On This Day in History – January 29

Major Events

• 904 – Sergius III becomes Pope, beginning a controversial period in papal history often referred to as the Saeculum Obscurum.
• 1595 – William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet is likely first performed, becoming one of the most influential works in English literature.
• 1676 – Russian Tsar Feodor III abolishes the system of precedence known as mestnichestvo, modernizing government administration.
• 1845 – Edgar Allan Poe’s poem The Raven is published, achieving immediate popularity.
• 1861 – Kansas is admitted as the 34th state of the United States.
• 1886 – Karl Benz patents the first practical gasoline-powered automobile.
• 1936 – Baseball Hall of Fame elects its first class, including Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb.
• 1979 – Brenda Ann Spencer opens fire at a school in San Diego, inspiring the phrase “I don’t like Mondays.”
• 2002 – President George W. Bush labels Iran, Iraq, and North Korea the “Axis of Evil” in the State of the Union address.
• 2020 – The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a global public health emergency.

Famous Birthdays

• 1737 – Thomas Paine, English-American political philosopher (d. 1809)
• 1860 – Anton Chekhov, Russian playwright and short story writer (d. 1904)
• 1880 – W. C. Fields, American comedian and actor (d. 1946)
• 1945 – Tom Selleck, American actor
• 1954 – Oprah Winfrey, American media executive and philanthropist
• 1960 – Jody Scheckter, South African racing driver
• 1974 – Justin Hartley, American actor
• 1981 – Sara Gilbert, American actress
• 1990 – Gia Mantegna, American actress

Notable Deaths

• 904 – Pope Sergius III (birth year unknown)
• 1829 – William Burke, Irish criminal (b. 1792)
• 1845 – Edgar Allan Poe, American writer (b. 1809)
• 1933 – Sara Teasdale, American poet (b. 1884)
• 1963 – Robert Frost, American poet (b. 1874)
• 1989 – Ted Bundy, American serial killer (b. 1946)
• 2009 – Andrew Wood, American musician (b. 1966)
• 2015 – Colleen McCullough, Australian author (b. 1937)
• 2022 – Henny Youngman, American comedian (b. 1906)

Holidays

• National Puzzle Day – United States
• Kansas Day – United States
• Chinese New Year – Observed when it falls on January 29 (varies by year)

Fun Facts

• The Raven made Edgar Allan Poe famous almost overnight.
• Oprah Winfrey became one of the most influential figures in global media.
• Kansas Day commemorates the state’s admission to the Union in 1861.
• Karl Benz’s patent is widely considered the birth of the modern automobile.
• National Puzzle Day celebrates problem-solving and brain games.
• January 29 has been associated with milestones in literature and innovation.