On This Day in History — January 23

Highlights of January 23

• 2003 — The final signal was detected from the NASA space probe Pioneer 10, then about 12 billion kilometres (7.5 billion miles) from Earth. Read more
• 2002 — American journalist Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and later murdered by al-Qaeda agents in Karachi, Pakistan. Read more
• 2001 — Five people attempted to set themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, an act that many later claimed to have been staged by the Chinese Communist Party to frame Falun Gong and thus escalate their persecution. Read more
• 1997 — Madeleine Albright was sworn in as the first female United States Secretary of State, becoming the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government at that time. Read more
• 1993 — The first version of Mosaic, created by Marc Andreessen and Eric Bina, was released, becoming the first popular web browser. Read more
• 1968 — USS Pueblo was seized by North Korean forces, who claimed that it had violated their territorial waters while spying. Read more
• 1957 — American inventor Fred Morrison sold the rights to his "flying disc" to the Wham-O toy company, who later renamed it the "Frisbee" Read more
• 1942 — World War II: Japan began an invasion of the island of New Britain in the Australian Territory of New Guinea. Read more
• 1915 — Rebels led by John Chilembwe attacked local plantation owners, beginning an uprising regarded as a key moment in the history of Malawi. Read more
• 1909 — Two men committed an armed robbery in Tottenham, London, and led police on a two-hour chase, partially by tram, that ended in the perpetrators' suicides. Read more
• 1902 — In the most fatal recorded mountaineering accident, 199 of the 210 members of an Imperial Japanese Army unit perished in a blizzard on the Hakkōda Mountains. Read more
• 1870 — American Indian Wars: In the Marias Massacre, the United States Army killed about 200 Piegan Blackfeet, mostly women, children, and the elderly. Read more
• 1849 — Elizabeth Blackwell (pictured) graduated from Geneva Medical College in New York, making her the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States. Read more
• 1793 — The Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia partitioned the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth for the second time. Read more
• 1789 — Bishop John Carroll purchased a plot of land that would become the home of the future Georgetown University, the oldest Catholic university in the United States. Read more
• 1571 — Queen Elizabeth I opened the Royal Exchange in London, giving it its royal title. Read more
• 1570 — James Hamilton killed James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, in the first recorded assassination of a head of government using a firearm. Read more
• 1556 — One of the deadliest earthquakes in history struck Shaanxi, China, resulting in at least 100,000 direct deaths. Read more
• 1368 — The Hongwu Emperor (pictured) ascended the throne, initiating the Ming dynasty, which would rule China for three centuries. Read more
• 1264 — King Louis IX of France issued the Mise of Amiens, a settlement between King Henry III of England and barons led by Simon de Montfort heavily favouring the former, which later led to the Second Barons' War. Read more

