Osun Defender History Corner: January 8 In Focus

Today, on the history corner, we take a trip in the realm of flashback and recall some events that marked this day.

January 8, 1297

Franciscan friar John Duns Scotus died.

January 8, 1642

Astronomer Galileo Galilei died in Italy.

January 8, 1735

Mathematician and physicist Sir Isaac Newton was knighted by Queen Anne of England.

January 8, 1815

The Battle of New Orleans, the final major battle of the War of 1812, began.

January 8, 1835

The United States national debt was 0 for the only time in history.

January 8, 1867

African American men gained the right to vote in Washington, D.C.

January 8, 1889

The tabulating machine was patented by Herman Hollerith, a precursor to the modern computer.

January 8, 1961

In the Cold War era, UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold’s plane crashed, resulting in his death.

January 8, 1964

President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a “War on Poverty” in the United States during his State of the Union address.

January 8, 1973

Secret peace talks between the United States and North Vietnam began in Paris.

January 8, 1981

Polish labor leader Lech Wałęsa was released from 11 months of internment.

January 8, 1982

American filmmaker and actor Charlie Chaplin’s body was stolen from its grave in Switzerland.

January 8, 1989

Kegworth air disaster – a British Midland Boeing 737 crashed near Kegworth, Leicestershire.

January 8, 1994

Tonya Harding’s ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, was sentenced to two years for his role in the attack on figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.

January 8, 2002

The No Child Left Behind Act was signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush.

January 8, 2011

U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot in a mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona.

January 8, 2016

North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb.

January 8, 2019

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry announced their decision to step back from their roles as senior members of the British royal family.

January 8, 2020

Ukrainian passenger jet PS752 was unintentionally shot down by Iran, killing all 176 people on board.

January 8, 2021

Twitter permanently suspended then-U.S. President Donald Trump’s account, citing the risk of further violence.

Please note that these are just a few historical events that happened on January 8. History is full of numerous other significant events on this day, ranging from politics and warfare to cultural and scientific milestones.