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January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar . There are 334 days remaining until the end of the year (335 in leap years ).
Events
1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon .1606 - Gunpowder Plot : Guy Fawkes is executed for his plotting against Parliament and James I of England .1747 - The first venereal diseases clinic opens at London Lock Hospital .1814 - Gervasio Antonio de Posadas becomes Supreme Director of Argentina .1846 - After the Milwaukee Bridge War , Juneautown and Kilbourntown unified as the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin .1849 - Corn Laws are abolished in the United Kingdom (following legislation in 1846).1862 - Alvan Graham Clark observes the first white dwarf star, a companion of Sirius , through an eighteen inch telescope at Northwestern University .1865 - American Civil War : Confederate General Robert E. Lee becomes general-in-chief.1867 - Maronite nationalist leader Youssef Karam leaves Lebanon on board of a French ship for Algeria 1876 - The United States orders all Native Americans to move into reservations.1891 - The first attempt of a Portuguese republican revolution breakes out in the northern city of Porto .1900 - Datu Muhammad Salleh is assassinated in Kampung Teboh, Tambuan, ending the Mat Salleh Rebellion 1915 - World War I : Germany uses poison gas against Russia 1917 - World War I: Germany announces its U-boats will engage in unrestricted submarine warfare .1918 - A series of accidental collisions on a misty Scottish night leads to the loss of two Royal Navy submarines with over a hundred lives, and damage to another five British warships.1919 - The Battle of George Square takes place in Glasgow , Scotland .1929 - The Soviet Union exiles Leon Trotsky .1930 - 3M begins marketing Scotch Tape .1936 - The Green Hornet radio show debuts.1941 - Layforce set sail.1944 - World War II : American forces land on Kwajalein Atoll and other islands in the Japanese -held Marshall Islands .1944 - World War II : During Anzio campaign 1st Ranger Battalion (Darby's Rangers) was destroyed behind enemy lines in a heavily outnumbered encounter at Battle of Cisterna , Italy.1945 - US Army private Eddie Slovik is executed, the first American soldier since the Civil War to be executed for desertion.1946 - Yugoslavia 's new constitution , modeling the Soviet Union , establishes six constituent republics (Bosnia-Herzegovina , Croatia , Macedonia , Montenegro , Serbia and Slovenia ).1950 - President Harry S. Truman announces a program to develop the hydrogen bomb .1953 - A North Sea flood causes over 1,800 deaths in the Netherlands .1956 - Guy Mollet becomes Prime Minister of France .1957 - Eight people on the ground in Pacoima, California are killed following the mid-air collision between a Douglas DC-7 airliner and a Northrop F-89 Scorpion fighter jet.1958 - Explorer program : Explorer 1 American satellite into orbit.1958 - James Van Allen discovers the Van Allen radiation belt .
1961 - Project Mercury : Mercury-Redstone 2 - Ham the Chimp travels into outer space .1966 - Luna program : soviet union's unmanned spacecraft Luna 9 is launched.1968 - Viet Cong attack the United States embassy in Saigon .1968 - Nauru declares independence from Australia .
1970 - A Saskatchewan Court convicts 17-year-old hippie David Milgaard of murder ; he is sentenced to life in prison . He spent 23 years in jail until April 14 , 1992 when DNA evidence proves him innocent of all charges.1971 - Apollo program : Apollo 14 Mission - Astronauts Alan Shepard , Stuart Roosa , and Edgar Mitchell , aboard a Saturn V , lift off for a mission to the Fra Mauro Highlands on the Moon .1971 - The Winter Soldier Investigation , organized by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War to publicize war crimes and atrocities by Americans and allies in Vietnam , begin in Detroit , Michigan .
1980 - Thirty-nine people burn to death in the occupation of the Spanish Embassy in Guatemala .1990 - The first McDonald's in the Soviet Union opens in Moscow , USSR .1995 - President Bill Clinton authorizes a $20 billion loan to Mexico to stabilize its economy .1996 - An explosives-filled truck rams into the gates of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in Colombo , Sri Lanka killing at least 86 and injuring 1,400.2000 - Alaska Airlines flight 261 MD-83 , experiencing horizontal stabilizer problems, crashes in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Point Mugu, California , killing all 88 persons aboard.2001 - In the Netherlands a Scottish court convicts a Libyan and acquits another for their part in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 which crashed into Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988 .2003 - The Waterfall rail accident occurs near Waterfall, New South Wales , Australia .2007 - Suspects are arrested in Birmingham in the UK , accused of plotting the kidnap, holding and eventual beheading of a serving Muslim British soldier in Iraq .
