January 20th is a day many of us get off work for the King holiday, but there are quite a few interesting things that have occurred throughout history on this very day. Here are some of those monumental occasions.
1870: Hiram R. Revels Makes History
Hiram R. Revels was elected as the first African-American to serve in the U.S. Senate, filling the unexpired term of Jefferson Davis. Five days later, Revels was sworn in as the first Black member of Congress (Sen-R-MS).
1947: Josh Gibson’s Legacy
Hall of Fame Negro League baseball player Josh Gibson died on this day. Born December 21, 1911 in Buena Vista, Georgia, Gibson made his professional debut with the Homestead Grays in 1930. While complete statistics from the Negro Leagues are difficult to verify, Gibson is believed to have hit almost 800 home runs over his 17-season career. A ten-time All-Star and two-time Negro League champion, Gibson died just three months before Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier. He was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 and ranked 18th on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players in 2000.
1954: The National Negro Network Founded
W. Leonard Evans founded the National Negro Network, a Black-oriented radio programming service. It was the first Black-owned radio network in the country, initially broadcasting to 45 member stations. Unfortunately, the network eventually failed due to its inability to attract major advertisers.
1958: Elvis Gets His Orders
Elvis Presley received his orders to report for duty from the U.S. Army. He was allowed a 60-day deferment to finish filming “King Creole.”
1964: America Meets the Beatles
Capitol Records released “Meet the Beatles” in the United States, marking the band’s U.S. debut LP.
1974: Stevie Wonder’s Triumphant Return
Stevie Wonder performed his first show after an auto accident that nearly took his life five months earlier.
1987: MLK Day Becomes Official
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was first observed as a national holiday. President Ronald Reagan signed the bill creating the federal holiday on November 2, 1983, making it one of only three holidays commemorating an individual person. The day wasn’t officially observed in all 50 states until 2000.
2002: Sting’s Golden Globe Win
Sting won his first Golden Globe for his song “Until” from the “Kate & Leopold” soundtrack.
2009: Obama’s Historic Inauguration
Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. The theme of the inauguration was “A New Birth of Freedom,” and it set an attendance record for any event held in Washington, D.C. Based on attendance, television viewership, and internet traffic, it was likely the most observed event ever by a global audience.