On This Day in History – January 13

Major Events

• 1128 – Pope Honorius II formally recognizes the Knights Templar, marking the rise of one of the most powerful military orders of the Middle Ages.
• 1547 – Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, is executed for treason on the orders of King Henry VIII.
• 1794 – The United States Congress passes the Flag Act, establishing the first official U.S. flag.
• 1842 – Dr. William Brydon becomes the sole survivor of the British retreat from Kabul, symbolizing the disaster of the First Anglo-Afghan War.
• 1898 – Émile Zola publishes his open letter “J’Accuse…!”, accusing the French government of antisemitism in the Dreyfus Affair.
• 1930 – The first Mickey Mouse comic strip is published.
• 1964 – Karol Wojtyła is appointed Archbishop of Kraków, later becoming Pope John Paul II.
• 1982 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes into the Potomac River shortly after takeoff, killing 78 people.
• 1990 – Douglas Wilder is inaugurated as the first elected African American governor of a U.S. state (Virginia).
• 2021 – U.S. President Donald Trump becomes the first president impeached twice by the House of Representatives.

Famous Birthdays

• 1334 – Henry of Grosmont, English nobleman and military leader (d. 1361)
• 1854 – James Joyce, Irish novelist and poet (d. 1941)
• 1905 – Kay Francis, American actress (d. 1968)
• 1926 – Michael Bond, English author, creator of Paddington Bear (d. 2017)
• 1938 – Cab Calloway, American jazz singer (d. 1994)
• 1957 – Shonda Rhimes, American television producer and writer
• 1962 – Kevin Mitchell, American baseball player
• 1977 – Orlando Bloom, English actor
• 1981 – Julia Louis-Dreyfus, American actress and comedian

Notable Deaths

• 888 – Charles the Fat, Emperor of the Carolingian Empire (b. 839)
• 1547 – Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, English poet and nobleman (b. 1517)
• 1908 – August Strindberg, Swedish playwright and novelist (b. 1849)
• 1941 – James Joyce, Irish writer (b. 1882)
• 1974 – Salvador Dalí, Spanish surrealist painter (b. 1904)
• 1989 – Ted Bundy, American serial killer (b. 1946)
• 1999 – Donny Hathaway, American singer-songwriter (b. 1945)
• 2016 – David Bowie, English singer-songwriter (b. 1947)
• 2022 – Ronnie Spector, American singer (b. 1943)

Holidays

• Korean American Day – United States
• Old New Year’s Eve – Observed in parts of Eastern Europe
• Stephen Foster Memorial Day – United States

Fun Facts

• The phrase “J’Accuse” became synonymous with whistleblowing and public protest after Émile Zola’s letter.
• The original U.S. flag established in 1794 featured 15 stars and 15 stripes.
• James Joyce was born on this day and is considered one of the most influential modernist writers.
• The first Mickey Mouse comic helped expand Disney beyond animation.
• Pope John Paul II would later become one of the most influential popes in modern history.
• January 13 has been associated with major political turning points and cultural milestones.