📜 This Day in History

January 17

• 1377Gregory XI, the last Avignon pope, entered Rome after a four-month journey from Avignon, returning the papacy to its original city.
• 1893Lorrin A. Thurston and the Citizens' Committee of Public Safety led the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the government of Queen Liliʻuokalani.
• 1945World War II: Australian troops advanced along the northern part of Bougainville Island (in present-day Papua New Guinea) and began fighting Japanese forces in the Battle of Tsimba Ridge.
• 1961Patrice Lumumba, a former prime minister of Congo-Léopoldville, was murdered in circumstances suggesting the support and complicity of the Belgian and US governments.
• 1998The Drudge Report became the first news source to break the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal to the public.
• 2010The first spate of violence between Muslims and Christians began in Jos, Nigeria, and would end in more than 200 deaths.

Born on this day

• 1706Benjamin Franklin, American publisher, inventor, and politician, 6th President of Pennsylvania (died 1790)
• 1942Muhammad Ali, American boxer and activist (died 2016)
• 1962Jim Carrey, Canadian-American actor, comedian, and producer
• 1964Michelle Obama, American lawyer and activist, 44th First Lady of the United States