January 21
1793
King Louis XVI was guillotined for treason.
1915
The first Kiwanis Club was founded in Detroit.
1924
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin died in Moscow.
1950
George Orwell died in London.
1954
USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine was launched.
1977
President Carter pardoned most Vietnam War draft evaders.
2003
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that Hispanics had surpassed Blacks as the largest minority group.
2010
In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court rules in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that the government cannot restrict the spending of corporations for political campaigns, maintaining that it’s their First Amendment right to support candidates as they choose. This decision upsets two previous precedents on the free-speech rights of corporations.
Birthdays
Stonewall Jackson
(Thomas Jonathan Jackson) 1824–1863, American Confederate General.
Ethan Allen
soldier (1738)
John C. Fremont
explorer, soldier, and political leader (1813)
Sophia Jex-Blake
physician (1840)
Christian Dior
fashion designer (1905)
Telly Savalas
actor (1924)
Jack Nicklaus
golfer (1940)
Placido Domingo
tenor (1941)
Geena Davis
actor (1956)