Opening of 1984 Winter Olympics
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.
This Day in History
Pinocchio Premiers
On February 7, 1940, Pinocchio debuted at the Center Theatre in New York City. It was Disney’s second full-length animated feature film and the first to win a competitive Academy Award.
France Signs Treaty of Alliance with America
On February 6, 1778, Delegates of King Louis XVI of France and the Second Continental Congress signed a Treaty of Alliance, promising military support to each other. French aid and manpower contributed to America’s ultimate victory in the Revolution.
The Electric-Eye Perforator
On February 5, 1935, the US Post Office delivered its first stamps produced using the new electric-eye perforator. This new machine helped ensure better centering of stamps and resulted in a dramatic decrease in waste.
Birth of Mark Hopkins
Mark Hopkins was born on February 4, 1802, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. He was the youngest college president in the US and produced many influential writings on religion, education, morality, and more.
Birth of James A. Michener
James Albert Michener is believed to have been born on February 3, 1907, in New York City. He was a bestselling author of more than 40 books, selling an estimated 75 million copies worldwide.
The Great Race of Mercy
On February 2, 1925, a sled dog team took the Iditarod Trail to deliver a much-needed diphtheria antitoxin to Nome, Alaska, following a deadly outbreak.
Motor Vehicle Use Tax Stamps
A tax on motor vehicle use went into effect on February 1, 1942, to help fund World War II. These short-lived stamps were meant to be displayed on the inside of the windshield, to easily show the tax had been paid.
Battle of Kwajalein
The Battle of Kwajalein began on January 31, 1944. Part of the World War II Pacific Campaign, it was a hard-fought, but quick victory for the US, allowing commanders to launch the next battles sooner than expected.