in World & History

January 17: Fun Facts about Today in History

by James updated April 20, 2022, 1:00 pm

Today in History

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Learn about the most intriguing events and historical facts that occurred on January 17 throughout history. The seventeenth day of the Gregorian calendar is January 17th. On this day, Matt Drudge broke the story of the Clinton-Lewinskey controversy, 11 Boston robbers committed the Great Brinks Robbery, and the United States paid $25 million to Denmark for the Virgin Islands.

Capricorn is the zodiac sign for January 17th. Michelle Obama, Muhammad Ali, and Al Capone all had famous birthdays. National Hot Buttered Rum Day is observed on January 17th.

Event
(January 17, 1893) On this day in 1893, a committee led by Sanford Ballard Dole toppled Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani and formed a provisional government with Dole as president, acting on behalf of Hawaiian sugar interests and their American friends.
Advertisements (January 17, 1917) For $25 million, the United States bought three of the Virgin Islands from Denmark: St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix.
(January 17, 1929) In the newspaper comic strip Thimble Theatre, the cartoon character Popeye, a sailor famed for his love of spinach, made his debut.
(January 17, 1942) Muhammad Ali, an American professional boxer, was born in Louisville, Kentucky.
(January 17, 1986) Martin Luther King, Jr. Day became a national holiday for the first time in 1986.
Advertisements (January 17, 1995) The saka-Kbe (Hanshin) metropolitan region was devastated by a severe earthquake, killing an estimated 6,400 people and causing significant damage.
(January 17, 2008) Bobby Fischer, an American-born chess player who became the world's youngest grandmaster when he obtained the title in 1958, died at the age of 64 in Reykjavik, Iceland.
(Died on January 17, 2020) Derek Fowlds, British actor (b.1937).

Written by James

James has always been intrigued by dinosaurs, the universe, technology, and animals. With a Bachelor of Computer Science and years of writing expertise, he joined World Amazing Facts in 2021 as a staff writer.

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