January 30 in Pop Culture History

1703 – The 47 Ronin, under Oishi Kuranosuke, avenged the death of their master, Asano Naganori.

1790 – The first boat designed as a lifeboat was tested on the River Tyne.

1868 – Charles Darwin’s book, Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication, was published.

1948 – Nathuram Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi.

1958 – The first two-way, moving sidewalk (1,425 feet long) was put in service at Love Field Air Terminal in Dallas, TX.

1960 – Lily Potter’s Birthday

1961 – #1 Hit January 30, 1961 – February 12, 1961: The Shirelles – Will You Love Me Tomorrow

1968 – The North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong began the Tet Offensive

1969 – The Beatles’ rooftop performance and recording for Let It Be took place at Apple Records.

1972 – British Paratroopers open fire on and kill fourteen unarmed civil rights/anti-internment marchers in Derry, Northern Ireland. It was commemorated by US with 1983’s Sunday Bloody Sunday.

1973 – KISS played their 1st show at the Coventry Club in Queens, New York.

1982 – #1 Hit January 30, 1982 – February 5, 1982: Daryl Hall and John Oates – I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)

1987 – Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold, Radio Days and Outrageous Fortune were released in theaters.

1988 – #1 Hit January 30, 1988 – February 5, 1988: INXS – Need You Tonight

1999 – #1 Hit January 30, 1999 – February 12, 1999: Britney Spears – Baby One More Time

2007 – Microsoft released Windows Vista.

2009 – Taken and The Uninvited were released in theaters.