January 19
1915
The electric neon sign was patented in the United States by George Claude of Paris, France.
1953
Lucy Ricardo gave birth to baby Ricky on I Love Lucy. More people tuned in to watch the show than the inauguration of President Eisenhower.
1955
President Eisenhower okayed the first filming of a news conference for television.
1966
Indira Gandhi was elected prime minister of India.
1981
The United States and Iran signed an agreement paving the way for the release of 52 Americans held hostage for more than 14 months.
1997
Yasser Arafat returned to Hebron for the first time in 30 years, as Israel hands over control of the West Bank city to Palestinians.
2001
President Clinton admitted he made false statements under oath about Monica Lewinsky.
Birthdays
Edgar Allan Poe
1809–1849, American Writer.
James Watt
inventor (1736)
Isaiah Thomas
patriot and printer (1749)
Robert E. Lee
general (1807)
Henry Bessemer
engineer and inventor (1813)
Paul Cezanne
painter (1839)
Alexander Woollcott
author, critic (1887)
Patricia Highsmith
writer (1921)
Tippi Hedren
actor (1935)
Janis Joplin
singer (1943)
Dolly Parton
entertainer (1946)
Jim Morris
baseball player (1964)
Drea de Matteo
actor (1973)