There are a number of things to observe this month, some traditional, some new, some frivolous – and some actually significant or important. It seems like everybody has a pet project they want to promote and, if they can get the President, the Governor, the Mayor, or someone else with a bit of clout to endorse it, they might be able to recruit bands of fellow enthusiasts.

A number of historic events are of greater interest and significance to all of us, however. On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, That executive order officially changed the purpose of the Civil War from preventing the Southern states from withdrawing from the Union to include the freeing of slaves in the Confederate states. It also authorized black men to enlist in the Union Army. Ultimately, that proclamation led to the abolishment of slavery in all states and the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment.

Ellis Island, which served as our main immigration station from 1892 to 1954, was opened on January 1, 1892. During that time, it processed over 12 million immigrants. The original wooden buildings were destroyed by a fire in 1897 and replaced by a new fireproof structure that opened in December of 1900. The Island’s first immigrant was a 15-year-old Irish girl named Annie Moore (some accounts list her as being 17 years old). She arrived with her two younger brothers and was greeted with a brief ceremony and a $10 gold coin from officials.

The Statue of Liberty – officially named “Liberty Enlightening the World” was designed by French sculptor Bartholdi with its internal framework by the builder of France’s Eiffel Tower. A gift to the U.S. from France, the statue was dedicated on October 28. 1886, by President Grover Cleveland. The torch symbolizes enlightenment, the crown’s seven rays represent the seven continents, the tablet she holds shows the date of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, and the broken chains at the statue’s feet stand for the end of oppression and slavery. American poet Emma Lazarus wrote the sonnet “The New Colossus” in 1883 to raise money to build the pedestal for the statue. Cast in bronze, the poem is displayed in the lower level of the pedestal.

This month also includes the anniversary of Alaska statehood, which occurred on January 3, 1959, after a thirteen-year delay of political balancing in the Legislature, dealing with issues concerning the rights of Alaska’s indigenous people and other distracting issues.

Also worthy of remembrance are Martin Luther King Day and the tragic explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. It was in the month of January that Thomas Edison filed for his patent of the first light bulb, a welcome contribution to gloomy January days to this day.

A good many notable people were born during this month, including Martin Luther King Jr., Dolly Parton, Oprah Winfrey, Joan of Arc, J.R.R. Tolkien, Betty White, Ellen DeGeneres, J. Edgar Hoover, Alexander Hamilton, Mohammad Ali, Piper Laurie, Virginia Woolf, Benjamin Franklin, the composer Mozart, Elvis Presley, and author Lewis Carol.

Two of America’s favorite foods are celebrated during this month; January 4th was National Spaghetti Day and National Chocolate Cake Day is coming up on the 27th.. You could easily double your pleasure by combining the two in a celebratory meal on the 4th, and again on the 27th.

I’d like to change the celebration of libraries to January. Most of the Library Days, Weeks and Months seem to occur in April – a month that, aside from the arrival of spring weather, seems to have more than its share of celebratory occasions. When we really, really need libraries is those gloomy, short, limiting days and foul weather of January. Let ‘s dedicate the whole month to libraries and April babies such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Edgar Allan Poe, A.A. Milne, Jack London, J.D. Salinger, Isaac Asimov, Carl Sandburg, Anne Bronte and your favorite authors (whether born in January or not.)