- Jan 1 The Belorussian Communist Organisation is founded as a separate party.
- Jan 1 6th Rose Bowl: Harvard beats Oregon 7-6
- Jan 2 Responding to global fear of communism caused by the Russian Revolution, US Attorney General Palmer authorizes raids across the country on unionists and socialists
Music History
Jan 3 Arthur Honegger's "Chant de Nigamon," premieres
- Jan 4 Amsterdam actors decide to strike for retirement benefits
- Jan 7 Five duly elected Socialist assemblymen are denied by the New York State Assembly
- Jan 10 Montreal's Newsy Lalonde scores 6 goals as Canadiens beat Toronto St. Patricks, 14-7 at Mount Royal Arena, Montreal; combined 21 goals an NHL record
- Jan 10 Silver reaches record $1.37 an ounce
- Jan 10 Inauguration of the League of Nations held in Paris
- Jan 11 French passenger ship Afrique sinks near La Rochelle; 553 die
- Jan 12 Annual drafting of baseball players from minor leagues to be done in inverse order of the final standings, agreed to
- Jan 13 NY Times editorial (falsely) reports rockets can never fly
- Jan 16 1st assembly of the League of Nations is held in Paris
- Jan 16 Georgia declares independence
- Jan 16 Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated is founded at Howard University
- Jan 17 Paul Deschanel elected President of France
- Jan 17 First day of prohibition of alcohol comes into effect in the US as a result of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution
- Jan 19 Alexandre Millerand forms French government
- Jan 20 Dutch 2nd Chamber passes school laws
- Jan 20 The American Civil Liberties Union is founded
- Jan 20 Russian Imperial Navy Admiral Alexander Kolchak, leader of anti-communist "White Movement" surrenders to Bolshevik troops
- Jan 21 14th Davis Cup: Australasia beats Great Britain in Sydney (4-1)
Historic Event
Jan 23 Dutch refuse to turn over ex-Emperor William II of Germany to allies
- Jan 24 Australasian Championships Men's Tennis, Sydney: Englishman Algernon Kingscote beats Eric Pockley of Australia 6-4, 6-0, 6-3
- Jan 26 Amedeo Modigliani's fiancé Jeanne Hébuterne jumps out of a window a day after the artist's funeral killing herself and her unborn child
- Jan 26 Former Ford Motor Co. executive Henry Leland launches the Lincoln Motor Company which he later sold to his former employer
Film & TV History
Jan 29 Walt Disney starts work as an artist with KC Slide Co for $40 a week
- Jan 31 1st Ukrainian daily newspaper in US (NYC) begins publication
NHL Record
Jan 31 Quebec Bulldogs center Joe Malone sets NHL record with 7 goals in a 10-6 win against Toronto St. Patricks at the Quebec Arena
- Jan 31 Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity incorporates at Howard University