On this day, Jan. 12

1831 The Pittsburgh Times began publication.

1910 At a White House dinner hosted by President William Howard Taft, Baroness Rosen, wife of the Russian ambassador, caused a stir by requesting and smoking a cigarette — it was, apparently, the first time a woman had smoked openly during a public function in the executive mansion. (Some other women present who had brought their own cigarettes began lighting up in turn.)

1930 Pittsburgh taxi drivers held a mass meeting at Duquesne Gardens to begin a strike against the Green and Yellow Cab companies in protest against what they claimed was a pay cut.

1959 Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records (originally Tamla Records) in Detroit.

1975 The Steelers won Super Bowl IX in New Orleans, 16-6, over the Minnesota Vikings. Ten thousand people invaded the Downtown area after the victory; 224 were arrested for drunkenness.

2011 President Barack Obama visited Tucson, Ariz., the scene of a shooting rampage that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed six others.

Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).

— Compiled by Rick Nowlin Today’s birthdays: The Amazing Kreskin, 86. Country singer William Lee Golden (The Oak Ridge Boys), 82. Actor Anthony Andrews, 73. Movie director Wayne Wang, 72. Actor Kirstie Alley, 70. Political commentator Rush Limbaugh, 70. Legal affairs blogger Ann Althouse, 70. Writer Walter Mosley, 69. Country singer Ricky Van Shelton, 69. Radio-TV personality Howard Stern, 67. Writer-producer-director John Lasseter, 64. Broadcast journalist Christiane Amanpour, 63. Actor Oliver Platt, 61. Basketball Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, 61. Entrepreneur Jeff Bezos, 57. Rock singer Rob Zombie, 56. Actor Olivier Martinez, 55. Model Vendela, 54. Actor Farrah Forke, 53. Actor Rachael Harris, 53. Rock singer Zack de la Rocha, 51. Rapper Raekwon (Wu Tang Clan), 51. Actor Zabryna Guevara, 49. Singer Dan Haseltine (Jars of Clay), 48. Singer Melanie Chisholm (Spice Girls), 47. Contemporary Christian singer Jeremy Camp, 43. Actor Cynthia Addai-Robinson, 41. Rhythm-and-blues singer Amerie, 41. Actor Issa Rae, 36. Actor Will Rothhaar, 34. Actor Andrew Lawrence, 33. Rock singer ZAYN, 28. Pop/soul singer Ella Henderson (TV: “The X Factor”), 25.

Thought for today: “Being young is a fault which improves daily.”