Births
877 - Taejo of Goryeo , ruler of Korea (d. 943 )1512 - King Henry of Portugal (d. 1580 )1543 - Tokugawa Ieyasu , Shogun of Japan (d. 1616 )1550 - Henry I, Duke of Guise , French Catholic leader (d. 1588 )1597 - John Francis Regis , French saint (d. 1640 )1624 - Arnold Geulincx , Flemish philosopher (d. 1669 )1673 - Louis de Montfort , French catholic priest and saint (d. 1716 )1686 - Hans Egede , Norwegian Lutheran missionary (d. 1758 )1752 - Gouverneur Morris , American lawmaker and diplomat (d. 1816 )1759 - François Devienne , French composer (d. 1803 )1797 - Franz Schubert , Austrian composer (d. 1828 )1820 - William B. Washburn , 28th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1887 )1835 - William Charles Lunalilo , Monarch of Hawaii (d. 1874 )1857 - George Jackson Churchward , Great Western Railway Chief mechanical engineer. (d. 1933 )1865 - Henri Desgrange , Founder of the Tour-de-France (d. 1940 )1865 - Shastriji Maharaj , Indian spiritual leader (d. 1951 )1866 - Lev Shestov , Russian philosopher (d. 1938 )1868 - Theodore William Richards , American chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1928 )1872 - Zane Grey , American Western writer (d. 1939 )1881 - Irving Langmuir , American chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1957 )1881 - Anna Pavlova , Russian ballerina (d. 1931 )1884 - Theodor Heuss , 1st President of Germany (Bundespräsident) (d. 1963 )1889 - Frank Foster , English cricketer (d. 1958 )1892 - Eddie Cantor , American actor and singer (d. 1964 )1894 - Isham Jones , American musician (d. 1956 )1896 - Sofya Yanovskaya , Russian mathematician (d. 1966 )1902 - Tallulah Bankhead , American actress (d. 1968 )1902 - Alva Myrdal , Swedish politician, Nobel laureate (d. 1986 )
1905 - John O'Hara , American writer (d. 1970 )1911 - Eddie Byrne , British actor (d. 1981 )1913 - Don Hutson , American football player (d. 1997 )1914 - Carey Loftin , American actor and stuntman (d. 1997 )1914 - Sri Daya Mata , Hindu religious figure
1914 - Jersey Joe Walcott , American boxer (d. 1994 )
1915 - Alan Lomax , American musicologist (d. 2002 )1915 - Thomas Merton , American author and monk (d. 1968 )
1915 - Garry Moore , American comedian (d. 1993 )
1919 - Jackie Robinson , American baseball player, and the first black player in Major League Baseball (d. 1972 )1921 - John Agar , American actor (d. 2002 )1921 - Carol Channing , American actress and singer
1921 - E. Fay Jones , American architect (d. 2004 )
1921 - Mario Lanza , American singer (d. 1959 )
1922 - Joanne Dru , American actress (d. 1996 )1923 - Norman Mailer , American writer and journalist (d. 2007 )1925 - Benjamin Hooks , American civil rights leader1926 - Tom Alston , American baseball player (d. 1993 )1928 - Chuck Willis , American singer and songwriter (d. 1958 )1929 - Rudolf Mössbauer , German physicist, Nobel laureate 1929 - Jean Simmons , English actress
1930 - Lynn Carlin , American actress1930 - Joakim Bonnier , Swedish racecar driver (d. 1972 )
1931 - Ernie Banks , American baseball player1931 - Christopher Chataway , English athlete, newscaster and politician
1933 - Camille Henry , Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1997 )1933 - Bernardo Provenzano , Mafia Boss
1934 - James Franciscus , American actor (d. 1991 )1934 - Bob Turner , Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2005 )
1935 - Kenzaburo Oe , Japanese writer, Nobel laureate 1937 - Regimantas Adomaitis , Lithuanian actor1937 - Andrée Boucher , Canadian politician (d. 2007 )
1937 - Philip Glass , American composer
1937 - Suzanne Pleshette , American actress (d. 2008 )
1938 - Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands 1938 - James G. Watt , American politician
