On this day: 20 January

Selected events and births on 20 January, from Wikipedia’s “On this day”.

Events

• 1356 – Edward Balliol, whose father John was briefly King of Scotland, gave up his claim to the throne in exchange for an English pension. Read more: Edward Balliol John Balliol List of Scottish monarchs
• 1726 – J. S. Bach led the first performance of his cantata Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen on the second Sunday after the Epiphany. Read more: Johann Sebastian Bach Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen, BWV 13 Epiphany (holiday)
• 1843 – Honório Hermeto Carneiro Leão, Marquis of Paraná, became the de facto first prime minister of the Empire of Brazil. Read more: Honório Hermeto Carneiro Leão, Marquis of Paraná Prime Minister of Brazil Empire of Brazil
• 1968 – The Houston Cougars upset the UCLA Bruins in what became known as the "Game of the Century", ending the Bruins' 47-game winning streak and establishing college basketball as a sports commodity on American television. Read more: Houston Cougars men's basketball UCLA Bruins men's basketball Game of the Century (college basketball)
• 2009 – During a national financial crisis, thousands of people protested at the Icelandic parliament in Reykjavík. Read more: 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis 2009 Icelandic financial crisis protests Althing
• 2009 – In Washington, D.C., Barack Obama was inaugurated as the first African-American president of the United States. Read more: First inauguration of Barack Obama African Americans

Born on this day

• 1931 – David Lee, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Read more: David Lee (physicist) Nobel Prize in Physics
• 1948 – Natan Sharansky, Ukrainian-Israeli physicist and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of Israel Read more: Natan Sharansky Deputy of the Prime Minister of Israel
• 1949 – Göran Persson, Swedish lawyer and politician, 31st Prime Minister of Sweden Read more: Göran Persson Prime Minister of Sweden
• 1950 – Mahamane Ousmane, Nigerien politician, President of Niger Read more: Mahamane Ousmane List of heads of state of Niger
• 1955 – McKeeva Bush, Caymanian politician, Premier of the Cayman Islands Read more: McKeeva Bush Premier of the Cayman Islands
• 1956 – Maria Larsson, Swedish educator and politician, Swedish Minister of Health and Social Affairs Read more: Maria Larsson (politician) Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (Sweden)
• 1971 – Wakanohana Masaru, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 66th Yokozuna Read more: Wakanohana Masaru Makuuchi
• 1972 – Nikki Haley, American accountant and politician, 116th Governor of South Carolina Read more: Nikki Haley Governor of South Carolina
• 1973 – Stephen Crabb, Scottish-Welsh politician, Secretary of State for Wales Read more: Stephen Crabb Secretary of State for Wales
• 2002 – Arnaud Kalimuendo, French footballer Read more: Arnaud Kalimuendo
• 2003 – J. J. McCarthy, American football player Read more: J. J. McCarthy
• 2003 – Antonia Ružić, Croatian tennis player Read more: Antonia Ružić

Text from Wikipedia: Selected anniversaries / January 20 and the linked articles, via the Wikimedia “On this day” feed, under CC BY-SA 4.0. We leave out entries about wars, violence and disasters to keep this page family-friendly.