Famous people born on January 1 — and what else happened that day
If your birthday is January 1, you share it with J.D. Salinger, Verne Troyer, Frank Langella — and you were born under Capricorn, the sign of the ambitious, disciplined, and built for the long game.
Birthday basics for January 1
Capricorn ♑
Zodiac sign
Garnet
Birthstone
Carnation
Birth flower
1st
Day of the year
January 1 is the 1st day of the year, with 364 days still to come.
Famous people born on January 1
J.D. Salinger — American novelist who wrote The Catcher in the Rye (born 1919).
Verne Troyer — Actor best known as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers films (born 1969).
Frank Langella — Tony-winning stage and screen actor known for Frost/Nixon (born 1938).
Also sharing the day:
Paul Revere (b. 1735) — American patriot known for his "midnight ride" in 1775.
Betsy Ross (b. 1752) — credited with sewing the first American flag.
Grandmaster Flash (b. 1958) — hip-hop pioneer and DJ.
January 1 in history
1863 — President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
2002 — Euro banknotes and coins entered circulation across 12 European countries.
1892 — Ellis Island opened in New York Harbor as the chief U.S. immigration station.
1801 — The Act of Union joined Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom.
1959 — Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution succeeded as Batista fled the country.
1502 — Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral landed in present-day Rio de Janeiro.
January 1 birthday questions
What zodiac sign is January 1?
Anyone born on January 1 is a Capricorn — ambitious, disciplined, and built for the long game.
What is the birthstone for January 1?
The birthstone for a January 1 birthday is Garnet, and the birth flower is the Carnation.
Who is the most famous person born on January 1?
J.D. Salinger is among the best known — American novelist who wrote The Catcher in the Rye (born 1919).
What happened on January 1?
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
What day of the year is January 1?
January 1 is the 1st day of the year, with 364 days still to come.
Make their day unforgettable
Know someone born on January 1? See the full story of their exact birthday — the headlines, the #1 song, what things cost — and turn it into a personalized front-page newspaper they can keep.