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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» BORN ON THIS DAY
» DIED ON THIS DAY

January 31

January 31

Events on This Day

1950

63 years ago
President Harry S. Truman announces the development of the hydrogen bomb.

Read more at History.com
1958

55 years ago
Wernher von Braun, in conjunction with the U.S. Army, launches the first U.S. satellite, Explorer I.
1999

14 years ago
Quarterback John Elway and the Denver Broncos win Super Bowl XXXIII, their second consecutive championship, defeating the Atlanta Falcons.
2010

3 years ago
Tennis star Roger Federer claims a world-record 16th Grand Slam singles title and his fourth Australian Open title when he defeats Andy Murray.

January 31

Born on This Day

- In these groups:
- Famous Lookalikes
- Celebrity Enlistees
- African-American Firsts: Athletes
Jackie Robinson

Baseball Player / 1919 - 1972

Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play major league baseball, becoming Rookie of the Year in 1947, National League MVP in 1949 and a World Series champ in 1955.

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Jackie Robinson
Born: January 31, 1919
Birthplace: Cairo, Georgia, United States
Occupation: Baseball Player
- In these groups:
- Famous Irish-Americans
- Baseball Nicknames
- Famous Aquarians
Nolan Ryan

Baseball Player / 1947 -

Nolan Ryan played professional baseball until age 46. He pitched 3,509th career strikeouts, becoming the first pitcher to surpass Walter Johnson's 1927 record.

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Nolan Ryan
1947 | 66 years old
Baseball Player
- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous People Named Norman
- Famous Fiction Authors
Norman Mailer

Journalist, Author / 1923 - 2007

Author Norman Mailer used a style combining fiction and journalism to write the Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Executioner's Song.

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Norman Mailer
1923 | 84 years old
Journalist, Author
- In these groups:
- Hollywood Heartthrobs
- Celebrities With Court-side Seats
- Super Bowl Halftime Performers
Justin Timberlake

Film Actor, Singer / 1981 -

Singer Justin Timberlake got his start on The New Mickey Mouse Club and made it big with boy band 'N Sync, before becoming a solo singer and budding actor.

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Justin Timberlake
Born: January 31, 1981
Age: 32 years old
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Occupation: Film Actor, Singer
- In these groups:
- Famous Academics
- Famous Teachers
- Famous Aquarians
Franz Schubert

Educator, Songwriter / 1797 - 1828

Franz Schubert is considered the last of the classical composers and one of the first romantic ones. Schubert's music is notable for its melody and harmony.

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Franz Schubert
1797 | 31 years old
Educator, Songwriter
- In these groups:
- The Ed Sullivan Show Guests
- Super Bowl Halftime Performers
- Famous Aquarians
Carol Channing

Theater Actress / 1921 -

Carol Channing starred as Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes on Broadway in 1949. She received a Tony lifetime achievement award in 1995.

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Carol Channing
1921 | 92 years old
Theater Actress

See everyone born on this day

January 31

Died on This Day

- In these groups:
- Famous People Who Were Executed
- Famous People Who Died on January 31
- Famous British People
Guy Fawkes

Terrorist / 1570 - 1606

British conspirator Guy Fawkes was executed in 1606 for attempting to blow up the Parliament building in what became known as the Gunpowder Plot.

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Guy Fawkes
Died: January 31, 1606
Age: 36 years old
Place: London , England
Occupation: Terrorist
- In these groups:
- Honorary Oscar Recipients
- Best Picture Oscar Winners
- Famous Film Producers
Samuel Goldwyn

Producer / 1879 - 1974

Samuel Goldwyn was a Hollywood film producer who laid the groundwork for the Paramount and MGM movie studios.

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Samuel Goldwyn
1974 | 94 years old
Producer
- In these groups:
- Famous Lookalikes
- Famous Children's Authors
- Famous Capricorns
A.A. Milne

Author / 1882 - 1956

Author A.A. Milne wrote beloved classic children's books about the adventures of Christopher Robin and the toy animal Winnie-the-Pooh.

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A.A. Milne
1956 | 74 years old
Author

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- In these groups:
- Influential Women of Washington
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Congressional Representatives
Hattie Ophelia Caraway

U.S. Representative / 1878 - 1950

Arkansas teacher Hattie Ophelia Caraway became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate in 1932.

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Hattie Ophelia Caraway
February 1, 1878
U.S. Representative
- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Illustrators
- Famous Artists
José Guadalupe Posada

Illustrator / 1851 - 1913

José Guadalupe Posada was a printmaker whose works, often expressionistic in content and style, were influential in the development of 20th-century Mexican art.

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José Guadalupe Posada
February 2, 1851
Illustrator
- In these groups:
- Famous Harlem Residents
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Illustrators
Norman Rockwell

Illustrator, Painter / 1894 - 1978

Norman Rockwell illustrated covers for The Saturday Evening Post for 47 years. The public loved his often-humorous depictions of American life.

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Norman Rockwell
February 3, 1894
Painter
- In these groups:
- Famous University of North Carolina Alumni
- Famous People Involved in Sex Scandals
- Athletes Involved in Drug Scandals
Lawrence Taylor

Football Player / 1959 -

American football player Lawrence Taylor was a member of the New York Giants and is considered one of the best linebackers in the history of the game.

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Lawrence Taylor
February 4, 1959
Football Player

Famous Aquarians

- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Engineers
- Famous Chemists
Lisa Perez Jackson

Civil Servant, Engineer, Chemist / 1962 -

Lisa Perez Jackson is a chemical engineer who in 2008 became the first African American to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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Lisa Perez Jackson
February 8, 1962
Civil Servant, Engineer, Chemist
- In these groups:
- Fitness Gurus
- Famous Aquarians
- Reality TV Stars
Jillian Michaels

Entrepreneur, Reality Television Star / 1974 -

A high-profile trainer and life coach, Jillian Michaels starred on the reality TV show The Biggest Loser and has created her own fitness franchise.

See full bio
Jillian Michaels
February 18, 1974
Entrepreneur, Reality Television Star

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