MOMENTS IN TIME

The History Channel

• On Jan. 7, 1789, America’s first presidential election is held as voters cast ballots to choose state electors. Only white men who owned property were allowed to vote. As expected, George Washington won the election and was sworn into office on April 30, 1789.

• On Jan. 12, 1928, a young pianist from Kiev named Vladimir Horowitz makes his American debut at Carnegie Hall. Sir Thomas Beecham, guest conductor of the New York Philharmonic, was the headliner, but it was the young Russian pianist playing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 who stole the show.

• On Jan. 11, 1937,...