Today In History

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…

2003: Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere, ending the STS-107 mission tragically. All seven astronauts aboard were lost. The…

1970: The Jackson 5's Chart-Topping Hit The Jackson Five's "I Want You Back," released in 1969, soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart on January 31, 1970,…

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…

2011: Myanmar's Parliamentary Milestone In 2011, Myanmar witnessed a historic moment as its first elected parliament in over fifty years convened, signifying a major step towards democratic reform in a…