Events

• 2024 — Northwestern Air Flight 738 crashes after takeoff from Fort Smith Airport, Northwest Territories, Canada, killing six people. Read more
• 2022 — Mutinying Burkinabè soldiers led by Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba depose and detain President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré amid widespread anti-government protests. Read more
• 2018 — A 7.9 Mw earthquake occurs in the Gulf of Alaska. It is tied as the sixth-largest earthquake ever recorded in the United States, but there are no reports of significant damage or fatalities. Read more
• 2018 — A double car bombing in Benghazi, Libya, kills at least 33 people and wounds "dozens" of others. The victims include both military personnel and civilians, according to local officials. Read more
• 2018 — The China–United States trade war begins when President Donald Trump places tariffs on Chinese solar panels and washing machines. Read more
• 2003 — A very weak signal from Pioneer 10 is detected for the last time, but no usable data can be extracted. Read more
• 2002 — U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl is kidnapped in Karachi, Pakistan and subsequently murdered. Read more
• 2001 — Five people attempt to set themselves on fire in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, an act that many people later claim is staged by the Chinese Communist Party to frame Falun Gong and thus escalate their persecution. Read more
• 1998 — Netscape announces Mozilla, with the intention to release Communicator code as open source. Read more
• 1997 — Madeleine Albright becomes the first woman to serve as United States Secretary of State. Read more
• 1987 — Mohammed Said Hersi Morgan sends a "letter of death" to Somali President Siad Barre, proposing the genocide of the Isaaq people. Read more
• 1986 — The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts its first members: Little Richard, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. Read more
• 1982 — World Airways Flight 30 overshoots the runway at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, and crashes into Boston Harbor. Two people are missing and presumed dead. Read more
• 1968 — USS Pueblo (AGER-2) is attacked and seized by the Korean People's Navy. Read more
• 1967 — Diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and Ivory Coast are established. Read more
• 1967 — Milton Keynes (England) is founded as a new town by Order in Council, with a planning brief to become a city of 250,000 people. Its initial designated area enclosed three existing towns and twenty-one villages. The area to be developed was largely farmland, with evidence of continuous settlement dating back to the Bronze Age. Read more
• 1964 — The 24th Amendment to the United States Constitution, prohibiting the use of poll taxes in national elections, is ratified. Read more
• 1963 — The Guinea-Bissau War of Independence officially begins when PAIGC guerrilla fighters attack the Portuguese Army stationed in Tite. Read more
• 1960 — The bathyscaphe USS Trieste breaks a depth record by descending to 10,911 metres (35,797 ft) in the Pacific Ocean. Read more
• 1958 — After a general uprising and rioting in the streets, President Marcos Pérez Jiménez leaves Venezuela. Read more
• 1957 — American inventor Walter Frederick Morrison sells the rights to his flying disc to the Wham-O toy company, which later renames it the "Frisbee". Read more
• 1950 — The Knesset resolves that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Read more
• 1945 — World War II: German admiral Karl Dönitz launches Operation Hannibal, the evacuation of areas along the eastern Baltic coast. Read more
• 1943 — World War II: Troops of the British Eighth Army capture Tripoli in Libya from the German–Italian Panzer Army. Read more
• 1942 — World War II: The Battle of Rabaul commences Japan's invasion of Australia's Territory of New Guinea. Read more
• 1941 — Charles Lindbergh testifies before the U.S. Congress and recommends that the United States negotiate a neutrality pact with Adolf Hitler. Read more
• 1937 — The trial of the anti-Soviet Trotskyist center sees seventeen mid-level Communists accused of sympathizing with Leon Trotsky and plotting to overthrow Joseph Stalin's regime. Read more
• 1922 — The first successful treatment with insulin is given to 14-year-old diabetic Leonard Thompson. Read more
• 1920 — The Netherlands refuses to surrender the exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany to the Allies. Read more
• 1919 — The First Regional Congress of Peasants, Workers and Insurgents is held by the Makhnovshchina at Velykomykhailivka. Read more
• 1912 — The First International Opium Convention is signed at The Hague. Read more
• 1909 — RMS Republic, a passenger ship of the White Star Line, becomes the first ship to use the CQD distress signal after colliding with another ship, the SS Florida, off the Massachusetts coastline, an event that kills six people. The Republic sinks the next day. Read more
• 1904 — Ålesund Fire: The Norwegian coastal town Ålesund is devastated by fire, leaving 10,000 people homeless and one person dead. Kaiser Wilhelm II funds the rebuilding of the town in Jugendstil style. Read more
• 1900 — Second Boer War: The Battle of Spion Kop between the forces of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State and British forces ends in a British defeat. Read more
• 1899 — The Malolos Constitution is inaugurated, establishing the First Philippine Republic. Emilio Aguinaldo is sworn in as its first president. Read more
• 1879 — Anglo-Zulu War: The Battle of Rorke's Drift ends. Read more
• 1870 — In Montana, U.S. cavalrymen kill 173 Native Americans, mostly women and children, in what becomes known as the Marias Massacre. Read more
• 1849 — Elizabeth Blackwell is awarded her M.D. by the Geneva Medical College of Geneva, New York, becoming the United States' first female doctor. Read more
• 1846 — Slavery in Tunisia is abolished. Read more
• 1795 — After crossing the frozen Zuiderzee, the French cavalry capture 14 Dutch ships and 850 guns, in a rare occurrence of surrender of naval vessels to land forces. Read more
• 1793 — Second Partition of Poland. Read more
• 1789 — Georgetown College, the first Catholic university in the United States, is founded in Georgetown, Maryland (now a part of Washington, D.C.) when Bishop John Carroll, Rev. Robert Molyneux, and Rev. John Ashton purchase land for the proposed academy for the education of youth. Read more
• 1755 — Moscow University is established (12 January 1755 O.S.). Read more
• 1719 — The Principality of Liechtenstein is created within the Holy Roman Empire. Read more
• 1656 — Blaise Pascal publishes the first of his Lettres provinciales. Read more
• 1579 — The Union of Utrecht forms a Protestant republic in the Netherlands. Read more
• 1571 — The Royal Exchange opens in London. Read more
• 1570 — James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, regent for the infant King James VI of Scotland, is assassinated by firearm, the first recorded instance of such. Read more
• 1565 — The Deccan Sultanates defeat Rama Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire at the Battle of Talikota, resulting in over 100,000 casualties and the destruction of the capital Vijayanagara. Read more
• 1556 — The deadliest earthquake in history, the Shaanxi earthquake, hits Shaanxi province, China. The death toll may have been as high as 830,000. Read more
• 1546 — Having published nothing for eleven years, François Rabelais publishes the Tiers Livre, his sequel to Gargantua and Pantagruel. Read more
• 1368 — Zhu Yuanzhang proclaims himself the Hongwu Emperor, beginning the Ming dynasty. Read more
• 1264 — In the conflict between King Henry III of England and his rebellious barons led by Simon de Montfort, King Louis IX of France issues the Mise of Amiens, a one-sided decision in favour of Henry that later leads to the Second Barons' War. Read more
• 1229 — The episcopal seat is moved from Nousiainen to Koroinen (located near the current centre of Turku) by the permission of Pope Gregory IX. The date is starting to be considered as the founding of Turku. Read more
• 971 — Using crossbows, Song dynasty troops soundly defeat a war elephant corps of the Southern Han at Shao. Read more
• 393 — Roman emperor Theodosius I proclaims his eight-year-old son Honorius co-emperor. Read more