1939 - Claude Gauthier , Canadian singer and songwriter1940 - Kitch Christie , South African rugby union coach (d. 1998 )1941 - Richard A. Gephardt , American politician1941 - Jessica Walter , American actress
1942 - Daniela Bianchi , Italian actress1942 - Derek Jarman , British director and writer (d. 1994 )
1944 - Charlie Musselwhite , American musician1945 - Joseph Kosuth , American conceptual artist1946 - Terry Kath , American musician (Chicago ) (d. 1978 )1947 - Jonathan Banks , American actor1947 - Nolan Ryan , American baseball player
1948 - Muneo Suzuki , Japanese politician1949 - Johan Derksen , Dutch footballer and sports journalist1949 - Ken Wilber , American philosopher1950 - Alexander Korzhakov , Boris Yeltsin's bodyguard1951 - Dave Benton , Aruban-born singer1951 - Harry Wayne Casey , American singer and musician (KC and the Sunshine Band )
1951 - Phil Manzanera , English guitarist (Roxy Music , Quiet Sun , 801 )
1952 - Nadya Rusheva , Russian painter (d. 1969 )1954 - Adrian Vandenberg , Dutch musician (Whitesnake )1956 - John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten, English singer (Sex Pistols , Public Image Ltd. )1959 - Anthony LaPaglia , Australian actor1959 - Kelly Lynch , American actress
1959 - Kelly Moore , American stock car driver
1960 - Grant Morrison , British comic book author1961 - Lloyd Cole , British singer1962 - Sophie Muller , Music video director1964 - Sylvie Bernier , Quebec diver1964 - Jeff Hanneman , American musician (Slayer )
1964 - Billey Shamrock , Swedish singer
1966 - Dr Umar Alisha , A Sufi Master was Born at Pithapuram .1967 - Fat Mike , American musician1967 - Irene Wan , Hong Kong actress
1967 - Joey Wong , Taiwanese actress
1968 - Matt King , British actor and comedian1968 - Patrick Stevens , Belgian athlete
1970 - Minnie Driver , British actress1971 - Lee Young Ae , South Korean actress1971 - Patrick Kielty , Northern Irish comedian
1971 - Dimitris Markos , Greek footballer
1973 - Portia de Rossi , Australian actress1974 - Wil Anderson , Australian comedian1974 - Ariel Pestano , Cuban baseball player
1975 - Fred Coleman , former National Football League wide receiver1975 - Jackie O , Australian radio host
1975 - Preity Zinta , Indian actress
1976 - Traianos Dellas , Greek footballer1976 - Buddy Rice , American race car driver
1977 - Mark Dutiaume , National Hockey League player1977 - Shingo Katori , Japanese actor and singer (SMAP )
1977 - Jim Kleinsasser , National Football League tight end
1977 - Kate Shindle , American actress
1977 - Kerry Washington , American actress
1978 - Fabián Caballero , Argentine footballer1978 - Brad Rutter , Jeopardy!
1978 - Ray Shah , Irish DJ, TV, radio presenter1979 - Daniel Tammet , British autistic savant1980 - James Adomian , American actor1980 - Ryan Kienle , American musician
1980 - Tiffany Limos , American actress
1981 - Sergio D. Acosta , Chicano Filmmaker 1981 - Julio Arca , Argentinian football player
1981 - Justin Timberlake , American singer
1982 - Yuniesky Betancourt , Major League Baseball shortstop1982 - Andreas Görlitz , German football player
1982 - Bruno Nogueira , Portuguese actor, comedian and TV host
1982 - Elena Paparizou , Greek singer
1982 - Jānis Sprukts , National Hockey League player
1982 - Brad Thompson , Major League Baseball player
1983 - James Sutton , British television actor1983 - Tom Vangeneugden , Belgian swimmer
1984 - Jeremy Wariner , American 400m runner1984 - Vernon Davis , NFL player
1985 - Adam Federici , Australian footballer1985 - Mario Williams , NFL player
1986 - Yves Makabu-Makalambay , Belgian football goalkeeper
Deaths
743 - Muhammad al-Baqir , Shia Imam (b. 676 )1398 - Emperor Sukō (b. 1334 )1435 - Xuande , Emperor of China (b. 1398 )1561 - Bairam Khan , Great Mughal General, regent for Akbar 1561 - Menno Simons , Dutch Mennonite leader (b. 1496 )
1580 - Henry of Portugal (b. 1512 )1606 - Guy Fawkes - Gunpowder Plot conspirators (b. 1570 )1606 - Ambrose Rokewood - Gunpowder Plot conspirators (b. c. 1578 )
1606 - Thomas Wintour - Gunpowder Plot conspirators (b. 1571 )
1615 - Claudio Aquaviva , Italian Jesuit (b. 1543 )1632 - Joost Bürgi , Swiss clockmaker and mathematician (b. 1552 )1665 - Johannes Clauberg , German theologian and philosopher (b. 1622 )1686 - Jean Mairet , French dramatist (b. 1604 )1720 - Thomas Grey, 2nd Earl of Stamford , English privy councillor (c. 1654 )1729 - Jakob Roggeveen , Dutch explorer (b. 1659 )1736 - Filippo Juvara , Italian architect (b. 1678 )1788 - Charles Edward Stuart , the exiled Jacobite claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland (b. 1720 )1790 - Thomas Lewis , Irish-born Virginia settler (b. 1718 )1794 - Marriott Arbuthnot , British admiral (b. 1711 )1815 - José Félix Ribas , Venezuelan independentist leader (b. 1775 )1828 - Alexander Ypsilantis , Phanariot Greek military commander and national hero of the Greek War of Independence (b.1792 1844 - Henri Gratien, Comte Bertrand , French general (b. 1773 )1888 - John Bosco , Italian priest, youth worker, educator, founder of the Salesian Society (b. 1815 )1892 - Charles Spurgeon , English preacher and evangelist (b. 1834 )1907 - Timothy Eaton , Canadian department store founder (b. 1834 )1923 - Eligiusz Niewiadomski , Polish assassin of Gabriel Narutowicz (b. 1869 )1933 - John Galsworthy , English writer, Nobel laureate (b. 1867 )1942 - Henry Larkin , American baseball player (b. 1860 )1942 - Rolf Wenkhaus , German actor (b. 1917 )
1944 - Jean Giraudoux , French writer (b. 1882 )1945 - Eddie Slovik , American soldier (b. 1920 )1954 - Edwin Howard Armstrong , American electrical engineer and inventor of the FM radio (b. 1890 )1955 - John Mott , American YMCA leader, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1865 )1956 - A. A. Milne , English author (b. 1882 )1966 - General Arthur Ernest Percival , British Army Officer (b. 1887 )1967 - Eddie Tolan , American athlete (b. 1908 )1969 - Meher Baba , Indian guru (b. 1894 )1970 - Slim Harpo , American singer (b. 1924 )1971 - Viktor Maksimovich Zhirmunsky , Russian literary historian, linguist (b. 1891 )1973 - Ragnar Anton Kittil Frisch , Norwegian economist, Nobel laureate (b. 1895 )1974 - Samuel Goldwyn , Polish-born film studio executive (b. 1882 )1976 - Ernesto Miranda , American litigant (b. 1941 )1981 - Cozy Cole , American jazz drummer (b. 1909 )1987 - Yves Allégret , French film director (b. 1907 )1990 - Rashad Khalifa , Egyptian-born imam (b. 1935 )1995 - George Abbott , American stage director and producer (b. 1887 )1997 - John Joseph Scanlan , Irish Catholic prelate (b. 1930 )1999 - Norm Zauchin , American baseball player (b. 1929 )1999 - Shohei Baba , Japanese professional wrestler2000 - Gil Kane , Latvian-born comic book writer (b. 1926 )2001 - Gordon R. Dickson , Canadian writer (b. 1923 )2002 - Francis Gabreski , American fighter pilot (b. 1919 )2004 - Eleanor Holm , American swimmer (b. 1913 )2006 - Moira Shearer , Scottish actress (The Red Shoes ) and ballerina (b. 1926 )2007 - Kirka Babitzin , Finnish singer (b. 1950 )2007 - Molly Ivins , American political columnist and author (b. 1944 )
2007 - Lee Bergere , American actor (b. 1924 )
2007 - Adelaide Tambo , South African activist and wife of Oliver Tambo (b. 1929 )
2008 - Zeltim Odie Peterson , famous pug (b. 1997 )
Holidays and observances
External links
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