Historical Events
- Feb 1 -50°F (-46°C), Gavilan, New Mexico (state record)
- Feb 1 1st X-ray moving picture process demonstrated
- Feb 1 Arms manufacturer Alfred Krupp (43) and 28 other convicted German war criminals granted amnesty
- Feb 1 UN condemns People's Republic of China as aggressor in Korea
- Feb 1 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site; 1st live television broadcast of such detonation by KTLA in Los Angeles, California at 5:30 AM local time
- Feb 2 -35°F (-37°C), Greensburg, Indiana (state record until 1994)
- Feb 2 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
"The Victor Borge Show"
Feb 3 "The Victor Borge Show" debuts on NBC-TV
- Feb 3 Dick Button wins US skating title for 6th time
- Feb 3 Largest purse to date in horse racing, $144,323, won by Great Circle
"The Rose Tattoo"
Feb 3 Tennessee Williams' play "The Rose Tattoo" premieres in NYC
Harvey Arrested at Test Site
Feb 6 Radio commentator Paul Harvey arrested for trying to sneak into Argonne National Laboratory, a nuclear test site located 20 miles (32 km) west of Chicago, Illinois
- Feb 6 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site Argonne Atomic Lab (Ill), to demonstrate lax in security
Browns Sign Paige
Feb 9 St Louis Browns sign pitcher Satchel Paige, 45
- Feb 10 "John and Marsha" by Stan Freberg, a parody of daytime soap operas which had only two voices repeating each other's names, peaks at #21 in the USA
1st General Election in the Gold Coast
Feb 11 Kwame Nkrumah and his Convention People's Party wins 1st legislative general election in the Gold Coast (Ghana) in a landslide
Sports History
Feb 14 Sugar Ray Robinson defeats Jake LaMotta & takes middleweight title
- Feb 16 NYC passes bill prohibiting racism in city-assisted housing
- Feb 16 San Francisco City Hall dome fire
Sports History
Feb 17 Detroit right wing Gordie Howe scores his 100th career NHL goal and adds an assist in a 2-1 Red Wings' victory over the Canadiens, in Montreal, Quebec
- Feb 18 3 City College of NY basketball players admit to accepting bribes
- Feb 18 Nepal becomes a constitutional monarchy
- Feb 18 Netherlands Radio School forms
- Feb 21 South Carolina House of Representatives urges "Shoeless Joe" Jackson be reinstated by Major League Baseball
- Feb 22 4th British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAs): "All About Eve" Best Film
- Feb 24 "Bless You All" closes at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC after 84 performances
- Feb 24 Ice Pairs Championship at Milan won by Ria Baran & Paul Falk of GER
- Feb 24 Ladies' Figure Skating Champion in Milan won by Jeanette Altwegg of Great Britain
- Feb 24 Men's Figure Skating Championship in Milan won by Richard Button of USA
- Feb 25 "Michael Todd's Peep Show" closes at Winter Garden, NYC, after 278 performances
- Feb 25 1st Pan American Games opens (Buenos Aires Argentina)
- Feb 26 Bread rationing in Czechoslovakia begins
- Feb 27 22nd amendment ratified, limiting US Presidents to 2 terms
8th Golden Globes
Feb 28 8th Golden Globes: "Sunset Boulevard", Jose Ferrer, & Gloria Swanson win
- Feb 28 French government of Pleven dissolves
- Feb 28 Senate committee reports of at least 2 major US crime syndicates
Famous Birthdays
- Feb 1 (Clide) "Sonny" Landreth, American blues and zydeco slide guitar player, born in Canton, Mississippi
- Feb 1 Andrew Smith, British politician and MP for Oxford East (1987-2017), born in Wokingham, England
- Feb 1 Fran Christina, American rock and blues drummer (Fabulous Thunderbirds, 1977-96; Marcia Ball), born in Westerly, Rhode Island
- Feb 2 Alphonso Johnson, American jazz and jazz-fusion bassist and Chapman stick player (Weather Report, 1973-76; Billy Cobham; Jazz Is Dead), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Feb 2 Ken Bruce, Scottish broadcaster (The Ken Bruce Show), born in Glasgow, Scotland
- Feb 2 Kim Zimmer, American actress (Guiding Light, Doctors, One Life to Live), born in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Feb 3 Blaise Compaoré, Burkinabé politician (President of Burkina Faso 1987-2014), born in Ziniare, Burkina Faso
- Feb 3 Eugenijus Riabovas, Lithuanian football manager
- Feb 3 Felipe Munoz, Mexican 200m backstroke swimmer (Olympic gold 1968)
- Feb 4 Dariush Eghbali, Iranian Persian-pop singer and musician, born in Tehran, Iran
- Feb 4 Patrick Bergin, Irish actor
- Feb 4 Stan Papi, American baseball player
