Today in history: Jan. 23
In 1973, President Richard Nixon announced an accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War, and would be formally signed four days later in Paris, and more events that happened on this day in history.
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1937: Josef Stalin
In 1937, 17 people went on trial in Moscow during Josef Stalin’s “Great Purge.” (All were convicted of conspiracy; all but four were executed.)
1950: Jerusalem
In 1950, the Israeli Knesset approved a resolution affirming Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
1962: Jackie Robinson
In 1962, Jackie Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
1962: Tony Bennett
In 1962, Tony Bennett recorded “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in New York for Columbia Records.
1968: USS Pueblo
In 1968, North Korea seized the U.S. Navy intelligence ship USS Pueblo, commanded by Lloyd “Pete” Bucher, charging its crew with being on a spying mission; one sailor was killed and 82 were taken prisoner. (Cmdr. Bucher and his crew were released the following December after enduring 11 months of brutal captivity at the hands of the North Koreans.)
1973: Richard Nixon
In 1973, President Richard Nixon announced an accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War, and would be formally signed four days later in Paris.
1977: "Roots"
In 1977, the TV mini-series “Roots,” based on the Alex Haley novel, began airing on ABC.
2002: John Walker Lindh
In 2002, John Walker Lindh, a U.S.-born Taliban fighter, was returned to the United States to face criminal charges that he’d conspired to kill fellow Americans. (Lindh was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to providing support for the Taliban; he was released in May, 2019, after serving more than 17 years.)
2009: Barack Obama
In 2009, President Barack Obama quietly ended the Bush administration’s ban on giving federal money to international groups that performed abortions or provided information on the option.
2009: Kirsten Gillibrand
In 2009, David Paterson chose Democratic Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (KEHR’-sten JIL’-uh-brand) to fill the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton.
2011: Jack LaLanne
Ten years ago: Fitness guru Jack LaLanne died in Morro Bay, California, at age 96.
2011: Venezuela
Ten years ago: Allies and adversaries of President Hugo Chavez took to the streets of Caracas by the thousands, staging rival demonstrations to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of Venezuela’s democracy.
2016: Blizzard
Five years ago: A blizzard with hurricane-force winds brought much of the East Coast to a standstill, dumping as much as 3 feet of snow, stranding tens of thousands of travelers and shutting down Washington D.C. and New York City.
2016: Gracie Gold
Five years ago: Gracie Gold bounced back from a shaky short program with a flawless free skate to win her second U.S. Figure Skating title at the championship in St. Paul, Minnesota.
2020: Annabella Sciorra
One year ago: “Sopranos” actor Annabella Sciorra confronted Harvey Weinstein from the witness stand at his New York trial, testifying that Weinstein had overpowered and raped her; she was the first of Weinstein’s accusers to testify at his sexual assault trial.
2020: Australia
One year ago: Three American flying firefighters were killed when their C-130 Hercules tanker crashed after dumping fire retardant on an out-of-control blaze in southeastern Australia.
2020: Coronavirus
One year ago: Chinese state media said the city of Wuhan would be shutting down outbound flights and trains, trying to halt the spread of a new virus that had sickened hundreds of people and killed at least 17. The World Health Organization said the viral illness in China was not yet a global health emergency, though the head of the U.N. health agency added that “it may yet become one.”
2020: Impeachment
One year ago: In a second day of opening arguments at President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, Democratic prosecutors made the case that Trump had abused power like no other president in history, swept up by a “completely bogus” theory about Ukrainian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.
2020: Jim Lehrer
One year ago: PBS announced that Jim Lehrer, the longtime host of the nightly “NewsHour” and the moderator of 11 presidential debates, had died at the age of 85.
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