History

1783: The Great Siege of Gibraltar Lifted The Great Siege of Gibraltar, an epic military confrontation that lasted from 1779 to 1783, ended on February 7, 1783, marking a decisive…

1989: Round Table Talks in Poland The Round Table Talks in Poland, which began on February 6, 1989, were pivotal in the peaceful transition from Communist rule to a democratic…

1952: Accession of Queen Elizabeth II On February 6, 1952, King George VI of the United Kingdom passed away in his sleep at Sandringham House, Norfolk, leading to the accession…

1990: Disintegration of South African Apartheid On February 2, 1990, South Africa began to see the disintegration of its stringent system of racial segregation known as apartheid. President F.W. de…

1943: The Battle of Stalingrad Ends The Battle of Stalingrad, one of the deadliest and most pivotal confrontations of World War II, ended on February 2, 1943, with the surrender…

National Freedom Day in the United States National Freedom Day in the United States, observed annually on February 1st, commemorates the signing of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, by…

1788: First U.S. Patent for a Steamboat On February 1, 1788, the first United States patent for a steamboat was issued to inventors John Fitch, James Rumsey, and Edward Longstreet.…

1968: Eddie Adams' Iconic Vietnam War Photograph On February 1, 1968, photojournalist Eddie Adams captured one of the most iconic and controversial images of the Vietnam War. The photograph depicts…

1960: Greensboro Sit-ins The Greensboro sit-ins, a pivotal moment in the American Civil Rights Movement, began on February 1, 1960. Four African American students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical…

1950: Truman Announces the H-Bomb Development On January 31, 1950, President Harry S. Truman announced the United States' decision to develop the hydrogen bomb, escalating the arms race during the…