January 20th

Singer Etta James died less than a week before her 74th birthday.

Hundreds of thousands of people watched in front of the Capitol as President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are sworn into office. Obama makes history as the first African-American U.S. president.

Hundreds of thousands of protesting Filipinos forced President Joseph Estrada to step down. Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was sworn in as the new president.

Bill Clinton was sworn in as the 42nd president of the United States.

Anglican Church envoy Terry Waite disappeared in Beirut, Lebanon, while attempting to negotiate the release of Western hostages.

The United States observed the first federal holiday in honor of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

President Reagan became the oldest president to take office (69 years and 349 days).

The killing of a student activist sets the stage for the Bangladesh Liberation War. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the establishment of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation.

The Beatles released their first album in the United States, Meet the Beatles.

John F. Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th president of the United States.

Dwight D. Eisenhower took the oath of office as president of the United States. Richard M. Nixon was sworn in as vice president.

Franklin D. Roosevelt sworn-in for an unprecedented (and never to be repeated) 4th term as US President.

Nazi officials arrived at a 'final solution' that called for exterminating Europe's Jews, during a conference at Lake Wannsee in Berlin.

Britain's King George V died.

Fujifilm is founded. The Japanese photography and electronics company soon became a global player in its field.

Comedian George Burns was born Nathan Birnbaum in New York City.

LaMarcus A. Thompson of Coney Island patented the roller coaster.

As a result of the First Opium War, Hong Kong was ceded to the British.

John Marshall was appointed Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The first Parliament of England summoned other than by royal command (in this instance by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester) met in Westminster Hall.