Famous people born on January 17 — and what else happened that day
If your birthday is January 17, you share it with Benjamin Franklin, Betty White, Michelle Obama — and you were born under Capricorn, the sign of the ambitious, disciplined, and built for the long game.
Birthday basics for January 17
Capricorn ♑
Zodiac sign
Garnet
Birthstone
Carnation
Birth flower
17th
Day of the year
January 17 is the 17th day of the year, with 348 days still to come.
Famous people born on January 17
Benjamin Franklin — American founding father, inventor, and publisher (born 1706).
Betty White — American actress and beloved television personality (born 1922).
Michelle Obama — American lawyer, author, and former First Lady (born 1964).
Also sharing the day:
Anne Brontë (b. 1820) — English novelist who wrote "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" and "Agnes Grey".
Muhammad Ali (b. 1942) — Three-time heavyweight boxing champion celebrated as "The Greatest".
Jim Carrey (b. 1962) — Canadian-American comedy star of "The Mask" and "The Truman Show".
January 17 in history
1773 — Captain James Cook's expedition became the first to sail south of the Antarctic Circle.
1946 — The United Nations Security Council held its first session.
1961 — President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered his famous televised farewell address to the nation.
1912 — Captain Robert Falcon Scott's British expedition reached the South Pole.
1917 — The United States purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark for 25 million dollars.
1950 — Thieves pulled off the Great Brink's Robbery in Boston, stealing more than 2.7 million dollars.
January 17 birthday questions
What zodiac sign is January 17?
Anyone born on January 17 is a Capricorn — ambitious, disciplined, and built for the long game.
What is the birthstone for January 17?
The birthstone for a January 17 birthday is Garnet, and the birth flower is the Carnation.
Who is the most famous person born on January 17?
Benjamin Franklin is among the best known — American founding father, inventor, and publisher (born 1706).
What happened on January 17?
In 1773, Captain James Cook's expedition became the first to sail south of the Antarctic Circle.
What day of the year is January 17?
January 17 is the 17th day of the year, with 348 days still to come.
Make their day unforgettable
Know someone born on January 17? 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.