What are the important events that happened on January 20? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

January 20: Facts & Myths About This Day

January 20 is the 20^th day of the year 2025 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 345 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Monday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is January 7, 2025 – a Monday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 482,592 hours has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.

Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘icosagon’ day.

Capricorn is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Garnet is the modern birthstone for this month. Emerald is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 9 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.

The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,413 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

January 20: This Day In History

In the ancient astronomy, it was the cusp day between Capricorn and Aquarius. In some years it is Aquarius, but others Capricorn. It depends on the year.

January 20 Historical Events

• 1502 –
  The present-day location of Rio de Janeiro is first explored.
• 1523 –
  Christian II is forced to abdicate as King of Denmark and Norway.
• 1783 –
  The Kingdom of Great Britain signs a peace treaty with France and Spain, officially ending hostilities in the American Revolutionary War (also known as the American War of Independence).
• 1936 –
  Edward VIII becomes King of the United Kingdom.
• 1941 –
  A Nazi officer is murdered in Bucharest, Romania, sparking a rebellion and pogrom by the Iron Guard, killing 125 Jews and 30 soldiers.
• 1942 –
  World War II: At the Wannsee Conference held in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee, senior Nazi German officials discuss the implementation of the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question”.
• 1949 –
  Point Four Program a program for economic aid to poor countries announced by United States President Harry S. Truman in his inaugural address for a full term as President.
• 1981 –
  Twenty minutes after Ronald Reagan is inaugurated, at age 69 the oldest man ever to be inaugurated as U.S. President, Iran releases 52 American hostages.
• 1986 –
  Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is celebrated as a federal holiday for the first time.
• 1992 –
  Air Inter Flight 148 crashes near Strasbourg, France, killing 82 passengers and five crew members.

Who were born on January 20?

• 1554 –
  King Sebastian of Portugal (d. 1578)
• 1812 –
  Thomas Meik, Scottish engineer (d. 1896)
• 1896 –
  Isabel Withers, American actress (d. 1968)
• 1900 –
  Colin Clive, British actor (d. 1937)
• 1921 –
  Telmo Zarraonaindía, Spanish footballer (d. 2006)
• 1926 –
  Patricia Neal, American actress (d. 2010)
• 1966 –
  Tracii Guns, American guitarist
• 1968 –
  Nick Anderson, American basketball player
• 1969 –
  Patrick K. Kroupa, American computer hacker
• 1975 –
  Norberto Fontana, Argentine racing driver

Who died on January 20?

• 1875 –
  Jean-François Millet, French painter (b. 1814)
• 1900 –
  John Ruskin, English art critic (b. 1819)
• 1954 –
  Fred Root, English cricketer (b. 1890)
• 1993 –
  Audrey Hepburn, Anglo-Dutch actress (b. 1929)
• 1998 –
  Bobo Brazil, American professional wrestler (b. 1924)
• 2003 –
  Bill Werbeniuk, Canadian snooker player (b. 1947)
• 2003 –
  Craig Kelly, American snowboarder (b. 1966)
• 2004 –
  Guinn Smith, American athlete (b. 1920)
• 2005 –
  Roland Frye, American literary critic and theologian (b. 1921)
• 2009 –
  Stéphanos II Ghattas, Patriarch Emeritus of Alexandria for the Coptic Catholic Church (b. 1920)