Samuel Morse With Telegraph

1838

Samuel Morse unveils the telegraph, revolutionizing communication

Born on This Day

USA - 79. Academy Awards / Oscars

John Singleton

1968 - 2019

Director of "Boyz n the Hood" and "Poetic Justice." First African American nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director.

Photo of PINK FLOYD and Syd BARRETT

Syd Barrett

1946 - 2006

English guitarist and vocalist of the rock band Pink Floyd whose brief tenure included songs like "See Emily Play."

"Wonka" Photocall

Rowan Atkinson

1955 -

English actor and writer who is best known for his physical comedy in "Mr. Bean" and "Blackadder."

John Singleton

Corbis via Getty Images

Syd Barrett

Redferns

Rowan Atkinson

Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

1540

JAN

6

Henry VIII marries Anne of Cleves, sight unseen, after viewing her painted portrait. When they first met, he is said to have exclaimed, "I like her not!" and that she had "evil smells." By July, the marriage was annulled.

Timeline

Also on This Day in History

Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on January 6th

1066

Harold II crowned king of England

Following the death of Edward the Confessor, Harold Godwineson, head of the most powerful noble family in England, is crowned King Harold II. On his deathbed, Edward supposedly designated Harold the royal heir, but this claim was disputed by William, duke of Normandy and cousin of the late king. In addition, King Harald III Hardraade […]

1:04m read read

1412

Joan of Arc is born

Joan of Arc, the “Maid of Orléans,” is believed to have been born on January 6, 1412. She lived only 19 years, but would become a Roman Catholic saint and a national hero of France for her pivotal role in the Hundred Years’ War. Joan was born to Jacques d’Arc and Isabelle Romée in a […]

1759

Two future presidents marry respective sweethearts

January 6 is a wedding anniversary for two presidents: George Washington and George H.W. Bush. In 1759, a 26-year-old George Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis. The recently widowed, Virginia-born Martha was an educated mother of two. George Washington–then a rising young officer in the colonial British army–moved his new bride and family to his estate […]

2:08m read read

1777

George Washington sets up winter quarters in Morristown, NJ

After two significant victories over the British in Trenton and Princeton, New Jersey, General George Washington marches north to Morristown, New Jersey, where he sets up winter headquarters for himself and the men of the Continental Army on January 6, 1777. The hills surrounding the camp offered Washington a perfect vantage point from which to […]

1:50m read read

1799

Frontiersman Jedediah Smith is born

Jedediah Strong Smith, one of America’s greatest trapper-explorers, is born in Bainbridge, New York. Smith explored a stunningly large area of the American West during his short life. He began his western voyages in 1822, when he joined the pioneering fur trader William Ashley on a trip up the Missouri River. Unlike earlier fur traders, […]

2:44m read read

1912

New Mexico joins the Union

On January 6, 1912, New Mexico is admitted into the United States as the 47th state. Spanish explorers passed through the area that would become New Mexico in the early 16th century, encountering the well-preserved remains of a 13th-century Pueblo civilization. Exaggerated rumors about the hidden riches of these Pueblo cities encouraged the first full-scale […]

2:00m read read

1919

Theodore Roosevelt dies

Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, dies at Sagamore Hill, his estate overlooking New York’s Long Island Sound. A dynamic and energetic politician, Theodore Roosevelt is credited with creating the modern presidency. As a young Republican, Roosevelt held a number of political posts in New York in the 1880s and ’90s and […]

2:10m read read

1941

Franklin D. Roosevelt speaks of Four Freedoms

On January 6, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt addresses Congress in an effort to move the nation away from a foreign policy of neutrality. The president had watched with increasing anxiety as European nations struggled and fell to Hitler’s fascist regime and was intent on rallying public support for the United States to take a […]

1:04m read read

1942

FDR commits to biggest arms buildup in U.S. history

President Franklin D. Roosevelt announces to Congress that he is authorizing the largest armaments production in the history of the United States. Committed to war in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. had to reassess its military preparedness, especially in light of the fact that its Pacific fleet was decimated by the Japanese air […]

1:26m read read

1971

Army drops charges of My Lai cover-up

The Army drops charges of an alleged cover-up in the My Lai massacre against four officers. After the charges were dropped, a total of 11 people had been cleared of responsibility during the My Lai trials, but several still faced charges. The trials were a result of action that occurred in March 1968. During the […]

1:58m read read

1975

“Wheel of Fortune” premieres

Wheel of Fortune, one of the the longest-running syndicated game shows in American television, premieres on NBC on January 6, 1975. Created by television legend Merv Griffin and hosted since the early 1980s by Pat Sajak and Vanna White, Wheel is one of the most popular television shows in the world. Griffin, who had already […]

1:28m read read

1975

More than 2,000 Led Zeppelin fans trash the Boston Garden

On January 6, 1975, a freezing cold day, a crowd of 2,000-plus lines up outside Boston Garden to buy tickets to the rock band Led Zeppelin. Some in the crowd then entered into the near-empty arena and caused thousands of dollars in damage. “For years and years, we had people line up overnight to wait […]

1:52m read read

1994

Skater Nancy Kerrigan attacked

Olympic hopeful Nancy Kerrigan is attacked at a Detroit ice rink following a practice session two days before the Olympic trials. A man hit Kerrigan with a club on the back of her knee, causing the figure skater to cry out in pain and bewilderment. When the full story emerged a week later, the nation […]

2:40m read read

1996

Blizzard of 1996 begins

On January 6, 1996, snow begins falling in Washington, D.C., and up the Eastern seaboard, beginning a blizzard that kills 154 people and causes over $1 billion in damages before it ends. The Blizzard of 1996 began in typical fashion, as cold air from Canada pushed down and collided with relatively warm winds from the […]

2:02m read read

2001

Congress certifies George W. Bush winner of 2000 elections

After a bitterly contested election, Vice President Al Gore presides over a joint session of Congress on January 6, 2001, that certifies George W. Bush as the winner of the 2000 election—an election Gore had lost. In one of the closest Presidential elections in U.S. history, George W. Bush was finally declared the winner more […]

0:58m read read

2000 Presidential Election

2021

U.S. Capitol riot

On the afternoon of January 6, 2021, a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters descend on the U.S. Capitol, attempting to interfere with the certification of electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election. The rioters assaulted the Capitol police force and ransacked the complex, destroying property and sending members of Congress and their staff into […]

2:54m read read

History Every Day

Sign Up for "This Day in History"

Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day! Learn something new with key events in history, from the American Revolution to pop culture, crime and more.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Global Media. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.

More details: Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us