January 6 is widely discussed today because of the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, but it also has longer‑standing cultural and calendar meanings like religious observances and “national days.”

Key things that happened on January 6, 2021

  • Supporters of then‑President Donald Trump gathered in Washington, D.C., on the day Congress met to certify the 2020 presidential election results.
  • A large crowd moved to the U.S. Capitol, where some people breached security, vandalized property, and violently clashed with police, disrupting the formal certification for several hours.
  • The events led to multiple deaths and injuries, hundreds of criminal charges, and years of ongoing legal and political fallout, including a House “January 6th Committee” investigation into causes and responsibility.

Why people say “January 6” like a shorthand

  • In U.S. politics and online forums, “January 6” has become a shorthand term for that Capitol attack, similar to how other dates (like “9/11”) stand in for a specific traumatic event.
  • The date is used in debates about extremism, election denial, security failures, and the health of American democracy, and it regularly resurfaces in news and social media discussions.

Other meanings of January 6 (every year)

  • In the Christian calendar, January 6 is often celebrated as Epiphany or “Three Kings’ Day,” marking the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus in many traditions.
  • In the U.S., it is also tied to lighter “national day” observances such as National Cuddle Up Day and National Technology Day, which are part of a broader trend of informal themed days.

TL;DR: When people ask “what happened January 6th” today, they almost always mean the 2021 U.S. Capitol attack tied to the certification of the 2020 election, but the date also has longstanding religious and cultural meanings like Epiphany and modern “national day” observances.