President Jimmy Carter granting an unconditional pardon to draft
dodgers.

On January 21, 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter grants an unconditional pardon to hundreds of thousands of men who
evaded the draft during the Vietnam War.

In total, some 100,000 young Americans went abroad in the
late 1960s and early ’70s to avoid serving in the war. Ninety
percent went to Canada, where after some initial controversy
they were eventually welcomed as immigrants. Still others
hid inside the United States. In addition to those who avoided
the draft, a relatively small number—about 1,000—of deserters
from the U.S. armed forces also headed to Canada.

SANDY KOZEL

Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757 – July 12, 1804)

Alexander Hamilton Monument in
Central Park, New York  City.

U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry released the first report of the Advisory Committee on Smoking and Health.

U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry knew his report was a bombshell. He intentionally chose to release it on January 11, 1964, a Saturday, so as to
limit its immediate effects on the stock market. It was on this date that, on
behalf of the U.S. Government, Terry announced a definitive link between
smoking and cancer.

CAMILLE
BOHANNON

 
Zebulon Montgomery Pike
(January 5, 1779 – April 27, 1813)

Approaching the Colorado foothills of the Rocky Mountains during his second exploratory expedition, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike spots a distant mountain peak
that looks “like a small blue cloud.” The mountain was later named Pike’s Peak
in his honor.

Pike’s explorations of the newly acquired Louisiana Territory of the U.S. began before the nation’s first western explorers, Lewis and Clark, had returned from
their own expedition up the Missouri River. Pike was more of a professional
military man than either Lewis or Clark, and he was a smart man who had
taught himself Spanish, French, mathematics, and elementary science. When
the governor of Louisiana Territory requested a military expedition to explore
the headwaters of the Mississippi, General James Wilkinson picked Pike to
lead it.

CARLATA BRADLEY

On this day in 2001, President George W. Bush signs the renewal of
the U.S. Patriot Act after a long battle with Congress.

Pat Sajak (Patrick Leonard Sajdak) is 73 today. 

Sajak is a former weatherman and talk show host, best
known as the host of the syndicated television game
show Wheel of Fortune.

“Wheel of Fortune” hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White.