Daily Calendar for Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Since 1986, the third Monday in January has been a federal holiday in observance of the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and civil rights leader dedicated to nonviolence. This is a day to honor King’s principles, perhaps best exemplified by his famous β€œI Have a Dream” speech, delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963: β€œI have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, β€˜We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’” Learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. Day and how to celebrate.

Born

  • Philip Livingston (patriot, and signer of the Declaration of Independence) –
  • The Earl of Derby, Lord Stanley (Canadian Governor General 1888 - 1893) –
  • Goodman Ace (radio performer) –
  • Gene Krupa (drummer) –
  • Lloyd Bridges (actor) –
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. (civil rights leader) –
  • Ernest J. Gaines (novelist) –
  • AndrΓ© Alexis (writer) –
  • Chad Lowe (actor) –
  • Regina King (actress) –
  • Howie Day (singer) –
  • Dove Cameron (actress) –

Died

  • Mathew Brady (photographer) –
  • Ray Bolger (actor) –
  • Ruth Warrick (actress) –
  • Percy Saltzman (first meteorologist to appear on Canadian television) –

Events

  • Elizabeth I of England was crowned in Westminster Abbey–
  • Dramatist MoliΓ¨re was baptized–
  • Vermont declares its independence from Great Britain and the colony of New York as a republic originally called New Connecticut–
  • The University of N.C., the first state university in the US, opens–
  • E. G. Otis received a patent for an elevator safety brake–
  • Great Molasses Flood, Boston, Massachusetts–
  • Ford Foundation is incorporated to administer funds for scientific, educational and charitable purposes–
  • First U.S. all-glass windowless structure completed, in Toledo, Ohio–
  • First Pro Bowl game in NFL history is played in Los Angeles, California–
  • The Pentagon Building in Virginia was completed–
  • First nonstop trans-Canada flight completed–
  • The Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I–
  • Happy Days made its television debut–
  • First transpacific hot air balloon flight began, Japan to Canada–
  • Online encyclopedia Wikipedia launched–
  • Stardust capsule landed in Utah, after record re-entry speed of 28,860 mph–

Weather

  • New York harbor froze over completely and was sealed for five weeks–
  • Los Angeles, California, received 2” of snow–
  • 7.8 inches of snow at Forth Worth, Texas–
  • Loma, Montana, set a record for the greatest temperature change in a 24 hour period. Temperatures went from -54 degrees F on January 14 to 49 degrees F on January 15–
  • It was so cold in Kapuskasing, Ontario, that tires fell off the rims of cars. (it was -45F or -42.8C)–