Cover of The Saturday Evening Post from January 23, 1909.

Image via
Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On January 23, 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to earn a medical degree in the US. She attended New York’s Geneva Medical
College (now Norton College of Medicine) and in 1857 opened the New York Infirmary for Women.

Image: Upstate Medical Univ., NY Library via

North View in pantry on first floor
of the White House during the renovation

01/23/1952

Image from
NARA via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

United States Army Veteran Randolph Scott was born on January 23, 1898 in Orange County, Virginia (served during World War I)

Scott later became a major movie star and appeared in numerous films between the late 1920s through the early 1960s.

Image: Dorothy Malone and Randolph Scott star in The Nevadan c. 1950 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On January 23, 1789, Bishop John Carroll purchased property in Georgetown that would eventually become Georgetown University.

Image of Georgetown University c. 1904 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On today’s date January 23, 1737, (New Style date) John Hancock was born in Braintree (present day Quincy), Massachusetts.

“In February, 1776, Hancock, though still president of the Continental Congress, was appointed by the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts one of the Major Generals of militia of that colony.

The signing of the Declaration of Independence is an old story known to every schoolboy; but John Hancock is so closely associated with that event that to avoid a brief mention of it would be to slight the most important part of his biography.

The average reader knows but little of this great man, save that he was first to sign the declaration, and his is the most striking and beautiful chirography of all those brave men who appended their names to the immortal document.

Hancock occupying the chair of president heard the great speeches for and against the measure, while his soul thrilled with the enthusiasm of freedom. His anxiety had reached its utmost bounds, when on the Fourth of July, 1776, the thirteen colonies by a unanimous vote declared themselves Free and Independent States.

While old Liberty Bell was ringing out the glad tidings, and the assembled thousands about the State House were shouting themselves hoarse with joy, John Hancock, remembering that he had been proscribed, dipped his pen in the ink, and affixing that immortal signature to the document which made his country free…”

From: John Hancock by John R. Musick, published in 1903
https://archive.org/details/johnhancock00musi/page/77

Image: John Hancock by Jeremiah Meyer, public domain via Wikimedia Commons

American weapons innovator John M. Browning was born on January 23, 1855 in Ogden, Utah.
Many of his firearm designs are still in use today.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, no known restrictions

A driver of a light appliance service truck in Seattle, Washington with a sign that says “Be A Good Neighbor, Turn On Your Porch Light” from January 23, 1962.

Image from Seattle Municipal Archives from Seattle, WA via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

On January 23, 1975, the TV series Barney Miller premiered on network television

Image: Hal Linden as Barney Miller and Abe Vigoda as Phil Fish in January, 1975 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On January 23, 1983
The A-Team
premiered on NBC.

Image of The A-Team cast from January 1983 via Alamy

Soldiers voting at Camp Meade, Maryland c. 1917

On January 23, 1845 an act of Congress officially established that the Tuesday after the first Monday in November would be the day to hold elections for Presidents and Vice Presidents of The United States.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

About a month after singing “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” for the first time at a hotel in San Francisco, Tony Bennett recorded the song on January 23, 1962 in New York City.

Image via Alamy

On January 23, 1957, Wham-O acquired the rights to the Pluto Platter flying disc. The company changed the name to the now-familiar Frisbee in June of that year.

Image of two people tossing a frisbee at a campground in 1972 from NARA via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On January 23, 1997, Madeleine Albright was sworn in as the first female U.S. Secretary of State.

Image of Madeleine Albright in 1988 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

TV comedian Ernie Kovacs was born on January 23, 1919 in Trenton, New Jersey. He got his start in TV after showing up for an audition at a Philadelphia TV station wearing shorts and a barrel.

“SUBMARINE CHASER” OUT OF WATER.

Motor boat “Chingachgook” popularly called “submarine chaser” photographed as she was lifted by giant frame from waters of East River, New York, and placed on truck for transportation to Motor Boat Show, Grand Central Palace, New York. She was built by Greenport Basin & Construction Company, Greenport, L.I., is sixty feet long and has speed of forty knots per hour. She is specially designed for operations against submarines, carries two 5-inch rapid fire guns, and has been offered to the U.S. Government.

January 23, 1917