1964: The Beatles Arrive in New York
On February 7, 1964, the Beatles were greeted by thousands of screaming fans as they landed at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York...
1587: Mary, Queen of Scots Beheaded
On February 8, 1587, Mary I of Scotland was beheaded for her alleged role in a conspiracy against her cousin Queen Elizabeth I of...
1962: Cuban Missile Crisis Begins
On Oct. 14, 1962, a United States spy plane spotted missile bases under construction in Cuba, touching off the two-week Cuban Missile Crisis.
Two Weeks...
1974: Heiress Patty Hearst Kidnapped
On February 4, 1974, members of the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Patty Hearst, 19, granddaughter of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst. After months of...
1933: Arsonist Torches the Reichstag
On February 27, 1933, the Reichstag building in Berlin was burned down by a Dutch communist, possibly with the assistance of Nazi officials. The...
1960: Greensboro Lunch Counter Sit-ins Begin
On February 1, 1960, four black college students refused to leave a lunch counter where they were denied service, sparking a wave of sit-in...
1836: Santa Anna Launches Siege on the Alamo
On February 23, 1836, Mexican General Santa Anna began a siege against nearly 200 Texan rebels stationed inside the Alamo. He launched an assault...
On This Day: Charles Whitman Carries Out Sniper Attack From University of Texas Tower
Charles Whitman had been a model citizen before the rampage. One of the youngest Boy Scouts ever to earn Eagle Scout honors, he joined...
1960: Earthquake Kills Thousands in Morocco
On February 29, 1960, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Agadir, Morocco. The 15-second event killed thousands and leveled parts of the city.
It was a...
1917: Russia’s February Revolution Begins
On March 8, 1917, the female factory workers of Petrograd began striking and rioting in response to food shortages and government oppression. Other Petrograd...
