History

1959: Patenting of the First Microchip The first microchip, a revolutionary component that would become the cornerstone of modern electronics, was patented on February 6, 1959. Developed by Jack Kilby…

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…

2009: Eric Holder Confirmed as U.S. Attorney General On February 2, 2009, the U.S. Senate confirmed Eric Holder as the U.S. Attorney General, making him the first African-American to hold…

1714: Premiere of Nicholas Rowe's "The Tragedy of Jane Shore" Nicholas Rowe's play "The Tragedy of Jane Shore" premiered in London on February 2, 1714. The play, based on the…

1922: Publication of “Ulysses” by James Joyce James Joyce's "Ulysses," a landmark novel in modernist literature, was published on February 2, 1922. The novel, which chronicles the peripatetic appointments and…

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…