January 10

Calendar notes

The weekday on which January 10 falls shifts each year according to the progression of days and leap-year rules. When discussing historical dates, calendars used at the time (Julian vs. Gregorian) can affect the nominal day: events recorded before adoption of the Gregorian reform may be expressed differently in modern reckoning.

Historical events and milestones

• On January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine first published the pamphlet Common Sense, which played a significant role in shaping public opinion in the American colonies.
• January 10, 1920, marks the opening of the first Assembly of the League of Nations in Geneva, a notable early attempt at international organization in the 20th century.
• On January 10, 1946, the first session of the United Nations General Assembly convened, an important moment in the post‑World War II international order.

Notable births

• Rod Stewart (born 1945) — British singer-songwriter known for a long career in pop and rock music.
• George Foreman (born 1949) — American former professional boxer and two-time world heavyweight champion, later an entrepreneur.

January 10 is associated with a number of fixed-date observances in various countries and with personal markers: people born on this date fall under the astrological sign Capricorn (December 22–January 19). The traditional birthstone for January is the garnet and the traditional birth flower is the carnation. For more on the calendar and how leap years are handled, see leap years.

Beyond fixed holidays, the day often serves as a convenient reference point in historical timelines and year-by-year summaries because of its early position in the calendar.