History

On This Day – January 31

On This Day – January 31

  • 2011 Myanmar’s first elected parliament in half a century convenes

    The event underlined a general move towards democracy in the country.

  • 2000 Alaska Airlines flight 261 crashes into the sea

    The MD-83 experienced horizontal stabilizer problems before descending into the Pacific Ocean, killing all 88 on board.

  • 1996 A suicide bombing in Sri Lanka kills 91 people

    Separatist Tamil Tigers detonated a truck loaded with explosives in front of the central bank in Colombo.

  • 1961 Ham the Chimp travels into outer space

    The chimpanzee survived the US Mercury Program test flight with just a bruised nose.

  • 1865 The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is passed

    The Amendment, which officially abolished slavery, was adopted on December 6, 1865.