Florida Becomes 27th State
On March 3, 1845, Florida joined the Union as the 27th state. The state’s name comes from Ponce de Leon, who arrived centuries earlier and named the area La Florida, likely in honor of the Easter Season, Pascua Florida.
Government
Ohio Becomes 17th State
On March 1, 1803, Ohio was admitted as the 17th state of the Union. Named for the Ohio River, the word Ohio comes from the Seneca people, meaning “great river.”
Creation of the 15th Amendment
On February 26, 1869, the US Senate passed the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, giving people of all races and colors the right to vote. The Amendment would be ratified and become official US law a year later.
Birth of W.E.B. Du Bois
William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born on February 23, 1868, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. A founding member of the NAACP, he was a leading civil rights activist.
Sanitary Fair Stamps
On February 22, 1864, some of the first Sanitary Fair stamps were issued. These stamps raised millions of dollars in funds and supplies for the Civil War.
USS Maine Explodes – Ignites War
On February 15, 1898, the USS Maine mysteriously exploded in Havana Harbor, leading the US to declare war on Spain two months later. Special Revenue stamps depicting the Maine were produced to fund the Spanish-American War and the event had a significant impact on US postage stamps.
Arizona Becomes 48th State
On February 14, 1912, Arizona was admitted as the 48th state. It would be another 48 years before another state was added to the Union.
Operation Cornflakes
On February 5, 1945, the US began a secret operation to overthrow Hitler with postage stamps.
John Marshall – Longest-Serving Chief Justice
John Marshall began his 34-year career as chief justice of the Supreme Court on February 4, 1801. During that time, Marshall participated in more than 1,000 decisions and authored more than 500 opinions.