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

• 1265 –
  In Westminster, the first English parliament conducts its first meeting held by Simon de Montfort in the Palace of Westminster, now also known colloquially as the “Houses of Parliament”.
• 1523 –
  Christian II is forced to abdicate as King of Denmark and Norway.
• 1649 –
  Charles I of England goes on trial for treason and other “high crimes”.
• 1801 –
  John Marshall is appointed the Chief Justice of the United States.
• 1839 –
  In the Battle of Yungay, Chile defeats an alliance between Peru and Bolivia.
• 1920 –
  The American Civil Liberties Union is founded.
• 1921 –
  The first Constitution of Turkey is adopted, making fundamental changes in the source and exercise of sovereignty by consecrating the principle of national sovereignty.
• 1959 –
  The first flight of the Vickers Vanguard.
• 1969 –
  East Pakistani police kill student activist Amanullah Asaduzzaman. The resulting outrage is in part responsible for the Bangladesh Liberation War.
• 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.

Who were born on January 20?

• 1732 –
  Richard Henry Lee, American statesman (d. 1794)
• 1775 –
  André-Marie Ampère, French physicist (d. 1836)
• 1900 –
  Colin Clive, British actor (d. 1937)
• 1920 –
  DeForest Kelley, American actor (d. 1999)
• 1934 –
  Tom Baker, British actor
• 1948 –
  Natan Sharansky, Russian-born physicist and politician
• 1955 –
  Joe Doherty, Provisional Irish Republican Army member
• 1965 –
  Greg Kriesel, American bassist (The Offspring)
• 1966 –
  Tracii Guns, American guitarist
• 1983 –
  Paula Taylor, English-Thai actress, model and presenter

Who died on January 20?

• 1739 –
  Francesco Galli-Bibiena, Italian architect/designer (b. 1659)
• 1810 –
  Benjamin Chew, Chief Justice of colonial Pennsylvania (b. 1722)
• 1841 –
  Minh Mang, the second emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam (b. 1791)
• 1852 –
  Ōnomatsu Midorinosuke, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 6th Yokozuna (b. 1794)
• 1900 –
  John Ruskin, English art critic (b. 1819)
• 1988 –
  Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Pashtun Nationalist & non-violent freedom fighter (b. 1890)
• 1990 –
  Hayedeh, Persian singer (b. 1942)
• 1997 –
  Curt Flood, American baseball player (b. 1938)
• 2005 –
  Miriam Louisa Rothschild, British zoologist, entomologist, and author (b. 1908)
• 2009 –
  David Newman, American jazz musician, nicknamed “Fathead” (b. 1933)