Med Jets Flight 056
Med Jets Flight 056 crashes near Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, killing 8 people and injuring 23.
What happened on January 31
32 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 314 to 2025.
Standout on January 31
2020
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom's membership within the European Union ceases in accordance with Article 50, after 47 years of being a member state.
About January 31
January 31 is the 31st day of the year. These facts are computed from the calendar, not copied from anywhere.
- Day of the year
- Day 31 of 365 (31 in leap years)334 days left in the year (335 in leap years)
- Falls on
- Saturday in 2026, Sunday in 2027, Monday in 2028, Wednesday in 2029, Thursday in 2030
- Week
- ISO week 5 of 2026 · Q1
- Zodiac sign
- ♒ Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
- Season
- Winter in the north · Summer in the south
- January birthstone
- Garnetprotection, friendship and trust
- January birth flower
- Carnation / Snowdroplove, devotion and hope
- Next occurrence
- In 96 days
- Roman numerals
- XXXI.Iday.month — see the Roman numeral date tool
Anniversaries in 2026
- 60thSoviet Union1966
- 30thColombo Central Bank bombing1996
- 30thJoel Courtney1996
- 30thNikita Dragun1996
- 25thJapan Airlines2001
- 25thLibya2001
- 20thGianluca Prestianni2006
- 20thSára Bejlek2006
January 31 through the years
- 10 years ago2016
- Terry Wogan
- 25 years ago2001
- Japan Airlines · Libya
- 50 years ago1976
- Nothing recorded
- 100 years ago1926
- Nothing recorded
- 200 years ago1826
- Nothing recorded
Born on January 31 — ages this year
- 2006Sára Bejlekturns 20
- 2006Gianluca Prestianniturns 20
- 2002Beñat Turrientesturns 24
- 2002Hong Ye-jiturns 24
- 2000Julián Alvarezturns 26
- 1998Jalen McDanielsturns 28
Historical events 32
A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Boeing 747
The last Boeing 747, the first wide-body airliner, is delivered to Atlas Air and operated for ApexLogistics. The aircraft was registered as N863GT and named "Empower".
Sue Gray, Baroness Gray of Tottenham
Sue Gray, a senior civil servant in the United Kingdom, publishes an initial version of her report on the Downing Street Partygate controversy.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom's membership within the European Union ceases in accordance with Article 50, after 47 years of being a member state.
Abdullah of Pahang
Abdullah of Pahang is sworn in as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.
Torre Ejecutiva Pemex
A gas leak underneath the Pemex Executive Tower in Mexico City caused an explosion (aftermath pictured) that killed at least 37 people and injured another 121.
Kenya
At least 113 people are killed in Kenya and over 200 injured following an oil spillage ignition in Molo, days after a massive fire at a Nakumatt supermarket in Nairobi killed at least 25 people.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Emergency officials in Boston mistakenly identified LED placards depicting characters from Aqua Teen Hunger Force as IEDs, causing a panic.
Waterfall rail accident
The Waterfall rail accident occurs near Waterfall, New South Wales, Australia.
Japan Airlines
Two Japan Airlines planes nearly collide over Suruga Bay in Japan.
Libya
In the Netherlands, a Scottish court convicts Libyan Abdelbaset al-Megrahi and acquits another Libyan citizen for their part in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988.
Alaska Airlines Flight 261
Alaska Airlines Flight 261, experiencing problems with its horizontal stabilizer system, crashed in the Pacific Ocean off Anacapa Island, California, killing all 88 people on board.
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII, the first video game in the Final Fantasy franchise to use 3-D computer graphics, was released.
Colombo Central Bank bombing
An explosives-filled truck rams into the gates of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in Colombo, killing at least 86 people and injuring 1,400.
Doug Williams (quarterback)
Doug Williams became the first African-American quarterback to play in the Super Bowl, leading the Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII.
Holy Crown of Hungary
The Crown of St. Stephen (also known as the Holy Crown of Hungary) goes on public display after being returned to Hungary from the United States, where it was held after World War II.
Apollo program
Apollo program: Apollo 14: Astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchell, aboard a Saturn V, lift off for a mission to the Fra Mauro Highlands on the Moon.
Winter Soldier Investigation
The Winter Soldier Investigation, organized by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War to publicize alleged war crimes and atrocities by Americans and allies in Vietnam, begins in Detroit.
Vietnam War
Vietnam War: Viet Cong guerrillas attack the United States embassy in Saigon, and other attacks, in the early morning hours, later grouped together as the Tet Offensive.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union launches the unmanned Luna 9 spacecraft as part of the Luna program.
