This Day In History

James Hubert “Eubie” Blake was born on February 7, 1887, in Baltimore, Maryland, at a moment when American music was on the verge of transformation. From those beginnings emerged a composer and pianist who would help shape ragtime, jazz, and Broadway for generations to come.

On February 6, 1959, Texas Instruments engineer Jack Kilby filed the first patent for an integrated circuit, a modest document that described a bold new way to build electronics. That filing helped set in motion a shift from room-sized machines to pocket-sized devices that would unfold over the next several decades.

On February 5, 1953, Walt Disney released his 14th animated feature, Peter Pan. The film brought a beloved stage story to life in a way audiences had never seen before, using animation to turn fantasy into motion, color, and sound.

Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her quiet resolve and careful preparation would later place her at the center of one of the most important civil rights protests in American history.

On February 5, 1953, Walt Disney released his 14th animated feature, Peter Pan. The film brought a beloved stage story to life in a way audiences had never seen before, using animation to turn fantasy into motion, color, and sound.

On February 2, 1914, a little-known British stage performer appeared on screen for the first time, launching one of the most influential careers in film history. That debut film marked the moment Charlie Chaplin stepped into motion pictures and began reshaping comedy, storytelling, and cinema itself.

Neysa McMein, born on January 24, 1888, helped shape how America saw itself during the early 20th century through powerful images that appeared everywhere from magazines to movie studios. Her art captured modern beauty, wartime patriotism, and celebrity culture at a moment when illustration defined public life.

On December 27, 1947, Howdy Doody made his television debut on a program called Puppet Playhouse, marking an important moment in early TV history. The cheerful, freckle-faced marionette quickly became one of the first true stars of children’s television. At a time when television itself was still new, Howdy Doody helped shape what kids’ programming could be—and proved that television could be a powerful force in American family life.

On February 8, 1693, a royal charter officially established the College of William and Mary. Today it’s the second-oldest college in America (behind Harvard).

William Tecumseh Sherman was born on February 8, 1820 in Lancaster, Ohio. His tough “scorched earth” policy was a severe blow to morale in the Confederacy during the Civil War.

On February 8, 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was officially founded.  The world’s largest youth organization, the Boy Scouts has grown from a British youth group to a worldwide movement with members in almost every country around the globe.

The 1984 Winter Olympic Games opened in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia), on February 8, 1984. These were the first Winter Games – and the second Olympics – held in a Communist state.