- Feb 5 Elizabeth Swados, American theater composer, playwright (Runaways; The Beautiful Lady), and novelist, born in Buffalo, New York (d. 2016)
- Feb 5 Geraint Watkins, Welsh session and touring rock and roll pianist, accordion player, and singer-songwriter, born in Abertridwr, Wales
- Feb 6 Jacques Villeret, French film actor, born in Loches, France (d. 2005)
- Feb 6 Marco Antônio, Brazilian footballer, born in Santos, Brazil
- Feb 6 Margo [Margeret Catherine O'Donnell], Irish singer, born in County Donegal, Ireland
- Feb 6 Maria Christina, Belgian princess and daughter of Leopold III, born in Brussels, Belgium
- Feb 7 Manfred Schumann, German FR, bobsled (Olympic-silver/bronze-1976)
- Feb 7 Patrick Allen, Jamaican statesman (Governor-General of Jamaica 2009-), born in Fruitful Vale, Colony of Jamaica
- Feb 8 Z'EV, American text/sound artist (born Stefan Weisser)
- Feb 9 David Pomeranz, American singer, composer, lyricist, and writer for musical theater ("On This Day"), born in New York City
- Feb 9 Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, American funk saxophonist (Kool & The Gang - "Who's Gonna Take The Weight"), born in Jersey City, New Jersey (d. 2021) [1]
- Feb 9 Jay Inslee, American politician, Governor of Washington (2013-), Rep-D-Washington (1993-5, 1999-2012), born in Seattle, Washington
- Feb 9 Penny Peyser, American actress (Rich Man Poor Man, Knots Landing), born in Irvington, New York
- Feb 10 Bob [Robert] Iger, American entertainment executive (CEO of The Walt Disney Company), born in New York City
- Feb 10 Roxanne Pulitzer, author (Prize Pulitzer), born in Glendale, California
- Feb 10 Zeudi Araya, Asmara Ethiopia, Miss Ethiopia (1969)
- Feb 12 Gil Moore, Canadian hard rock drummer and vocalist (Triumph) and recording studio owner (Metalworks), born in Toronto, Ontario
- Feb 12 Steven Parent, Manson murder victim (d. 1969)
- Feb 13 David Naughton, American actor (My Sister Sam, Separate Vacations), born in Hartford, Connecticut
- Feb 13 Greg Fulginiti, American recording and mastering engineer, born in North Wildwood, New Jersey
- Feb 14 Kevin Keegan, English soccer forward, manager (England 63 caps, Liverpool, Newcastle United), born in Armthorpe, Doncaster
- Feb 14 Michael Doucet, Cajun-American zydeco, folk, and blues singer and fiddler (BeauSoleil), born in Scott, Louisiana
- Feb 14 Sylvain Sylvain [Mizrahi], Egyptian-American rock guitarist (New York Dolls), born in Cairo, Egypt (d. 2021)
- Feb 15 Jane Seymour [Joyce Frankenberg], British actress (Live and Let Die; Somewhere in Time; Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman), born in London, England
- Feb 15 Melissa Manchester, American pop singer ("Don't Cry Out Loud"; "Midnight Blue"), born in The Bronx, New York
- Feb 16 Larry Finch, American college basketball coach (University of Memphis 1986-97), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2011)
- Feb 16 Super Chikan [James Johnson], American blues guitarist (Chikadelic), born in Darling, Mississippi
- Feb 16 William Katt, American actor (Greatest American Hero, Carrie), born in Los Angeles, California
- Feb 17 Lou Ann Barton, American blues singer, born in Fort Worth, Texas
- Feb 18 Isabel Preysler, Philippines-born Spanish socialite, born in Manila, Philippines
- Feb 19 Alan Merrill [Allan Sachs], American vocalist and songwriter (The Arrows -"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"), born in The Bronx, New York City (d. 2020)
- Feb 19 Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri (Db), Pakistani Islamic Sufi Scholar
- Feb 19 Stephen Nichols, American actor (Witchboard, Days of our Lives), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Feb 20 Anthony Davis, American pianist, Pulitzer Prize winning composer (The Central Park Five; X), and professor of music (University of California), born in Paterson, New Jersey
- Feb 20 Edward Albert, American actor (Falcon Crest - "Jeff"; Butterflies are Free), born in Los Angeles, California
Gordon Brown (73 years old)
Feb 20 British Labour Prime Minister (2007–10), born in Giffnock, Scotland
- Feb 20 Kathy Baillie, American country vocalist (Baille Boys - "Oh Heart"), born in Morristown, New Jersey
- Feb 20 Patrice Fisher, American jazz, pop, and Celtic harpist, and teacher, born in New Orleans, Louisiana
- Feb 20 Phil Neal, English soccer defender (50 caps; Liverpool 455 games) and manager (Bolton Wanderers, Coventry City, Cardiff City), born in Irchester, England
