What Happened on January 4 in History?
January 4 has been a day of landmark "firsts," from the world's tallest building to historic political appointments.
Major Historical Events
Burj Khalifa Opens (2010): The world’s tallest building, standing at 2,717 feet (828 meters), officially opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Nancy Pelosi Becomes Speaker (2007): Representative Nancy Pelosi was elected as the first female Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Burma Gains Independence (1948): Burma (now Myanmar) officially gained its independence from British rule, becoming an independent republic outside the Commonwealth.
Utah Becomes a State (1896): Utah was admitted as the 45th U.S. state after the territory agreed to ban polygamy in its state constitution.
Sputnik 1 Re-enters Atmosphere (1958): The first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, fell from orbit and burned up in the Earth's atmosphere.
Lyndon B. Johnson’s "Great Society" (1965): In his State of the Union address, President Johnson outlined his ambitious "Great Society" initiative to eliminate poverty and racial injustice.
Scientific & Technological Milestones
Mars Rover Spirit Lands (2004): NASA’s Spirit rover successfully touched down on Mars to begin its mission of geological exploration.
First Unmanned Subway (1962): New York City began testing its first automated, unmanned subway train on the Times Square-Grand Central shuttle.
Samuel Colt's First Major Sale (1847): Samuel Colt sold his first revolvers (1,000 pistols) to the U.S. government for use in the Mexican-American War.
Famous Birthdays & Deaths
Birthdays:
Louis Braille (1809): Inventor of the Braille system for the blind.
Sir Isaac Newton (1643): Renowned physicist and mathematician who formulated the laws of motion and gravity.
Don Shula (1930): Hall of Fame NFL coach who led the Miami Dolphins to the only perfect season in league history.
Michael Stipe (1960): Lead singer of the rock band R.E.M.
Victor Wembanyama (2004): NBA center for the San Antonio Spurs.
Deaths:
Albert Camus (1960): Nobel Prize-winning French author and philosopher, killed in a car accident.
T.S. Eliot (1965): Influential American-British poet and Nobel laureate.
Holidays & Observances
World Braille Day: Observed annually on January 4 to celebrate the birth of Louis Braille and raise awareness for the importance of Braille as a human right for the visually impaired.
National Trivia Day and National Spaghetti Day: Popular informal observances celebrated in the United States.
