aurora borealis over Svalbard ( Which the Russians mistook for a Trident missile ) the rocket landed near Spitsbergen 24 minutes after launch and the Russians decided it was not an attack . To understand this you must also understand the great mistrust by both sides during the Cold War years when both believed the other would launch an attack without notification to gain an upper hand

2005 - Mandher Devi Temple Stampede

Over 300 die in a stampede at the Mandher Devi Temple in India during the annual Kalubai Jatra pilgrimage the first full moon day in January when animal sacrifices to the goddess Kalubai are made. The yearly pilgrimage attracts more than 350,000 Hindu's every year

1960 Payola Scandal

The National Association of Broadcasters reacts to the Payola scandal ( The Payola scandal was about bribes being paid to Disc Jockeys to play specific songs to increase music sales without informing the public they were being paid for ) by threatening fines for any disc jockeys who accepted money for playing particular records.

1924 Winter Olympics

The first Winter Olympics games took place in the French Alps on this day. Two of the primary Sports that took place on this mountain were bob sled and ski jump competitions. In all, 12 events featuring the play of six different sports were scheduled.

1942 Thailand declared war

Thailand declared war against the United States, England, and other World War II allied forces on this day. Thailand was very much controlled by Japan at that time, and Thailand was considered one of Japan's "puppets".

1945 Vaughn Moore

Singer Vaughn Moore makes it to the top of the Billboard Pop Chart with his hit, "Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!" The song is still one of the most popular holiday songs to this day.

1947 Al Capone

1947 : Al Capone dies of pneumonia and heart failure after fearing all his life he would suffer a gangsters death.

1949 Israel Election

1949 : Israel holds it's first election

1949 Emmy Awards

The first Emmy Awards ( Televisions equivalent of the Oscars ) are presented At the Hollywood Athletic Club ( they were not really a National award more to do with local Television in Los Angeles ) but grew over the years from that point to include national and international television.

1957 Algiers French Troops Sent In

Following a series of guerrilla warfare attacks by the Algerian National Liberation Front who were seeking independence from France on French Police, the French Army is deployed in Algiers to suppress the FLN organisation.

1959 First Boeing 707 Internal US Flight

American airlines begins first use of Jets for internal US flights from Los Angeles to New York on a Boeing 707 one way ticket costing $300

1964 Echo 2

1964 : A new man-made star that was launched into space was noticed in the sky on this day. This 13-story unit known as Echo 2 was traveling about 800 miles above South Africa on this day. Echo 2 was the second busiest and the heaviest of all satellites created up until this time.

It was constructed of mostly plastic with an aluminum foil skin and weight about 535 pounds. Echo 2 would be spotted every so often, as announced by NASA, who encouraged people to look out for it.

1964 Kennedy

Robert F. Kennedy paid tribute to his sister who was buried in Northern England. However, RFK was in England for another reason as well. He had met with British leaders to discuss details of his "Malaysian peace mission".

1964 Homeland Security

Robert Baker's Home did go very easily. As of this date in 1964, there were not many that were interested in it. It was believed that part of the reason his home did not sell very fast is because of the French wallpaper and lavender carpeting, which were apparently not very popular at this time.

It could have been for other reasons as well-one possibly being the fact that Robert Baker was no longer a Senate employee. He resigned under pressure the previous October.

1968 Greenland H-bomb Found

Remains of a hydrogen bomb (H-bomb) was found near Thule Air Base in Greenland. An explosion of this bomb had occurred after a B-52 had crashed (and burned) into thick Arctic ice. These bomb remains were recovered by the U.S. Air Force.

The remains of four more bombs were still missing at this time. These bombers were stored aboard a large Strategic Air Command.

1969 Peace Talks Vietnam

1969 : The first formal sessions of peace talks took place in Paris on this day. Henry Cabot Lodge, Chief peace negotiator proposed that a true DMZ (demilitarized zone) would be the first step towards peace.

1971 General Idi Amin

General Idi Amin seizes power in Uganda while President Milton Obote is away on a foreign visit troops seal off Entebbe airport.

 

1971 Charles Manson

Charles Manson is convicted, along with his Cult followers Susan Atkins, Leslie Van Houten, and Patricia Krenwinkle, of the brutal 1969 murders of actress Sharon Tate and six others

1972 Bangladesh Recognized

It was reported that the Russians and the Czechs both recognized Bangladesh as a nation on this day. This announcement was made by the Soviet consul-general to Prime Minister Mujibar Rahman in Tangal, which is located in Central Bangladesh.

1972 Presidential Candidates

Plans were made to send bodyguards to protect presidential candidates within the next month. As reported on this day, Congress had formed a committee from members of both the House and the Senate to discuss who exactly should receive this protection.

As of this day, it a general consensus had been made that the primary candidates for president and vice-presidents would receive protection. This protection-at least in eight of the cases-bodyguards from the Federal Secret Service would be assigned these protective duties.

1972

1972 : On this day, there was talk of re-designating Congressional district counties, which would cause Oklahoma County to be split up in three ways. The biggest concern regarding this possible change is that it could affect which district current candidates would run in-especially if they had been in office before in a different district.

1981 England New SDP Party

Four senior Labour MP'S ( Shirley Williams, Roy Jenkins, William Rodgers and David Owen ) have announced they will breakaway from Labour Party and set up their own political party. In March they formed the Social Democratic Party SDP under the leadership of Roy Jenkins.

Sunday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

Arming news creators to battle misinformation - E&P Magazine

Washington newspapers saved at last minute - Seattle Times Free Press

Next Thing We Do, Let’s Talk About the Lawyers - Second Rough Draft

For 80 years, a student newsroom has been Pulaski’s local paper - E&P Magazine

Inside “The Noise War”: A field manual for journalists fighting disinformation - E&P Reports

Tribune-Review expanding its production with new Pittsburgh weekend print edition - CBS News