Supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in an effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. The unprecedented breach disrupted Congress and led to deaths and widespread condemnation.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
Pope John Paul II met with Cuban leader Fidel Castro during a historic visit to Cuba. The meeting marked a thaw in relations between the Catholic Church and the Communist state.
📍 Havana, Cuba
Apple Inc. introduced the Apple IIe, an enhanced version of its Apple II computer line. It became one of the most popular educational and home computers of the 1980s.
📍 Cupertino, California, United States
Doordarshan began its experimental television broadcasts in India, laying the foundation for the country’s vast public broadcasting system and media influence in South Asia.
📍 New Delhi, India
Italy’s public broadcaster RAI began its first official television transmissions, ushering in a new era of mass communication and shaping Italian culture and society for decades to come.
📍 Rome, Italy
Bonnie Franklin, best known for her role as the single mother in the hit sitcom *One Day at a Time*, was born. She helped redefine portrayals of women on American television.
📍 Santa Monica, California, United States
Gregor Strasser, a leading Nazi Party figure who clashed with Hitler over ideology and strategy, was assassinated during the Night of the Long Knives purge.
📍 Berlin, Germany
Kahlil Gibran, author of *The Prophet* and one of the most influential modern spiritual writers, died. His poetic essays blended mysticism, philosophy, and Eastern and Western ideals.
📍 New York City, United States
American inventor Clessie Cummins successfully completed the first long-distance automobile trip powered by a diesel engine, demonstrating diesel's viability for passenger vehicles.
📍 Indianapolis to New York City, United States
Nellie Tayloe Ross was sworn in as the Governor of Wyoming, becoming the first woman to serve as governor of a U.S. state, a milestone in the women's rights movement.
📍 Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
Theodore Roosevelt, former U.S. President, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and leader of the Progressive Era, died in his sleep at the age of 60. His legacy includes conservation, trust-busting, and a bold foreign policy.
📍 Oyster Bay, New York, United States
Alan Watts, known for popularizing Eastern philosophy in the West through books and lectures, was born. His teachings on Zen Buddhism and Taoism gained global influence in spiritual circles.
📍 Chislehurst, England, United Kingdom
New Mexico was officially admitted to the Union as the 47th state, expanding U.S. governance into the Southwest and marking a new phase in American territorial growth.
📍 New Mexico, United States
James Craig Watson, a Canadian-American astronomer, discovered asteroid 79 Eurynome, one of over 20 he would find during his career. His work contributed to early asteroid cataloging.
📍 Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Gustave Doré, famed for his engravings and illustrations of literary works such as Dante’s Inferno and the Bible, was born. His dramatic visual style shaped 19th-century book art.
📍 Strasbourg, France
Giuseppe Piazzi discovered Ceres, the first known asteroid and now considered a dwarf planet. The find marked the beginning of modern asteroid science and solar system classification.
📍 Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Rowland Hill, English educator and reformer who introduced the concept of prepaid postage and created the first postage stamp (Penny Black), was born. His system transformed global mail delivery.
📍 Kidderminster, England, United Kingdom
Joan of Arc, legendary French heroine who led armies during the Hundred Years’ War and was later canonized as a saint, was born. She became a national symbol of France.
📍 Domrémy, France
Eastern Orthodox Christian communities celebrate Christmas on January 6 or 7 due to their continued use of the Julian calendar. This day marks the birth of Christ for millions around the world.
📍 Eastern Europe and global Orthodox communities
The Christian holiday of Epiphany, commemorating the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus and the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, is observed by Western and Eastern churches on this day.
📍 Global