Today is Friday, Jan. 23, the 23rd day of 2026. There are 342 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On Jan. 23, 1986, the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame inducted its first members, including Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Elvis Presley.
Also on this date:
In 1368, China’s Ming dynasty, which lasted nearly three centuries, began as Zhu Yuanzhang (zhoo whan-zhahng) was formally acclaimed Hongwu Emperor, following the collapse of the Yuan dynasty.
In 1789, Georgetown University was established in present-day Washington, D.C.
In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States.
In 1870, approximately 200 Piegan Blackfoot tribe members, mostly women, children and older adults, were killed by U.S. Army troops under the command of Major Eugene Mortimer Baker in Montana, in what became known as the Baker Massacre.
In 1964, the 24th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, prohibiting poll taxes in federal elections.
In 1973, President Richard Nixon announced an accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War, and would be formally signed four days later in Paris.
In 1997, Madeleine Albright was sworn in as the United States’ first female secretary of state.
In 2002, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped by extremists in Pakistan while researching Islamic militant groups, leading to the beheading of the American journalist weeks later in captivity.
In 2018, at age 33, LeBron James became the youngest NBA player to reach the 30,000 career-point milestone.
In 2020, Democratic House prosecutors presented arguments before skeptical Senate jurors at Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial over his dealings with Ukraine, accusing him of abuse of power. (The Republican-led Senate would later vote to acquit Trump, and he would also be acquitted at another impeachment trial in 2021 following the U.S. Capitol riot).
Today’s birthdays:
- Football Hall of Famer Jerry Kramer is 90.
- Jazz musician Gary Burton is 83.
- Actor Richard Dean Anderson is 76.
- Retired airline pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger (‘Miracle on the Hudson’ landing) is 75.
- Rock singer Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) is 73.
- Princess Caroline of Monaco is 69.
- Singer Anita Baker is 68.
- Actor Mariska Hargitay is 62.
- Hockey Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan is 57.
- CBS News senior correspondent Norah O’Donnell is 52.
- Actor Tiffani Thiessen is 52.
- Actor Jack Reynor is 34.
- Singer and actress Rachel Crow is 28.
