This Week in History: January 17th – 23rd

Welcome to this week’s edition of the staff blog’s ‘This Week in History!’ You will find historical facts, happenings, and associated books; #1 box office movies; and #1 NY Times best sellers from years gone by, all with book recommendations included based on each topic. This will be a weekly feature, so make sure to check out each week’s posting! NOTE: Click on any of the below book/movie titles to be taken to them in our online Café catalog!

 

NY Times Fiction Bestsellers

 

#1 Box Office Movies

 

This Week in History

  • January 17th
    • 1893- A group of American sugar planters overthrows the Hawaiian monarchy and establishes a new provincial government. (United States)
    • 1945- The Soviet Union liberates Warsaw, the capital of Poland, from Nazi rule. (World)
    • 1961- Outgoing US President Dwight D. Eisenhower warns the United States of the military-industrial complex and its growing influence on American democracy. (United States)
  • January 18th
    • 1803- US President Thomas Jefferson requests funding for the Lewis and Clark expedition from Congress. (United States)
    • 1958- The NHL is integrated for the first time. (United States)
    • 1986- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is first celebrated as a national holiday. (United States)
  • January 19th
    • 1089- Edgar Allan Poe is born. (United States)
    • 1955- US President Dwight D. Eisenhower holds the first-ever televised presidential press conference. (United States)
    • 1976- A federal judge rules that Milwaukee Public Schools are illegally segregated in violation of the 14th Amendment rights of students and orders that the Milwaukee Board of School Directors take immediate steps to desegregate the public schools. (Wisconsin)
  • January 20th
    • 1942- Nazi officials discuss the ‘Final Solution’ at the Wannsee Conference. (World)
    • 1981- Iran Hostage Crisis ends. (United States/World)
    • 2009- Barack Obama, the first black person to be elected President of the United States, is inaugurated. (United States)
  • January 21st
    • 1977- US President Jimmy Carter pardons Vietnam War draft dodgers. (United States)
    • 2017- Demonstrations, known collectively as the Women’s March, were held throughout the world to support gender equality, civil and reproductive rights, and other similar issues expected to come under fire from the new Trump Administration. In the US, it is widely believed to be the largest single-day demonstration in US history. (United States/World)
    • 2020- First confirmed case of COVID-19 found in the United States. (United States/World)
  • January 22nd
    • 1964- The world’s biggest block of cheese is produced in Wisconsin. The block of cheddar was produced from 170,000 quarts of milk by the Wisconsin Cheese Foundation specifically for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, and weighed 34,591 pounds. (Wisconsin)
    • 1968- The NBA awards a franchise to Milwaukee Professional Sports and Services, Inc. The team will become the Bucks. (Wisconsin/United States)
    • 1973- Roe v. Wade is decided by the United States Supreme Court. (United States)
    • 2008- Heath Ledger dies of accidental prescription drug overdose. (United States)
  • January 23rd
    • 1964- The 24th amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibits federal and state governments from imposing poll taxes before a citizen can participate in a federal election, is ratified. (United States)
    • 1977- The TV miniseries Roots, an adaption of Alex Haley’s best-selling novel, debuts on American television. (United States)
    • 1997- Madeleine Albright becomes first female Secretary of State. (United States)

Recommended Reading Related to Movies/Historical Happenings: