January 4
Updated November 6, 2026 · Edited by the JanuaryCalendar.com team
January 4 is World Braille Day, held on the birthday of Louis Braille, who was born in France in 1809. Myanmar celebrates its 1948 independence from Britain, and the date also marks Utah's 1896 statehood, the 2010 opening of Dubai's Burj Khalifa and Nancy Pelosi's 2007 election as the first woman Speaker of the House.
January 4 is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. 361 days remain in the year (362 in leap years). In 2027, January 4 falls on a Monday.
- Day of year
- 4
- Days left
- 361 (362 in leap years)
- Zodiac sign
- Capricorn ♑︎
- Birthstone
- Garnet
- ISO week (2027)
- Week 1
- Weekday (2027)
- Monday
Holidays and observances on January 4
- UN / international World Braille Day (Worldwide) — Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2018 and first observed in 2019, on Louis Braille's birthday.
- Public holiday Independence Day (Myanmar) — Marks independence from the United Kingdom in 1948.
- Unofficial National Trivia Day (US) — A day for quizzes and little-known facts.
- Astronomy Full moon (Wolf Moon) on January 4 in 2034 (Eastern Time)
Events on January 4 in history
- 1853 – Solomon Northup regained his freedom after 12 years of slavery; his memoir Twelve Years a Slave appeared later that year.
- 1884 – The Fabian Society, a socialist group that later helped found the Labour Party, was established in London.
- 1896 – Utah was admitted as the 45th US state.
- 1948 – Burma, now Myanmar, gained independence from the United Kingdom.
- 1951 – Chinese and North Korean forces captured Seoul for the second time during the Korean War.
- 1958 – Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, fell from orbit and burned up three months after its launch.
- 1967 – The Doors released their self-titled debut album, featuring Light My Fire.
- 1972 – Rose Heilbron became the first woman judge to sit at London's Old Bailey.
- 2007 – Nancy Pelosi was elected the first woman Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
- 2010 – The Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, officially opened in Dubai.
Famous birthdays on January 4
- 1785 – Jacob Grimm, German philologist and fairy tale collector
- 1809 – Louis Braille, French inventor of the braille writing system
- 1813 – Isaac Pitman, English inventor of Pitman shorthand
- 1838 – Charles Stratton (General Tom Thumb), American performer for P. T. Barnum
- 1930 – Don Shula, Hall of Fame NFL coach
- 1935 – Floyd Patterson, American heavyweight boxing champion
- 1940 – Brian Josephson, Welsh Nobel Prize-winning physicist
- 1940 – Gao Xingjian, Chinese-born Nobel laureate in literature
- 1960 – Michael Stipe, Lead singer of R.E.M.
- 1965 – Julia Ormond, English actress
What day is January 4?
Frequently asked questions
Why is World Braille Day on January 4?
January 4 is the birthday of Louis Braille, the French educator born in 1809 who invented the raised-dot reading system. The UN General Assembly proclaimed World Braille Day in 2018, and it was first observed in 2019.
When did Utah become a state?
Utah was admitted as the 45th US state on January 4, 1896, more than four decades after Congress created Utah Territory in 1850.
When did Myanmar gain independence?
Burma, now Myanmar, became independent from the United Kingdom on January 4, 1948. The anniversary is a national holiday there.
What day of the week is January 4, 2027?
January 4, 2027 is a Monday. In 2028 it falls on a Tuesday.
What zodiac sign is January 4?
People born on January 4 are Capricorns (December 22 – January 19) in Western astrology.