Today in the history of the American comic strip: January 25

American cartoonists and writers may not have invented the comic strip, but some argue that the comics, as we know them today, are an American creation. Clearly, the United States has played an outsize role in the development of this underappreciated art form.

1.25.1957: Harry J. Tuthill, creator of The Bungle Family, dies at 71. The comic, which ran from 1918 to 1945, was voted one of the top 100 English language comics of the 20th century by The Comics Journal.
 
1.25.2014: Morrie Turner, the creator of Wee Pals, dies in Sacramento, California, at 90. Launched in 1965, Turner’s comic was the first American syndicated strip with an integrated cast of characters — in this case, children.

Most of the information listed here from one day to the next comes from two online sites -- Wikipedia, and Don Markstein's Toonopedia -- as well as 100 Years of American Newspaper Comics, edited by Maurice Horn. Note that my focus is on American newspaper comic strips (and the occasional foreign strip that gained popularity in the United States). Thus, comic books and exclusively online comics are not included here.