On This Day - What Happened On January 20 | Britannica

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1961 Inaugural address delivered by John F. Kennedy On this day in 1961, U.S. Pres. John F. Kennedy delivered his inaugural address in front of nearly 1 million people. He was the youngest person to have been elected president, and his speech garnered praise from across the world. His address was also marked by the famous phrase, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” Read today's edition of Today in History > > CWO Donald Mingfield—U.S. Army Signal Corps/John F. Kennedy Presidential Library

Featured Biography

Federico Fellini Italian filmmaker bornJanuary 20, 1920Rimini, ItalydiedOctober 31, 1993 (aged 73)Rome, ItalyParis Match/Pictorial Parade 1956 Bill Maher American comedian and talk-show host 1946 David Lynch American filmmaker and screenwriter 1930 Buzz Aldrin American astronaut 1920 Federico Fellini Italian filmmaker 1906 Aristotle Socrates Onassis Greek businessman See All Biographies On This Day

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2021 Kamala Harris was sworn in as vice president of the United States, making her the first woman to serve in that office. Take our quiz about famous firsts for womenOfficial White House photo by Adam Schultz 2017 After defeating Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States. How much do you know about U.S. presidential elections?White House Photo 2009 Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the office.Courtesy of the Office of U.S. Senator Barack Obama 2001 Amid a corruption scandal that sparked mass protests, Philippine President Joseph Estrada was ousted from office; in 2007 he was convicted of plundering but was later pardoned.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1993 Belgian-born actress Audrey Hepburn—who created unforgettable film roles as the epitome of sophistication and glamour while paradoxically bewitching audiences and critics with her sprightly mannerisms and elfin charm—died in Switzerland.Hulton Archive/Getty Images 1982 Black Sabbath front man Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a bat during a concert in Des Moines, Iowa. Discover nine other defining moments in Osbourne's life© Will Ireland/Classic Rock Magazine—Future/Getty Images 1981 The Iran hostage crisis ended when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini released 52 Americans who had been held hostage for 15 months.MSGT Deal Toney/U.S. Department of Defense 1973 Amílcar Lopes Cabral was assassinated as he led efforts to secure Guinea-Bissau's independence, which was achieved in September 1974.Keystone Press/Alamy 1971 A nationwide strike in Great Britain's postal system began. Take our quiz about British culture and politicsEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1945 U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated for an unprecedented fourth term in office. Test your knowledge of U.S. presidential firstsCollection of David J. and Janice L. Frent 1930 American astronaut Buzz Aldrin was born in Montclair, New Jersey. Take our space exploration quizNASA 1892 Several weeks after the chaotic birth of the sport, the first official basketball game—with new rules, many of which have been in place ever since—was played in Springfield, Massachusetts. Read what basketball's inventor wrote for Britannica in 1929© Bettmann/Getty Images 1801 U.S. President John Adams nominated John Marshall to be chief justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Why are there nine justices on the U.S. Supreme Court?Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (neg. no. LC-USZ62-17681) 1778 During the reign of Kalani‘ōpu‘u, king of the island of Hawai‘i, British explorer James Cook landed at Waimea, on Kauai island. Cook was the first European to visit what would become, in 1959, the U.S. state of Hawaii.© Photos.com/Getty Images SIGN UP FOR History's Biggest Headlines Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors. SIGN UP Thanks for signing up for Today in History. Your first newsletter will arrive soon! SIGN UP By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.