Project Mercury
Project Mercury: Mercury-Redstone 2: The chimpanzee Ham travels into outer space.
NASA
Aboard NASA's Mercury-Redstone 2, the chimpanzee Ham became the first hominid to be launched into outer space.
Space Race
Cold War: Space Race: The Explorer 1, the first successful American satellite, detects the Van Allen radiation belt.
Douglas DC-7
A DC-7B operated by Douglas Aircraft collided in mid-air with a U.S. Air Force F-89 and crashed into a schoolyard in Pacoima, California.
Battle of George Square
Intense rioting over labour conditions broke out in Glasgow, Scotlan.
Mat Salleh Rebellion
Datu Muhammad Salleh, leader of a series of major disturbances in North Borneo, was shot dead in Tambunan, but his followers did not give up for five more years.
Ute Wars
Ute Wars: On behalf of Utah territorial governor Brigham Young, militia leader Daniel H. Wells drafted an order for the Utah Territorial Militia to exterminate Timpanogos men deemed hostile, leading to the Provo River Massacre.
Nacogdoches, Texas
Mexican soldiers and Texan militiamen marched into Nacogdoches, Texas, to end the Fredonian Rebellion.
London Lock Hospital
The London Lock Hospital, the first voluntary hospital specialising in the treatment of venereal diseases, opened.
Eighty Years' War
Eighty Years' War: Spanish forces won a crushing victory at the Battle of Gembloux, threatening the States General of the Netherlands and contributing to its move from Brussels to Antwerp.
Sverker the Younger
Sverker II was defeated at the Battle of Lena by Erik Knutsson, who succeeded him as King of Sweden.
Pope Sylvester I
Sylvester I (bust depicted), during whose pontificate many churches in Rome were constructed by Constantine the Great, began his reign as pope.
Births 20
A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
Deaths 20
A notable person who died on this day.
Richard von Weizsäcker
Richard von Weizsäcker, German captain and politician, 6th President of Germany (born 1920)
Abdirizak Haji Hussein
Abdirizak Haji Hussein, Somalian politician, 4th Prime Minister of Somalia (born 1924)
Anna Gordy Gaye
Anna Gordy Gaye, American songwriter and producer, co-founded Anna Records (born 1922)
Hassan Habibi
Hassan Habibi, Iranian lawyer and politician, 1st Vice President of Iran (born 1937)
Kirka
Kirill Babitzin, Finnish singer, 9th in 1984 Eurovision Song Contest (born 1950), aortic aneurysm.
Holidays & observances 8
A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
Francis Xavier Bianchi
Christian feast day: Francis Xavier Bianchi
Máedóc of Ferns
Christian feast day: Máedóc (Mogue, Aiden)
Julius of Novara
Christian feast day: Julius of Novara
Geminianus
Christian feast day: Geminianus
Saint Domitius
Christian feast day: Domitius (Domice) of Amiens
Marcella of Marseille
Christian feast day: Marcella of Marseille
Ludovica Albertoni
Christian feast day: Blessed Ludovica
John Bosco
Christian feast day: John Bosco
Spread across the centuries
- 4th century1
- 13th century1
- 16th century1
- 18th century1
- 19th century3
- 20th century30
- 21st century35
Earliest: Pope Sylvester I (314). Most recent: Med Jets Flight 056 (2025).
What the categories mean, and how the standout is chosen
- Historical events
- A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
- Births
- A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
- Deaths
- A notable person who died on this day.
- Milestones
- A first, a founding or a turning point our editors flagged as a landmark moment.
- Holidays & observances
- A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
- Standout / notable
- Editor-written entries come first, then entries covered by the most Wikipedia language editions. For the standout tile we prefer an entry that has a picture.
Nearby and related
Questions about January 31
What day of the year is January 31?
January 31 is the 31st day of the year, with 334 days left after it.
What star sign is January 31?
January 31 falls under Aquarius (January 20 – February 18), a air sign ruled by Uranus (traditionally Saturn). The birthstone for the month is Garnet.
How many things happened on January 31?
We record 80 entries for January 31: 32 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 314 to 2025.
Who was born on January 31?
Sára Bejlek (2006) is among the notable births on January 31. The births section lists the rest.
How often is the January 31 page updated?
The day is filled the first time anyone opens it and then re-checked for new entries about every 90 days. Computed facts such as the weekday and the anniversaries update every year.
Get a daily entry like January 31
One short email a day from this calendar. Kept for this site only.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.