January 12th

Haiti is dealt a catastrophic blow when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes 10 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, the country's capital. It is the region's worst earthquake in 200 years. The number of fatalities were between 46,000 and 85,000 people.

Britain's Prince Harry apologized after a newspaper published a photograph of the young royal wearing a Nazi uniform to a costume party.

The Supreme Court gave police broad authority to stop and question people who run at the sight of an officer.

Linda Tripp provided Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's office with taped conversations between herself and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

A deeply divided Congress gave President George H.W. Bush the authority to use force to expel Iraq from Kuwait. (The Senate vote was 52-47; the House followed suit 250-183.).

The sitcom "All in the Family" premiered on CBS.

The New York Jets defeated the Baltimore Colts 16-7 in Super Bowl III at the Orange Bowl in Miami.

Dr. James Bedford becomes the first person to be cryonically preserved with intent of future resuscitation.

One month after Zanzibar became independent, the ruling Zanzibar Nationalist Party was overthrown in a violent coup.

Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records (originally Tamla Records) in Detroit.

The Supreme Court ruled that states could not discriminate against law-school applicants because of race.

Soviet forces began a huge offensive against the Germans in Eastern Europe during World War II.

Heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier was born in Beaufort, S.C.

Hattie W. Caraway, a democrat from Arkansas became the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate.

The U.S. House of Representatives rejected a proposal to give women the right to vote.

The first long-distance radio message is broadcast from the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Scientist Lee de Forest's broadcast was heard by an audience of 50.

H. L. Smith took the first X-ray photograph. It was a hand with a bullet in it.

Yohannes IV is crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in Axum, the first imperial coronation in that city in over 200 years.

The first public museum in America was established, in Charleston, S.C.

Gustav I of Sweden "father of the nation" crowned King of Sweden. Rules 37 years.

Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I died.