On Jan. 20, 1801, John Marshall was appointed chief justice of the United States.
In 1896 comedian George Burns was born Nathan Birnbaum in New York.
In 1920 film director Federico Fellini was born in Rimini, Italy.
In 1930 astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin was born in Montclair, N.J.
In 1942 Nazi officials held the notorious Wannsee conference, during which they arrived at their “final solution” that called for exterminating Jews.
In 1946 film director David Lynch was born in Missoula, Mont.
In 1981 Iran released 52 Americans it had held hostage for 444 days.
In 1993 actress Audrey Hepburn died in Tolochenaz, Switzerland; she was 63.
In 2008 Barack Obama was formally sworn in as president of the United States, becoming the first African-American to be elected commander in chief.
