January 6 is the sixth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 359 days remain until the end of the year.
We have some interesting facts & historic events all about January 6th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about January 6th in history!
Table of Contents
Global Celebrations
- National Cuddle Up Day
- Three Kings Day
- National Shortbread Day
- National Bean Day
- Apple Tree Day
Historic Events
2021: The US Capitol is attacked
A mob of supporters of then US President Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol in Washington DC. They were attempting to halt the certification of the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden. Five people died in the riot, and many more were injured, including over 150 police officers.
1929: Mother Theresa arrives in India
Through her tireless work in helping the poor and ill, the Albanian religious sister later received the Nobel Peace Prize and was posthumously beatified.
1912: German scientist Alfred Wegener presents his theory of continental drift
His work laid the foundation for the theory of plate tectonics, which explains why continents move.
1907: Maria Montessori opens her first school
Montessori’s revolutionary educational approach is practiced at about 30,000 schools today.
1838: Samuel Morse presents the telegraph to the public
Together with Alfred Vail, the inventor relayed the message “A patient waiter is no loser” over a distance of 2 miles (3 km).
1838: On this day in 1838, Samuel Morse unveils the telegraph, revolutionizing communication. Samuel Morse’s telegraph system was demonstrated for the first time at the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown, New Jersey.

Famous Birthdays
1946: Syd Barrett, English singer-songwriter, guitarist
1920: John Maynard Smith, English biologist
1883: Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese/American poet
1811: Charles Sumner, American politician
1412: Joan of Arc
Heartbreaking Deaths
1999: Michel Petrucciani, French/American pianist
1993: Dizzy Gillespie, American trumpet player, bandleader, composer
1919: Theodore Roosevelt, American politician, 26th President of the United States, Nobel Prize laureate
1918: Georg Cantor, German mathematician
1852: Louis Braille, French educator, invented Braille