- 1738 – Ethan Allen, future Revolutionary War hero and key founder of the Republic of Vermont is born.
- 1793 – King Louis XVI executed by guillotine during the French Revolution.
- 1905 – Christian Dior is born.
- 1924 – Vladimir Lenin dies of a brain hemorrhage at age 54.
- 1940 – Jack Nicklaus is born.
- 1950 – George Orwell dies at age 46.
- 1956 – Geena Davis is born.
- 1977 – President Jimmy Carter pardons draft dodgers.
- 1978 – “Saturday Night Fever” by the Bee Gees goes #1, where it stays for 24 weeks.
- 2008 – Black Monday for worldwide stock markets
- 2017 – The Women’s March in Washington D.C. and around the nation occurred on Donald Trump’s first full day in office. Many pink hats were seen.
- 2020 – World’s oldest asteroid impact (2.2 billion years) found in Yarrabubba, Western Australia.
