✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 8th day of the year

January 8

A look at January 8 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Elvis Presley and David Bowie, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

♑ZodiacCapricorn ◈BirthstoneGarnet ❀Birth flowerCarnation
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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2010

    Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda

    Gunmen from an offshoot of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda attack a bus carrying the Togo national football team on its way to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, killing three people and injuring another nine.

    Cabindan guerilla movement for
  2. 2002

    George W. Bush

    President of the United States George W. Bush signs into law the No Child Left Behind Act.

    President of the United
  3. 1977

    1977 Moscow bombings

    Three bombs explode in Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union, within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group.

    Attack in the Soviet
  4. 1959

    Charles de Gaulle

    Charles de Gaulle is proclaimed as the first President of the French Fifth Republic.

    French general and statesman
  5. 1940

    World War II

    World War II: Britain introduces food rationing.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  6. 1918

    Woodrow Wilson

    U.S. President Woodrow Wilson announces his "Fourteen Points" as conditions for ending World War I.

    President of the United
  7. 1889

    Herman Hollerith

    Herman Hollerith is issued US patent #395,791 for the 'Art of Applying Statistics' — his punched card calculator.

    American statistician and inventor
  8. 1790

    George Washington

    George Washington delivers the first State of the Union address in New York City.

    U.S. Founding Father, president
  9. 1735

    George Frideric Handel

    The premiere of George Frideric Handel's Ariodante takes place at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

    German-British composer (1685–1759)
  10. 307

    Emperor Huai of Jin

    Sima Chi becomes emperor of the Jin dynasty in succession to his brother, Sima Zhong, despite a challenge from his other brother, Sima Ying.

    Emperor of Jin China
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Famous birthday twins

Born on January 8

Elvis Presley

b. 1935

American singer, guitarist, and actor

David Bowie

b. 1947

English singer-songwriter, producer, and actor

Stephen Hawking

b. 1942

English physicist and author

John Curtin

b. 1885

Australian journalist and politician, 14th Prime Minister of Australia

Graham Chapman

b. 1941

English actor and screenwriter

Galina Ulanova

b. 1910

Russian actress and ballerina

Su Shi

b. 1037

Chinese calligrapher and poet

John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore)

b. 1735

American archbishop, founder of Georgetown University

Deaths

  • 1996François Mitterrand, French sergeant and politician, 21st President of France
  • 1941Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, English general and founder of the Scout movement
  • 1896Paul Verlaine, French poet and writer
  • 1642Galileo Galilei, Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher
  • 1337Giotto, Italian painter and architect, designed Scrovegni Chapel and Giotto's Campanile
  • 307Emperor Hui of Jin, Chinese emperor

Holidays & observances

  • —Babinden (Belarus, Russia)
  • —Christian feast day: Abo of Tiflis
  • —Christian feast day: Apollinaris Claudius
  • —Christian feast day: Blessed Eurosia Fabris
  • —Christian feast day: Gauchito Gil (Folk Catholicism)
  • —Christian feast day: Gudula
  • —Christian feast day: Harriet Bedell (Episcopal Church (USA))
  • —Christian feast day: Lawrence Giustiniani

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