On This Day: January 23

This is the 23rd day of the year.

Fact of the Day: accident, injury, death

The 10 most common causes of injury in the US are: falls, being struck against or by objects or persons, motor vehicle, cutting or piercing, overexertion and strenuous movements, natural/environmental, adverse effects of medical treatment, assault, poisoning, and burning. The 10 most common causes of accidental death in the U.S. are: motor vehicle, poisoning, falling, suffocation, drowning, fire/burning, transportation outside of motor vehicles, natural/environmental, pedestrian, and striking by/against something.

Holidays

Feast day of St. Bernard of Vienne, Saints Clement and Agathangelus, St. Asclas, St. John the Almsgiver, St. Emerentiana, St. Maimbod, St. Ildephonsus, and St. Lufthidis.

Bulgaria: Babin Den.

Brazil: Festa do Bonfim.

National Handwriting Day

Events

1556 - An earthquake in Shanxi Province, China, was thought to have killed some 830,000 people.

1789 - Georgetown University was established in present-day Washington D.C.

1845 - The U.S. Congress decided all national elections would be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

1849 - English-born Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in America to receive a Doctor of Medicine degree, from the Geneva College in New York.

1918 - The Soviet government officially severed relations with the Orthodox Church.

1950 - The Israeli Knesset approved a resolution proclaiming Jerusalem the capital of Israel.

1960 - The U.S. Navy bathyscaphe Trieste, designed by Dr. Auguste Piccard, descended to a record depth of 35,820 ft in the Pacific Ocean.

1964 - The 24th amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America was ratified, eliminating poll taxes for voting in federal elections.

1968 - North Korea seized the U.S. Navy ship "Pueblo," charging its crew with being on a spying mission. (The crew was released 11 months later.)

1973 - President Richard Nixon announced an accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War.

1977 - Alex Haley's "Roots" began a record-breaking eight-night broadcast on television.

1978 - Sweden banned aerosol sprays because of damage to environment; it was the first country to do so.

2002 - Daniel Pearl, a reporter working in Pakistan, for The Wall Street Journal, was reported missing after he failed to return from a meeting with sources the previous day; on January 27 news organizations received an e-mail saying that Pearl had been kidnapped. On February 20, A videotape that was delivered to Pakistani officials showed that he has been killed.

2006 - Stephen Harper's Conservative Party wins the most seats in the Canadian federal election becoming the 22nd Prime Minister with a minority government.

Births

1832 - Édouard Manet, French impressionist artist.

1919 - Ernie Kovacs, American comedian, television pioneer.

1928 - Jeanne Moreau, French actress.

1948 - Anita Pointer, American singer and songwriter, and member of The Pointer Sisters.

1950 - Danny Federici, American musician.

Deaths

1875 - Charles Kingsley, English novelist.

1977 - Toots Shor, New York restaurateur.

1989 - Salvador Dali, Spanish artist and one of the most important painters of the 20th century.

2003 - Nell Carter (born Nell Ruth Hardy), American singer and actress.

2004 - Bob Keeshan, American television personality "Captain Kangaroo."

2005 - Johnny Carson, American television talk show host.