On February 3, 1959, a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and pilot Roger Peterson, a tragedy later remembered as The Day the Music Died.

The disaster profoundly shaped celebrity culture, touring practices, mass media, and sparked ongoing safety debates within the music industry.

Today’s history feature recalls the 1959 crash as a defining moment that influenced how artists toured and how the public consumes rock ’n’ roll.

A separate January feature highlights a research center in Lincoln dedicated to preserving Volga German heritage, noting 1870s railroad-driven settlement patterns.

Editor’s note: the piece was originally published in 2022 and later updated for FOX6 News Milwaukee’s site and app.

Weather factors for the period included a powerful winter storm and Gulf-of-MMexico moisture, producing heavy snow bands across the region.

The package includes a sequence of brief This Day in History entries for late January to early February, each with a date and event.

In 1936, Jesse Owens competed in the Berlin indoor games, highlighting sport’s political symbolism and the pressures on athletes as national representatives.

In 1960, Greensboro sit-ins began, illustrating nonviolent civil rights protest and its role in desegregation and legal change.

Note: John Cook announced his retirement from coaching in late January 2025, as reflected in the entry.

January 30, 1886, Scout’s Rest was built for Buffalo Bill, later listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Wisconsin’s role is noted as the Winter Dance Party tour began in Milwaukee on January 23, 1959, at the Million Dollar Ballroom.