2026

Birthdays & Historical Events – January 2

← National Days on January 2

Historical Events on January 2

Events that occurred on January 2 throughout history

1839

Louis Daguerre captures the first photo of the

Louis Daguerre captures the first photo of the Moon

1890

President William Henry Harrison appoints the first woman

President William Henry Harrison appoints the first woman to the role of presidential secretary. Alice Sanger's impeccable qualifications as a skilled stenographer and typist gained her an introduction to Harrison two years prior.

1959

The Soviet Union launches Luna 1, the first spacecraft to

The Soviet Union launches Luna 1, the first spacecraft to escape the Earth's gravitational pull. Intended to impact the Moon, the unmanned rocket overshot the Moon and entered orbit around the Sun.

1991

The first African American woman elected mayor of a major

The first African American woman elected mayor of a major city and the first Mayor of the District of Columbia is sworn into office. Sharon Pratt Kelly ran for the office on the Democratic ticket against Maurice T. Turner, Jr. January 2nd Celebrated Birthdays 

Born on January 2

People born on January 2

1752
PF

Philip Freneau

1752–1832 · would be 275
1835
CR

Charles Russell Lowell Jr

1835–1864 · would be 192
1854
AM

Alice Mary Robertson 

1854–1931 · would be 173
1861
HH

Helen Herron Taft

1861–1973 · would be 166
1870
TR

Tex Rickard

1870–1929 · would be 157
1901
BM

Bob Marshall

1901–1939 · would be 126
1913
JJ

Juanita Jackson Mitchell

1913–1992 · would be 114
1919
BH

Beatrice Hicks

1919–1979 · would be 108
1920
IA

Isaac Asimov

1920–1992 · would be 107
1925
LH

Larry Harmon

1925–2008 · would be 102
1936
RM

Roger Miller

1936–1992 · would be 91
1947
JH

Jack Hanna

Born 1947 · turns 80 in 2027
1957
LC

Lynne Cox

Born 1957 · turns 70 in 2027

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