Seeds of Fire: A People’s Chronology

Recalling events that happened on this day in history.
Memories of struggle, resistance and persistence.

Compiled by Ulli Diemer

January 1, 1788
Birth of Etienne Cabet (1788-1856), French philosopher and utopian socialist, founder of the Icarian movement. Further Reading: Etienne Cabet: Voyage en Icarie [excerpt] Related Topics: Communes – Intentional Communities – Utopian Socialism – Utopias
January 1, 1804
Haiti declares itself a free republic. Haiti becomes the first independent nation in Latin America, the first post-colonial independent black-led nation in the world, and the only nation whose independence was gained through a successful slave rebellion. Related Topics: Haiti – Haitian Revolution – Slave Revolts
January 1, 1818
Publication of Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. Further Reading: Mary Shelly: Frankenstein – Project Gutenberg Frankenstein: Wikipedia article Mads Ryle: Classic book: Frankenstein
January 1, 1831
William Lloyd Garrison publishes the first issue of The Liberator, calling for the immediate abolition of slavery. There are 400 copies of the first issue, printed in the middle of the night using borrowed type. Related Topics: Abolitionism – Anti-Slavery
January 1, 1851
Henry Bibb founds The Voice of the Fugitive, an abolitionist newspaper which is the first black-owned newspaper in Canada. Related Topics: Abolitionism – Anti-Slavery – Black Canadians
January 1859
Karl Marx finishes writing A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy. An intended third chapter, on capital, which Marx hopes to complete “soon”, appears eight years later, as Das Kapital. Further Reading: Karl Marx: Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy Karl Marx: The Grundrisse: Outlines of the Critique of Political Economy Karl Marx: Capital: Volume One Related Topics: Capital – Capitalist Mode of Production – Critique of Political Economy – Economics – History of Capitalism – Marxism Overviews – Political Economy
January 1, 1863
Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation takes effect, slaves in the Confederate States declared free. Related Topics: Anti-Slavery – Lincoln, Abraham – U.S. Civil War
January 1, 1959
Cuban revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro overthrow the Batista dictatorship. Related Topics: Cuba – Revolutionary Moments
January 1, 1983
44 women break into a missile base at Greenham Common. Related Topics: Anti-War Movement – Grassroots Peace Activists – Peace Movement – Women's History
January 1, 1994
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) comes into effect and in Mexico, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation launches a rebellion, occupying the town of San Cristobal de las Casas. Related Topics: North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) – Zapatistas