Anniversaries and commemorations come and go daily. Most of us, even the best historians, miss most occasions. If we think of history as events then we are faced with a continually showering in the grains of sand. Nevertheless, we do pick out certain patterns in the remembrance of historical dates. The blog here reminds us of some dates where the local, state, national, and global perspectives entwine.
On 16, Thursday January 1919, The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, authorizing Prohibition, is ratified.
On 16, Thursday January 1919, Pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski becomes the second Prime Minister of Poland.
On 16, Thursday January 1919, Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves, Brazilian politician, 5th President of Brazil, died (b. 1848)
On 16, Friday January 1959, Sade, Nigerian-born singer, born
On 16, Friday January 1959, Eduardo Braun-Menéndez, Argentine physiologist, died (b. 1903)
On 16, Thursday January 1969, Two cosmonauts transfer from Soyuz 5 to Soyuz 4 via a spacewalk while the two craft are docked together, the first time such a transfer takes place. The two spacecraft undock and return to Earth two days later.
On 16, Thursday January 1969, Student Jan Palach sets himself on fire in Prague’s Wenceslas Square to protest the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia; 3 days later he dies.
On 16, Thursday January 1969, Roy Jones Jr., American boxer, born
On 16, Thursday January 1969, Per Yngve Ohlin, Norwegian vocalist, born (d. 1991)
On 16, Tuesday January 1979, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi flees Iran with his family, relocating to Egypt after a year of turmoil.
On 16, Tuesday January 1979, Aaliyah, American R&B singer and actress, born (d. 2001)
On 16, Monday January 1989, Yvonne Zima, American actress, born
On 16, Monday January 1989, Prem Nazir, Indian actor, died (b. 1926)
On 16, Monday January 1989, Trey Wilson, American actor, died (b. 1948)
On 16, Sunday January 1994, Jack Metcalfe, 81, track and field athlete, died
On 16, Saturday January 1999, Jim McClelland, 83, ALP politician, died
On 16, Friday January 2009, Trooper Mark Donaldson is awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia for actions in Oruzgan province during Operation Slipper, the Australian contribution to the War in Afghanistan.
On 16, Friday January 2009, Andrew Wyeth, American painter, died (b. 1917)
On 16, Thursday January 2014, Dave Madden, Canadian-American actor, died (b. 1932)
On 16, Thursday January 2014, Hiroo Onoda, Japanese army officer, died (b. 1922)
Other On This Day days in history
Neville Buch