This week in February serves as a powerful cross-section of the American experience, spanning the revolutionary founding of the nation to the cutting-edge achievements of the space age. From the birth of George Washington and the political maneuvers of the Missouri Compromise to the tragic assassination of Malcolm X and the triumphant “Miracle on Ice,” these seven days highlight the resilience, innovation, and ongoing social evolution of the United States.
February 17
- The H.L. Hunley Sinks the USS Housatonic (1864): During the Civil War, the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley became the first underwater vessel in history to sink an enemy warship when it torpedoed the Union’s USS Housatonic off the coast of Charleston.
- The Armory Show Opens in New York (1913): Formally known as the International Exhibition of Modern Art, this landmark event introduced Americans to European avant-garde styles like Cubism and Fauvism, forever altering the trajectory of American art.
February 18
- Jefferson Davis Inaugurated as Confederate President (1861): In Montgomery, Alabama, Jefferson Davis was sworn in as the provisional president of the Confederate States of America, signaling the formal political organization of the seceding Southern states.
- Mark Twain Publishes Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885): One of the most significant works in American literature was officially published in the United States, challenging social norms through its complex portrayal of race and morality on the Mississippi River.
February 19
- FDR Signs Executive Order 9066 (1942): During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed this order, authorizing the forced relocation and internment of over 110,000 Japanese Americans, a move later recognized as a grave violation of civil liberties.
- The Battle of Iwo Jima Begins (1945): Approximately 30,000 U.S. Marines landed on the shores of Iwo Jima in one of the most intense and iconic battles of the Pacific Theater, eventually leading to the famous flag-raising on Mount Suribachi.
February 20
- John Glenn Orbits the Earth (1962): Aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, completing three orbits and restoring American confidence during the height of the Space Race.
- The Post Office Act Established (1792): President George Washington signed legislation that created the United States Post Office Department, establishing the postal service as a permanent part of the federal government and facilitating national communication.
February 21
- The Washington Monument is Dedicated (1885): After decades of construction delays, the 555-foot marble obelisk honoring the first U.S. President was formally dedicated in Washington, D.C., becoming the world’s tallest stone structure at the time.
- The Assassination of Malcolm X (1965): While preparing to address the Organization of Afro-American Unity in Manhattan, the influential civil rights leader was shot and killed, marking a tragic turning point in the struggle for Black empowerment.
February 22
- Birth of George Washington (1732): The first President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, a legacy celebrated annually on Presidents’ Day.
- The “Miracle on Ice” (1980): In one of the greatest upsets in sports history, the young U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union team 4–3 in Lake Placid, New York, during the Winter Games.
February 23
- The Siege of the Alamo Begins (1836): Mexican forces under General Santa Anna arrived in San Antonio to begin a 13-day siege of the Alamo mission, an event that became a central symbol of Texan and American grit.
- First Mass Inoculation Against Polio (1954): The first large-scale program to vaccinate children against polio using the Salk vaccine began in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, signaling the beginning of the end for one of the nation’s most feared diseases.
