January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days. The first day of the month is known as the day of New Year. It is, on average, the coldest month of the year within most of the Northern Hemisphere (where it is the second month of winter) and the warmest month of the year within most of the Southern Hemisphere (where it is the second month of summer).
January symbols: The birthstone of January is the garnet which represents constancy. Its birth flower is the cottage pink Dianthus caryophyllus or galanthus. In Finnish, the month of tammikuu means the heart of the winter and because the name literally means Oak moon. The zodiac signs for the month of January are Capricorn (until January 19) and Aquarius (January 20 onwards). The traditional English birth month flower is the Carnation.
Historical Events for January, 1949
Day of Week 1st » United Nations cease-fire takes effect in Kashmir from one minute before midnight. War between India and Pakistan stops accordingly.
Day of Week 2nd » Luis Muñoz Marín becomes the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico.
Day of Week 3rd » The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the central bank of the Philippines, is established.
Day of Week 5th » President of the United States named United States President Harry S. Truman unveils his Fair Deal program.
Day of Week 11th » The first "networked" television broadcasts take place as KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh e.g Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania goes on the air connecting the east coast and mid-west programming.
11th » A record-setting snowstorm hits Los Angeles, California.
Day of Week 15th » Chinese Civil War: The Communist Party of China e.g Communist forces Pingjin Campaign or take over Tianjin from the Nationalist Government.
Day of Week 17th » 'The Goldbergs (broadcast series) or The Goldbergs', the first Situation comedy or sitcom on American television, airs for the first time.
Day of Week 20th » Point Four Program a program for economic aid to poor countries announced by United States President Harry S. Truman in his inaugural address for a full term as President.
Day of Week 25th » At the Hollywood Athletic Club the first Emmy Awards are presented.
Day of Week 26th » The Hale telescope at Palomar Observatory sees First light (astronomy) or first light under the direction of Edwin Hubble, becoming the largest aperture optical telescope (until BTA-6 is built in 1976).
Day of Week 31st » These Are My Children, the first television daytime soap opera is broadcast by the NBC station in Chicago.