Today In History, January 1: Ellis Island opens

"Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Today is Thursday, Jan. 1, the first day of 2026. There are 364 days left in the year. This is New Year's Day. Today in history: On Jan. 1, 1892, the Ellis Island Immigration Station in New York formally opened, processing nearly 700 immigrants on its first day; nearly 12 million immigrants would ultimately pass through the station before its closure in 1954."

"Also on this date: In 1804, Haiti declared itself independent from France, becoming the world's first Black-majority republic. In 1808, the federal law prohibiting the importation of enslaved people to the United States took effect. In 1818, Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus was first published in London, when Shelley was 20 years old. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, declaring that all enslaved people in rebellious states are, and henceforward shall be free."

"In 2024, an earthquake rocked the west coast of Japan, collapsing homes, killing at least 260 people and forcing the evacuation of more than 3,000 others. In 2025, a man driving a pickup truck that bore the flag of the Islamic State group slammed into revelers during New Orleans' raucous New Year's celebration, killing 15 people. The man was shot dead by police and the attack was subsequently investigated by the FBI as an act of terrorism."

Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026 is New Year's Day, the first day of the year with 364 days remaining. The date marks many historical events: Ellis Island opened in 1892 and would process nearly 12 million immigrants before closing in 1954. Haiti declared independence in 1804, and a federal ban on importing enslaved people took effect in 1808. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was first published in 1818. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Other noted events include Batista's 1959 resignation, the Y2K transition in 2000, a 2013 stadium stampede in Ivory Coast, Japan's 2024 earthquake, and a 2025 New Orleans vehicle attack. Notable birthdays include Frederick Wiseman (96), Frank Langella (88), Country Joe McDonald (84), and Don Novello (83).

Read at www.mercurynews.com