- Feb 20 Randy California [Wolfe], American guitarist (Spirit - "I Got A Line On You"; "Taurus"), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1997)
- Feb 21 John Parker, New Zealand cricket batsman (36 Tests, 3 x 100s; 24 ODIs; Worcestershire CCC, Northern Districts CA), born in Dannevirke, New Zealand
- Feb 21 Vince Welnick, American rock keyboardist (The Tubes - "Talk To Ya Later"; Grateful Dead, 1990-95), born in Phoenix, Arizona (d. 2003)
- Feb 22 Elaine Tanner, Canadian swimmer (WR 220yd butterfly, 440yd IM, 100/200m backstroke; Olympic silver 100/200m backstroke 1968), born in Vancouver, British Columbia
- Feb 22 Harley O. Staggers Jr., American politician (Rep-D-WV, 1983-93), born in Washington, D.C
- Feb 23 Debbie Friedman, American singer-songwriter and arranger of Jewish religious music ("Mi Shebeirach"), born in Utica, New York (d. 2011)
- Feb 23 Ed "Too Tall" Jones, American NFL defensive end (Pro Bowl, All Pro 1981-83; Super Bowl 1977; Dallas Cowboys), born in Jackson, Tennessee
- Feb 23 Nicholas Kenyon, controller (BBC Radio 3)
- Feb 23 Patricia Richardson, American actress (Double Trouble, Home Improvement), born in Bethesda, Maryland
- Feb 24 Debra Jo Rupp, American stage and screen actress (That '70s Show - "Kitty"; Becoming Dr. Ruth), born in Glendale, California
- Feb 24 Derek Randall, English cricket batsman (47 Tests, 7 x 100, HS 174; Nottinghamshire CCC, Suffolk CCC), born in Retford, England
- Feb 24 Helen Shaver, Ontario Canada, actress (WIOU, Praise of Older Women)
- Feb 25 César Cedeño, Dominican baseball center fielder (Houston Astros) and four-time All-Star player, born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- Feb 25 Don Quarrie, Jamaican runner
- Feb 25 James Brown, American sportscaster (CBS News, The NFL Today), born in Washington, D.C.
- Feb 27 Lee Atwater, Republican National Committee Chairman (1989-91), born in Atlanta, Georgia (d. 1991)
- Feb 27 Stathis Psaltis, Greek actor, born in Velo, Greece (d. 2017)
- Feb 27 Steve Harley, British pop and glam-rock singer-songwriter (Cockney Rebel - "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)"), born in Kent, England (d. 2024)
- Feb 28 Bill Cratty, American modern dancer and choreographer, born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 1998)
- Feb 28 Gustavo Thoeni, Italian giant slalom (Olympic gold 1972)
- Feb 28 Karsan Ghavri, cricketer (Indian lefty medium pacer early 80s)
Famous Weddings
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Feb 10 Shah of Persia Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (31) marries actress Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary (19)
W.E.B. Du Bois
Feb 27 American civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois (83) weds award-winning author Shirley Graham (54) in Queens, New York
Famous Deaths
- Feb 9 Eddy Duchin, American pianist and bandleader (Eddy Duchin Orchestra), dies of acute myelogenous leukemia at 41
- Feb 10 Joseph Bovet, Swiss composer and conductor (Fribourg folk music), dies at 71
- Feb 12 Choudhary Rehmat Ali, Pakistani nationalist (one of the earliest proponents of the creation of the state of Pakistan and recognized as the creator of the name “Pakistan” for a separate Muslim, homeland in South Asia and is known as the founder of the Pakistan National Movement), dies at 53
- Feb 13 Lloyd C. Douglas, American novelist (The Big Fisherman), dies at 73
- Feb 16 Henri Velge, 1st chairman (Belgian Council of State), dies at 65
- Feb 16 Hisatada Otaka, Japanese conductor (Japan Symphony Orchestra, 1942-51), and composer, dies at 39
- Feb 17 Nikoghayos Fadeyi Tigranyan, Armenian composer, dies at 94
- Feb 18 Pieter Hopmans, Dutch Bishop of Breda (Eucharistic Crusade), dies at 85
André Gide (1869-1951)
Feb 19 French writer (Lafcadio's Adventures-Nobel 1947), dies of pneumonia at 81
- Feb 20 Howard Brockway, American composer, dies at 80
- Feb 21 Anton Roemer, Dutch actor (Potasch & Perlemoer, Boefje), dies at 63
- Feb 25 "Smokey" Joe Williams, American Baseball HOF pitcher (NgL, Mexico, Caribbean 1905-32; no-hitter 1919 NY Lincoln Giants), dies at 64
- Feb 27 Henry Louis Smith, American physicist who made the first X-ray photograph, dies at 91
- Feb 28 Vsevolod Vishnevsky, Russian playwright and journalist, dies at 50
Year of the Rabbit
Year of the Dragon
Year of the Snake
Year of the Horse
Year of the Goat/Sheep
Year of the Monkey