The week of January 20th to January 26th serves as a significant window into the American narrative, marked by the solemnity of executive transitions, the expansion of civil rights, and the pioneering spirit of industry and exploration. This week is most famously defined by Inauguration Day, the quadrennial ritual that ensures the peaceful transfer of power, but it also contains the sparks of the California Gold Rush, the ratification of constitutional amendments protecting the right to vote, and milestones in medical and technological history that have shaped modern American life.
January 20
- Inauguration Day (1937–Present): Following the ratification of the 20th Amendment, January 20 became the official date for the inauguration of the U.S. President. Notable moments include FDR’s first January inauguration in 1937 and Barack Obama being sworn in as the first African American president in 2009.
- End of the Iran Hostage Crisis (1981): Just minutes after Ronald Reagan was sworn into office, 52 American hostages were released from Iran after 444 days in captivity, ending a diplomatic standoff that had gripped the nation.
January 21
- The Trial of Alger Hiss (1950): In a defining moment of the early Cold War and the “Red Scare,” former State Department official Alger Hiss was convicted of perjury regarding his involvement with a Soviet spy ring, a case that propelled Richard Nixon to national prominence.
- The Concorde Lands in the U.S. (1976): While a joint British-French venture, the first commercial supersonic flights began on this day, eventually leading to regular service to Washington D.C. and New York, revolutionizing trans-Atlantic travel for the American business elite.
January 22
- Roe v. Wade Decision (1973): In one of the most significant legal rulings in history, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Texas statute, effectively legalizing abortion nationwide based on a constitutional right to privacy.
- Death of Lyndon B. Johnson (1973): The 36th President of the United States died at his ranch in Texas at age 64. His death occurred just as the Vietnam War—the conflict that defined his presidency—was nearing its end for American combat forces.
January 23
- First Female M.D. in America (1849): Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, graduating from Geneva Medical College in New York and paving the way for generations of women in medicine.
- Ratification of the 24th Amendment (1964): The U.S. eliminated the poll tax in federal elections, a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement that prevented states from using wealth as a barrier to voting, particularly for Black citizens in the South.
January 24
- The California Gold Rush Begins (1848): James W. Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California. This event triggered a massive westward migration of “Forty-Niners” that forever changed the demographics and economy of the American West.
- Apple Introduces the Macintosh (1984): Steve Jobs unveiled the first Macintosh computer during a keynote in California. It was the first mass-market personal computer to feature a graphical user interface and a mouse, fundamentally changing how Americans interact with technology.
January 25
- Shirley Chisholm Announces Presidential Bid (1972): U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm became the first African American woman to run for a major party’s nomination for President of the United States, campaigning under the iconic slogan “Unbought and Unbossed.”
- The American Red Cross Founded (1881): Though she founded the organization in May, Clara Barton’s efforts were solidified during this period as she lobbied the U.S. government to sign the Geneva Convention, leading to the official recognition of the American Red Cross.
January 26
- Michigan Becomes a State (1837): Michigan was admitted to the Union as the 26th U.S. state. Its admission followed a long boundary dispute with Ohio known as the Toledo War, which resulted in Michigan receiving the Upper Peninsula as a compromise.
- Death of Kobe Bryant (2020): In a tragedy that shocked the global sports community, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, sparking an unprecedented outpouring of grief across the country.
