On this day: A look at historic events that occurred on 24 January

A number of ground-breaking events recognise the day – 24 January – as a historic one. On this day in 1940, one of the most popular films in history – the Grapes of Wrath had its premiere. On the same day in 1948, Steve Jobs introduced Apple’s first Macintosh (Mac) model.

On 24 January 1989, American serial killer Ted Bundy was executed in Florida’s electric chair. On this very day in 2003, the US Department of Homeland Security was established by President George W. Bush. A year later on 24 January, NASA-launched rover Opportunity landed on Mars.

24 January- Historic Events:

Premier of the Grapes of Wrath; 1940:

The Grapes of Wrath, the acclaimed adaptation of John Steinbeck’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel released on 24 January 1940. The story revolves around a family of hardworking farmers – the Joad family, who lost everything in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl in the 1930s. Ford won an Academy Award for his direction, while Fonda’s portrayal of Tom made him earn an Oscar nomination. In the movie, Tom’s dramatic monologue on the poor, which reflects his profound sympathy for their plight, comes among the most well-known scenes in film history.

First personal computer of Apple Macintosh series; 1984:

Apple’s founder Steve Jobs introduced the initial model of the Macintosh or Mac series on 24 January 1984. It was the very first commercially successful personal computer which came with two unpopular features of that time – a mouse and a graphical user interface. The ground-breaking announcement was made two days after the innovative television commercial “1984” that revealed the product’s impending arrival to a national TV audience.

Execution of American serial killer Ted Bundy; 1989:

One of the most notorious serial killers in American history – Ted Bundy was executed at the age of 42 in Florida’s electric chair on 24 January 1989. During his trial, he confessed to murdering as many as 28 women over the years, though many estimated the number to be more than a hundred. When he was sentenced to death for the second time in 1979, Bundy was found guilty of rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl.

United States Department of Homeland Security;2003:

In the wake of the September 11 attacks in 2001, US President George W. Bush established the United States Department of Homeland Security on 24 January 2003 with Tom Ridge being named the agency’s first secretary. It was created through the merger of the Homeland Security Council and the Office of Homeland Security. This United States federal government’s executive branch is in charge of protecting the nation against terrorist threats and maintaining readiness for natural disasters and other emergencies.

NASA’s Opportunity landed on Mars; 2004:

On 24 January 2004, NASA’s robotic geologist Opportunity touched down on the surface of Mars. It started off its journey from earth to the red planet in the middle of 2003. Accompanied by its twin rover Spirit, Opportunity travelled miles across the Martian surface while conducting field geology and observing the atmosphere. They discovered proof of past Martian ecosystems with intermittent wetness and habitable conditions.

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