On this day, Jan. 25

1533 England’s King Henry VIII secretly married his second wife, Anne Boleyn, who later gave birth to Elizabeth I.

1890 Nellie Bly completed her trip around the globe in 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes.

1915 America’s first official transcontinental telephone call took place as Alexander Graham Bell, who was in New York, spoke to his former assistant, Thomas Watson, who was in San Francisco, over a line set up by American Telephone & Telegraph. 1940 “Musical Americana,” the national radio program of Westinghouse, was instituted by KDKA.

1954 The state Supreme Court dismissed the Common Pleas Court conviction and 20-year sentence of communist Steve Nelson on grounds that the case legally belonged in federal court under the Smith Act.

1981 The 52 Americans held hostage by Iran for 444 days arrived in the United States.

2009 Retired Steeler Franco Harris unveiled an “Immaculate Reception” statue at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.

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: Country singer Claude Gray, 89. Actor Leigh Taylor-Young, 77.

Actor Jenifer Lewis, 64. Country musician Mike Burch (River Road), 55. R&B singer Kina, 52. Actor China Kantner, 50. Actor Ana Ortiz, 50. Drummer Joe Sirois (Mighty Mighty Bosstones), 49. Musician Matt Odmark (Jars of Clay), 47. Actor Mia Kirshner, 46. Actor Christine Lakin, 42. R&B singer Alicia Keys, 41. Actor Michael Trevino, 36. Pop musician Calum Hood (5 Seconds of Summer), 25. Actor Olivia Edward, 14.

Thought for today: “Love must be learned and learned again and again; there is no end to it. Hate needs no instruction but wants only to be provoked.”

— Katherine Anne Porter, American author

(1894-1980)