Notable Birthdays for January 17
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) - Founding father and inventor who discovered lightning was electrical.
Lewis Addison Grant (1828-1918) - Teacher, lawyer and Major General for the Union Army.
A. B. Frost (1851-1928) - Illustrator best known for his creation of Brer Rabbit.
Alva Belmont (1853-1933) - Co-founder and President of the National Woman's Party.
Glenn L. Martin (1886-1955) - Founder of the Glenn L. Martin Company.
Al Capone (1899-1947) - Infamous mob boss.
George Sperti (1900-1991) - Inventor of the product Preparation H.
Irving Brecher (1914-2008) - Screenwriter for Groucho Marx movies and the Wizard of Oz.
Betty White (1922-2021) - Multi-award winning actress and comedian.
Jewel Plummer Cobb (1924-2017) - Biologist and cancer researcher who made significant discoveries in the causes and treatment of melanoma.
James Earl Jones (1931-2024) - Multi-award winning actor who will always be recognized by his deep voice.
Shari Lewis (1933-1998) - Ventriloquist and puppeteer of the loved character Lamb Chop.
Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) - World heavyweight champion boxer known as The Greatest.
Anita Borg (1949-2003) - Computer scientist who was a big supporter of women in technology.
Steve Harvey (1957-Still Living) - Actor, comedian, and game show host.
Susanna Hoffs (1959-Still Living) - Singer and founder of the all girl rock band the Bangles.
Michelle Obama (1964 - Still Living) - The first Black First Lady (2009-16) in the history of the U.S.
Memorable Events for January 17
1871 - The first cable car is patented by Andrew Smith Hallidie.
1905 - Charles Brewer & C G Scannell patents punchboards (bingo cards).
1917 - The U.S. buys the Virgin Islands from Denmark for $25 million.
1920 - Prohibition begins in the U.S. as the Volstead Act goes into effect.
1929 - Popeye makes his first appearance in the comic strip Thimble Theater.
1961 - President Eisenhower delivers his farewell address before leaving office on television.
1969 - Black Panther Party members Bunchy Carter and John Huggins are killed during a meeting on the UCLA campus.
1987 - President Reagan signs secret order allowing sale of arms to Iran.
2001 - President Clinton honors the Lewis and Clark Expedition and makes Sakakawea and honorary Sergeant.