Historical Events on January 9

  • 1349: During the Black Death, the Basel Massacre occurs. During this event, Jews in the town of Basel and the surrounding countryside were accused of poisoning wells and spreading the plague, so they were all gathered together and incinerated.
  • 1349: During the Black Death, the Basel Massacre occurs. During this event, Jews in the town of Basel and the surrounding countryside were accused of poisoning wells and spreading the plague, so they were all gathered together in a barn and incinerated.
  • 1861: The Star of the West incident takes place when the ship of the same name is fired upon by cadets of the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. Many historians believe this to be the first shots of the American Civil War.
  • 1861: Mississippi becomes the 2nd state to secede from the United States before general hostilities start of American Civil War.
  • 1894: The first battery-operated telephone switchboard is installed by New England Telephone and Telegraph in Lexington, Massachusetts.
  • 1916: At the Battle of Gallipoli during WWI, Allied forces retreat from the peninsula—which gives the Ottoman Empire a victory.
  • 1918: The Battle of Bear Valley is fought between Yaquis Native Americans and U.S Army soldiers. It’s considered by many historians to be the American Indian Wars’ last major battle.
  • 2004: 28 people die due to expose from the elements when the raft they are traveling on stalled near the
  • Karaburun Peninsula. These people were Albanian emigrants on their way to Italy.
  • 2007: The original iPhone is introduced in San Francisco, California by Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
  • 2014: Five people are killed and seventeen others are injured when an explosion takes place at the Mitsubishi Materials chemical plant in Yokkaichi, Japan.
  • 2015: The shooters who perpetrated the attacks at the Charlie Hebdo buildings two days earlier are both killed at a hostage situation in Vincennes.

Famous Birthdays on January 9

  • American lawyer and 37th President of the U.S., Richard Nixon is born in 1913.
  • American actress Anita Louise is born in 1915.
  • American actor Lee Van Cleef is born in 1925.
  • American novelist Judith Krantz is born in 1928.
  • American actor Bob Denver is born in 1835.
  • English songwriter, guitarist and producer, Jimmy Page is born in 1944.
  • American screenwriter Oliver Goldstick is born in 1961.
  • South African singer-songwriter and guitarist, Dave Matthews is born in 1967.