Born on January 23

• 2004 — Julio Enciso, Paraguayan footballer Read more
• 2002 — Joško Gvardiol, Croatian footballer Read more
• 2002 — Nicola Zalewski, Polish footballer Read more
• 2001 — Olga Danilović, Serbian tennis player Read more
• 2000 — Fanni Pigniczki, Hungarian rhythmic gymnast Read more
• 1999 — Alban Lafont, French footballer Read more
• 1998 — XXXTentacion, American rapper (died 2018) Read more
• 1996 — Keita Bates-Diop, American basketball player Read more
• 1996 — Ruben Loftus-Cheek, English footballer Read more
• 1994 — Addison Russell, American baseball player Read more
• 1992 — Reina Triendl, Japanese model and actress Read more
• 1991 — Steve Birnbaum, American soccer player Read more
• 1990 — Alex Silva, Canadian wrestler Read more
• 1987 — Leo Komarov, Estonian-Finnish ice hockey player Read more
• 1986 — Gelete Burka, Ethiopian runner Read more
• 1986 — Marc Laird, Scottish footballer Read more
• 1986 — José Enrique, Spanish footballer Read more
• 1986 — Steven Taylor, English footballer Read more
• 1986 — Sandro Viletta, Swiss skier Read more
• 1985 — San E, South Korean rapper Read more
• 1985 — Dong Fangzhuo, Chinese footballer Read more
• 1985 — Doutzen Kroes, Dutch model and actress Read more
• 1985 — Yevgeny Lukyanenko, Russian pole vaulter Read more
• 1985 — Aselefech Mergia, Ethiopian runner Read more
• 1985 — Jeff Samardzija, American baseball and football player Read more
• 1985 — Sudaryono, Indonesian politician and businessman Read more
• 1984 — Arjen Robben, Dutch footballer Read more
• 1983 — Irving Saladino, Panamanian long jumper Read more
• 1982 — Oceana Mahlmann, German singer and songwriter Read more
• 1982 — Wily Mo Peña, Dominican baseball player Read more
• 1982 — Andrew Rock, American sprinter Read more
• 1981 — Rob Friend, Canadian soccer player Read more
• 1981 — Julia Jones, American actress Read more
• 1979 — Scott Hannan, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1979 — Larry Hughes, American basketball player Read more
• 1979 — Dawn O'Porter, Scottish-English fashion designer and journalist Read more
• 1979 — Juan Rincón, Venezuelan baseball player and coach Read more
• 1979 — Maria Stepanova, Russian basketball player Read more
• 1976 — Brandon Duckworth, American baseball player and scout Read more
• 1976 — Anne Margrethe Hausken, Norwegian orienteering competitor Read more

Died on January 23

• 2024 — Charles Osgood, American radio and television commentator, writer and musician (born 1933) Read more
• 2024 — Melanie Safka, American Emmy winning singer-songwriter (born 1947) Read more
• 2021 — Hal Holbrook, American actor and director (born 1925) Read more
• 2021 — Larry King, American journalist and talk show host (born 1933) Read more
• 2021 — Song Yoo-jung, South Korean actress and model (born 1994) Read more
• 2019 — Aloysius Pang, Singaporean actor (born 1990) Read more
• 2019 — Oliver Mtukudzi, Zimbabwean Afro Jazz musician (born 1952) Read more
• 2018 — Hugh Masekela, South African trumpeter, composer and singer (born 1939) Read more
• 2018 — Wyatt Tee Walker, American civil rights activist and pastor (born 1928) Read more
• 2015 — Ernie Banks, American baseball player and coach (born 1931) Read more
• 2015 — Prosper Ego, Dutch activist, founded the Oud-Strijders Legioen (born 1927) Read more
• 2015 — Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (born 1924) Read more
• 2014 — Yuri Izrael, Russian meteorologist and journalist (born 1930) Read more
• 2014 — Elmira Nazirova, Azerbaijani composer (born 1928) Read more
• 2013 — Józef Glemp, Polish cardinal (born 1929) Read more
• 2009 — Robert W. Scott, American farmer and politician, 67th Governor of North Carolina (born 1929) Read more
• 2007 — Syed Hussein Alatas, Malaysian sociologist and politician (born 1928) Read more
• 2005 — Johnny Carson, American talk show host, television personality, and producer (born 1925) Read more
• 2004 — Helmut Newton, German-Australian photographer (born 1920) Read more
• 2003 — Nell Carter, American actress and singer (born 1948) Read more
• 2002 — Paul Aars, American race car driver (born 1934) Read more
• 2002 — Pierre Bourdieu, French sociologist, anthropologist, and philosopher (born 1930) Read more
• 2002 — Robert Nozick, American philosopher, author, and academic (born 1938) Read more
• 1999 — Joe D'Amato, Italian director and cinematographer (born 1936) Read more
• 1999 — Jay Pritzker, American businessman, co-founded the Hyatt Corporation (born 1922) Read more
• 1994 — Nikolai Ogarkov, Russian field marshal (born 1917) Read more
• 1994 — Brian Redhead, English journalist and author (born 1929) Read more
• 1993 — Keith Laumer, American soldier, author, and diplomat (born 1925) Read more
• 1992 — Freddie Bartholomew, American actor (born 1924) Read more
• 1991 — Northrop Frye, Canadian author and critic (born 1912) Read more
• 1990 — Allen Collins, American guitarist and songwriter (born 1952) Read more
• 1989 — Salvador Dalí, Spanish painter and sculptor (born 1904) Read more
• 1989 — Lars-Erik Torph, Swedish race car driver (born 1961) Read more
• 1988 — Charles Glen King, American biochemist and academic (born 1896) Read more
• 1986 — Joseph Beuys, German sculptor and painter (born 1921) Read more
• 1985 — James Beard, American chef and cookbook author for whom the James Beard Foundation Awards are named (born 1905) Read more
• 1984 — Muin Bseiso, Palestinian-Egyptian poet and critic (born 1926) Read more
• 1983 — Fred Bakewell, English cricketer and coach (born 1908) Read more
• 1981 — Samuel Barber, American pianist and composer (born 1910) Read more
• 1980 — Giovanni Michelotti, Italian engineer (born 1921) Read more

Holidays & observances

Bounty Day (Pitcairn Islands); Christian feast day: Abakuh; Christian feast day: Marianne of Molokai; Christian feast day: Emerentiana; Christian feast day: Espousals of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Christian feast day: Ildefonsus of Toledo; Christian feast day: Phillips Brooks (Episcopal Church (USA)); Christian feast day: January 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Jayanti (Assam, Orissa, Tripura, and West Bengal, India); World Freedom Day (Taiwan and South Korea)

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