What Happened on January 1?

New Year's Day has seen presidents free enslaved people, millions of immigrants begin American lives, and football traditions kick off.

1804 — Haiti declares independence from France

After a thirteen-year revolution led by formerly enslaved people, Haiti became the first Black republic in the world. Read the full story →
1863 — Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation

President Abraham Lincoln declared that enslaved people in Confederate states 'shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.' Read the full story →
1890 — First Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena

Members of Pasadena's Valley Hunt Club decorated their carriages with flowers and drove them down the street, starting a New Year tradition. Read the full story →
1892 — Ellis Island opens as an immigration station

The first immigrant processed at Ellis Island was Annie Moore, a teenager from Ireland, beginning a new chapter for millions. Read the full story →
1898 — New York City becomes five boroughs

Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island officially merged into one giant city of New York. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Paul Revere (1735–1818) · J. Edgar Hoover (1895–1972) · Barry Goldwater (1909–1998)

New Year's Day · Haitian Independence Day