– Winston Churchill
January 20
1778 – The first American military court martial trial begins in Brunswick, New Jersey. General Charles Lee, George Washington’s second in command, is charged and found guilty of disobeying orders, misbehavior before the enemy, and disrespect to the Commander-In-Chief. He is suspended from the Army for one year. In 1776, Fort Constitution, on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River, had been renamed Fort Lee in his honor.
1869 – Elizabeth Cady Stanton becomes the first woman to testify before the U.S. Congress. She spoke about woman’s rights and suffrage. Stanton died in 1902 at age 86.
1920 – The American Civil Liberties Union is founded. Its primary focus in the early years is defending free speech and anti-war protesters.