On this day.... February 1

FEBRUARY 1ST

BIRTHDAYS:

ON THIS DAY:

IN 1524, 20,000 PEOPLE IN LONDON FLEE THEIR HOMES AFTER ASTROLOGERS PREDICT THE WORLD WOULD END WITH A MASSIVE FLOOD
IN 1587, QUEEN ELIZABETH SIGNS THE DEATH WARRANT FOR HER COUSIN, MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
IN 1790, THE US SUPREME COURT MEETS FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN 1793, FRANCE DECLARES WAR ON GREAT BRITAIN
IN 1851, MARY SHELLEY DIES OF A BRAIN TUMOR AT 53
IN 1856, EAST ALABAMA MALE COLLEGE IS CHARTERED (LATER AUBURN UNIVERSITY)
IN 1861, TEXAS SECEDES FROM THE UNION, OFFICIALLY STARTING THE CIVIL WAR

IN 1898, TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY ISSUES THE FIRST AUTO INSURANCE POLICY
In 1953, CBS PREMIERES “GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATRE” WHICH WAS LATER HOSTED BY RONALD REAGAN
IN 1953, CBS PREMIERES WALTER KRONKITE’S “YOU ARE THERE”
IN 1958, DOMENICO MODUGNO RELEASES “VOLARE”
IN 1960, FOUR BLACK STUDENTS ARE ARRESTED WHEN THEY REFUSE TO MOVE FROM A WOOLWORTH’S LUNCH COUNTER AFTER BEING DENIED SERVICE
IN 1964, THE BEATLES GO TO #1 WITH “I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND”

IN 1965, 700 PROTESTERS INCLUDING MARTIN LUTHER KING ARE ARRESTED IN SELMA
IN 1965, PETER JENNINGS BECOMES THE ANCHOR OF ABC NIGHTLY NEWS AT 26
IN 1968, RICHARD NIXON ANNOUNCES HE IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT
IN 1968, VINCE LOMBARDI RESIGNS AS COACH OF THE GREEN BAY PACKERS
IN 1968, NGUYEN VAN LEM IS EXCUTED BY THE VIET CONG, CAPTURED BY PHOTOGRAPHER EDDIE ADAMS IN AN ICONIC PHOTO
IN 1969, JIM MORRISON IS ARRESTED FOR EXPOSING HIMSELF ON STAGE
IN 1972, CHUCK BERRY GOES TO #1 IN BRITAIN WITH “MY DING A LING”

IN 1978, AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO HAVING SEX WITH A 13 YEAR OLD GIRL, ROMAN POLANSKI FLEES TO FRANCE
IN 1979, THE AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI RETURNS TO IRAN AFTER AN EXILE OF 15 YEARS
IN 1979, PATTY HEARST IS RELEASED FROM PRISON
IN 1980, BLONDIE RELEASES “CALL ME”
IN 1982, “LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN” DEBUTS ON NBC WITH BILL MURRAY AS THE FIRST GUEST

IN 1989, PRINCESS DIANA VISITS NEW YORK CITY
IN 1991, SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT F.W. DE CLERK ANNOUNCES APARTHEID IS OVER
IN 1991, JOHN GRISHAM RELEASES “THE FIRM”
IN 1992, ELTON JOHN AND GEORGE MICHAEL GO TO #1 WITH THEIR LIVE COVER OF “DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME”

IN 1993, THE SIMPSONS COMIC BOOK HITS SHELVES
IN 2003, SEVEN DIE IN THE COLUMBIA SPACE SHUTTLE DISASTER UPON RE-ENTRY
IN 2004, JANET JACKSON HAS A “WARDROBE MALFUNCTION” DURING THE SUPER BOWL HALF TIME SHOW WHEN JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE EXPOSES HER BREAST ON LIVE TV
IN 2004, THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS BEAT THE CAROLINA PANTHERS 32-29 IN SUPER BOWL 38

IN 2005, CANADA LEGALIZES SAME SEX MARRIAGE WITH THE “CIVIL MARRIAGE ACT”
IN 2006, BEN BERNANKE BECOMES CHAIRMAN OF THE US FEDERAL RESERVE
IN 2012, DON CORNELIUS SHOOTS AND KILLS HIMSELF AT 75
IN 2013, JOHN KERRY REPLACED HILLARY CLINTON AS SECRETARY OF STATE
IN 2013, A FIREWORKS TRUCK EXPLODES AND CAUSES A HIGHWAY TO COLLAPSE KILLING 26 PEOPLE IN CHINA
IN 2013, NETFLIX RELEASES THE FIRST SEASON OF “HOUSE OF CARDS”

IN 2014, JANET YELLEN REPLACES BEN BERNANKE AS CHAIR OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE
IN 2015, THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS DEFEAT THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 28-24 IN SUPER BOWL 49
IN 2016, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DECLARES ZIKA TO BE A GLOBAL CRISIS
IN 2016, THE IOWA CAUCUS ENDS WITH TED CRUZ BEATING DONALD TRUMP FOR THE REP. NOMINATION AND HILLARY CLINTON BEATING BERNIE SANDERS BY COIN TOSS
IN 2017, REX TILLERSON IS CONFIRMED AS SECRETARY OF STATE