January 16th, 1547

Ivan the Terrible became the tsar of Russia. He is often referred to as the Grand Prince of Moscow and ruled until 1584.

January 17th, 1961

Dwight D. Eisenhower warned that the growing power of the “military industrial complex” could end up undermining American democracy in his  presidential farewell address. 

January 18th, 1986

For the very first time, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was recognized as a national holiday. Dr. King is most recognized for his leadership role in the Civil Rights movement and for his remarkable I Have A Dream speech.

January 19th, 1955

President Dwight D. Eisenhower held the very first televised presidential press conference. Eisenhower started the conference by saying that he hoped this “new experiment” would not “prove to be a disturbing influence.”

January 20th, 1945

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt became the very first president to be inaugurated for a fourth time. He died months into his fourth term on April 12th, 1945.

January 21st, 1809

Writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He is most recognized for his works The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart. 

January 22nd, 1973

The infamous Roe v. Wade ruling was issued that protected access to reproductive health care and stated that preventing access to abortion was considered a constitutional violation of the right to privacy. The landmark case was overturned by the Supreme Court on June 24th, 2022.