Today is Tuesday, Jan. 20, the 20th day of 2026. There are 345 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On Jan. 20, 2011, authorities conducted a major Mafia crackdown, charging 127 suspected mobsters and associates in the Northeast with various crimes, including murder and extortion, spanning several decades.
Also on this date:
In 1841, the island of Hong Kong was handed over from China to Great Britain. It later returned to Chinese control in July 1997.
In 1936, Britain’s King George V passed away after his physician administered morphine and cocaine to speed up his death. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Edward VIII, who later abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson.
In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated for his second of four terms as president, marking the first time a president was inaugurated on Jan. 20 due to the 20th Amendment.
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy famously stated in his inaugural address, “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”
In 1986, the United States celebrated its first federal holiday in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1981, Iran released 52 American hostages held for 444 days, coinciding with Ronald Reagan’s inauguration as president.
In 2009, Barack Obama was sworn in as the first Black president of the United States.
In 2017, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States amidst clashes between protesters and police near the inaugural parade route.
Today’s birthdays:
- Buzz Aldrin, former astronaut – 96
- Carol Heiss Jenkins, Olympic figure skating gold medalist – 86
- Paul Stanley (KISS), rock musician – 74
- Bill Maher, comedian – 70
- John Naber, Olympic swimming gold medalist – 70
- John Michael Montgomery, country singer – 61
- Rainn Wilson, actor – 60
- Skeet Ulrich, actor – 56
- Questlove (The Roots), musician – 55
- Nikki Haley, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and ex-governor of South Carolina – 54
- Brantley Gilbert, country singer – 41
- Joshua Colley, actor and singer – 24
- Glaive, singer-songwriter – 21
