Today in History: January 31st Through the Years

Today in History: January 31st Through the Years

Today marks the 31st day of the year 2026, with 334 days remaining. On this day in history, back in 1988, Doug Williams made history as the first Black quarterback to play in the Super Bowl, leading the Washington Redskins to a 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos and earning the Super Bowl MVP title. In 1863, the First South Carolina Volunteers, an all-Black Union regiment, were mustered into federal service during the Civil War. Fast forward to 1945, Pvt. Eddie Slovik became the first U.S. soldier since the Civil War to be executed for desertion. The United States entered the Space Age in 1958 with the successful launch of Explorer 1, its first satellite. In 1971, astronauts Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell, and Stuart Roosa embarked on the Apollo 14 mission to the moon. Tragedy struck in 2000 when an Alaska Airlines jet crashed into the Pacific Ocean, claiming the lives of all 88 people on board. The year 2001 saw a Scottish court convict one Libyan and acquit another in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The year 2020 brought about a public health emergency in the United States due to the new coronavirus, leading to travel restrictions from China. Finally, in 2023, Boeing Co. bid farewell to its iconic 747 wide-body jet after over 50 years of production.