1. On January 16, 1919, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, which prohibited the sale, transportation, and manufacturing of alcohol in America. This led to the rise of organized crime and illegal "speakeasies" during the era known as Prohibition.

2. In 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. was invited to speak to the National Press Club in Washington D.C. on January 16. His speech discussed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the ongoing struggle for racial justice in America.

3. On January 16, 2005, the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian opened in Washington D.C. The museum features exhibits showcasing the history, culture, and art of Native American tribes.

4. The United States Marine Corps War Memorial, also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, was dedicated on January 16, 1951. The larger-than-life bronze statue depicts Marines raising the American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.

5. On January 16, 1865, General William T. Sherman began his "March to the Sea" from Savanah, Georgia to Charleston, South Carolina, during the Civil War. The campaign was a devastating blow to the Confederate Army and played a major role in the Union's victory.