On This Day

Discover events that happened On This Day including famous birthdays and notable deaths. Each day we highlight famous people, past and present, who have impacted our world. Browse sections by selecting the links below or click the calendar to view events on another day.

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January 4

January 4

Events on This Day

1847

166 years ago
Samuel Colt saves his gun business when he wins a contract to provide the U.S. government with 1,000 .44-caliber revolvers.

Read more at History.com
1975

38 years ago
"Lady Marmalade" by Labelle, a group started by Patti LaBelle, enters the Billboard Hot 100 and hits No. 1 12 weeks later.
2002

11 years ago
A Beautiful Mind debuts. Russell Crowe stars in the biopic about mathematical genius John Nash.
2007

6 years ago
Nancy Pelosi is sworn in as the first female Speaker of the House in Congress.

January 4

Born on This Day

- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Singers
- Famous Music Producers
Michael Stipe

Activist, Songwriter, Music Producer, Singer / 1960 -

Michael Stipe is the frontman and lead singer of the influential alternative rock band R.E.M.

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Michael Stipe
Born: January 4, 1960
Age: 53 years old
Birthplace: Decatur, Georgia, United States
Occupation: Activist, Songwriter, ...
- In these groups:
- Famous Academics
- Famous Teachers
- Famous Capricorns
Louis Braille

Educator, Inventor / 1809 - 1852

Louis Braille was a French educator who developed the Braille system of printing and writing for the blind.

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Louis Braille
1809 | 43 years old
Educator, Inventor
- In these groups:
- The Ed Sullivan Show Guests
- Olympic Boxers
- Famous Black Athletes
Floyd Patterson

Boxer / 1935 - 2006

American boxer Floyd Patterson was the first to hold the world heavyweight championship twice. He won a gold medal in the 1952 Olympic Games.

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Floyd Patterson
1935 | 71 years old
Boxer
- In these groups:
- Apple Icons
- Historic Hair Band Members
- Tech Giants
Isaac Newton

Philosopher, Mathematician, Astronomer, Physicist / 1643 - 1727

English physicist and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton, most famous for his law of gravitation, was instrumental in the scientific revolution of the 17th century.

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Isaac Newton
Born: January 4, 1643
Birthplace: Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom
Occupation: Philosopher, Mathematician, ...
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Coaches
- Famous People Named Don
Don Shula

Coach / 1930 -

Don Shula was the head coach of the NFL's Miami Dolphins from 1970 to 1996, leading the team to a Super Bowl championship and an undefeated season.

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Don Shula
1930 | 83 years old
Coach
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous People Named Victor
- Famous People Born in 1890
Victor Lustig

Criminal / 1890 - 1947

Victor Lustig was a con artist who became known at "the man who sold the Eiffel Tower."

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Victor Lustig
1890 | 57 years old
Criminal

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January 4

Died on This Day

- In these groups:
- Automobile Accident Victims
- Famous People Who Died in Accidents
- Famous Scorpios
Albert Camus

Author / 1913 - 1960

Algerian born writer Albert Camus won the Nobel Prize for literature in part due to his embrace of existentialism in books like The Stranger.

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Albert Camus
Died: January 4, 1960
Age: 46 years old
Place: Sens , France
Occupation: Author
- In these groups:
- Famous Virgoans
- Famous Nuns
- Famous Saints
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Nun, Saint / 1774 - 1821

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was an activist and advocate for the poor in the 18th to 19th centuries who established the group Sisters of Charity.

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St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
1821 | 46 years old
Nun, Saint
- In these groups:
- Famous Libras
- Famous Nobel Prize Winners
- Famous People Born in 1888
T.S. Eliot

Writer / 1888 - 1965

T.S. Eliot was an American-born English poet, playwright, and literary critic, arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century.

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T.S. Eliot
1965 | 76 years old
Writer

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- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Columbia University Alumni
- Famous People Named George
George Tenet

Government Official / 1953 -

CIA director George Tenet resigned in 2004 after U.S. forces in Iraq failed to find the weapons of mass destruction he had claimed existed there.

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George Tenet
January 5, 1953
Government Official
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Congressional Representatives
- Famous People Born in 1882
Sam Rayburn

U.S. Representative / 1882 - 1961

Sam Rayburn was an American politician best known for his roles as Speaker of the House, Majority Leader to Congress and Chairman of the National Democratic Convention.

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Sam Rayburn
January 6, 1882
U.S. Representative
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Harlem Renaissance People
- Famous Trumpet Players
Henry Allen

Trumpet Player / 1908 - 1967

Jazz trumpeter Henry Allen belonged to Fletcher Henderson’s big band, was in Mills Blue Rhythm band and accompanied Louis Armstrong in Luis Russell’s band.

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Henry Allen
January 7, 1908
Trumpet Player
- In these groups:
- Blacklisted
- Actors Turned Directors
- Best Actor Oscar Winners
José Ferrer

Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor, Director / 1912 - 1992

American actor and director José Ferrer was perhaps best known for his Academy Award-winning performance in the title role of the film Cyrano de Bergerac.

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José Ferrer
January 8, 1912
Television Actor

Famous Capricorns

- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Photographers
- Famous Film Directors
Larry Clark

Photographer, Director / 1943 -

American photographer and film director Larry Clark is known for his images and movies, like Kids, that graphically depict unconventional teenage activities.

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Larry Clark
January 19, 1943
Photographer, Director
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Coaches
- Famous People Named Don
Don Shula

Coach / 1930 -

Don Shula was the head coach of the NFL's Miami Dolphins from 1970 to 1996, leading the team to a Super Bowl championship and an undefeated season.

See full bio
Don Shula
January 4, 1930
Coach

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