January 26, 1788- New South Wales founded in Australia

“One of the NSW Aborigines befriended by Governor Macquarie,” Artist Unknown. Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW – ML 696.

The British Empire regularly sent prisoners to its colonies around the world in order to “cleanse” itself of unwanted people. After the loss of its North American colonies in 1783, the Empire was in need of new lands to exile its convicts to. British sailors had recently discovered Australia and claimed it for the British Crown. This was not negotiated with the local aboriginal people, the Eora nation (pronounced “yura”).

On January 26, 1788, Britain’s First Fleet, made up of 11 ships led by Captain Arthur Philip, founded the first “convict settlement” in Australia at Sydney Cove. This eventually became the colony of New South Wales.

Sources:

Exile or Opportunity?- National Museum Australia

Eora-Mapping Aboriginal Sydney- New South Wales State Library

January 19, 1966- Indira Gandhi Elected Prime Minister of India

Photo: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Many call Indira Gandhi one of India’s most controversial prime ministers, however a quick read leaves me with the impression that all of India’s prime ministers have been controversial. 

India has recently surpassed China as the world’s most populous country. Like many nations, India’s borders were largely imposed by colonial outsiders, in their case, the British. Within these borders there are diverse cultures and communities, many that have long been marginalized by successive ruling powers.

Upon gaining independence from Britain, a fierce conflict unfolded between Hindu and Muslim elites  that resulted in the event known as Partition. This process created the 2 modern nations, The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Republic of India. 

A historic migration and refugee crisis resulted as Muslims surged into Pakistan and non-Muslims fled it. Neither country was prepared to deal with the volume of movement, which only exacerbated chaos and conflict. It is believed that at least 1 million people died in the violence that attended these mass migrations. 

Indira Gandhi was the daughter of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. She worked as an assistant to her father for many years. She eventually won a seat in the Indian Parliament in 1964 at the age of 47. She was appointed Minister of Information and Broadcasting by then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shasti. Shasti died in office shortly after signing the Tashkent Declaration, a treaty that officially ended the Indo-Pakistan War. 

On January 19, 1966 India’s Congress Party elected Indira Gandhi to succeed him as Prime Minister. She served 3 consecutive terms through 1977 and a 4th term from 1980-84. 

During the Cold War, newly independent nations like India faced immense pressure to side with the capitalist US/Western European sphere or the Soviet Russian dominated communist sphere. Indira Gandhi kept India part of the global Non-Aligned Movement, a coalition of “developing” countries that sought political space between the 2 major power blocs, both of which continued to oppress colonized and decolonized countries throughout the so-called 3rd World.

Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984 by 2 of her Sikh bodyguards in retaliation for her government’s military operation against Sikh militants in Amritsar, a major Sikh city.

India’s history is incredibly complicated and fascinating. I have been familiar with Indira Gandhi’s name for many years, but am embarrassed to report that prior to researching this post, I believed she was related to Mahatma Gandhi. Wrong again 🫥

Sources:

19 January 1966- History Channel UK

Indira Gandhi Timeline- Indiragandhi.in

Indira Gandhi- Iowa State University

January 12, 1908- Lee de Forest's Long Range Radio Broadcast

Lee de Forest, Pubic Domain.

Lee de Forest was an American inventor who was one of the earliest innovators of radio technology. On January 12, 1908, he conducted one of the first long range radio broadcasts from the Eiffel Tower in Paris. His life and career were marked by achievement, but also controversy.

Sources:

A Short History of Radio- FCC.gov

Lee de Forest- New World Encyclopedia

Lee de Forest and the Amplifying Audion- Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers

January 5, 1875- Peter Crosby and the Vicksburg Massacre

Chicago Inter Ocean

After the election of a Black sheriff, Peter Crosby, along with several other Black officials in Warren County, Mississippi, violence erupted.

In December of 1874 the Taxpayer’s League (a White political organization) demanded Crosby’s resignation. When he refused, they returned with an armed mob and forced him to sign a resignation document in the county courthouse.

On December 7, when a group of Black citizens marched on the county courthouse to demand Crosby’s reinstatement, they were fired upon by White mobs. Not satisfied with vanquishing the organized marchers, the mobs continued seeking Black victims around the city. It is estimated that up to 300 Black people were killed in what became known as the Vicksburg massacre.

On January 5, 1875, President Ulysses Grant ordered federal troops to restore order to the city and reinstate the Sheriff. Though successful in the short term, racialized political violence would continue to plague Vicksburg as it did many cities across the country in the Reconstruction era.

Sources:

Peter Crosby (1844-1884)- Black Past

Ulysses S. Grant, Key Events- The Miller Center, UVA