Home › Almanac › On This Day
On This Day in History — February 20
‹ February 19The AlmanacFebruary 21 ›
Highlights of February 20
- 2010 — Severe flooding and mudslides on the island of Madeira, Portugal, killed 51 people. Read more
- 2009 — The Tamil Tigers attempted to crash two aircraft laden with C-4 in suicide attacks on Colombo, Sri Lanka, but the planes were shot down before they reached their targets. Read more
- 1998 — At the age of 15, American figure skater Tara Lipinski became the then-youngest winner of an Olympic gold medal in the history of the Winter Olympic Games. Read more
- 1992 — Appearing on the talk show Larry King Live, U.S. industrialist Ross Perot announced that he would begin a presidential campaign if "ordinary people" wanted him to run for office. Read more
- 1988 — The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast voted to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia, triggering the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. Read more
- 1970 — Wat Phra Dhammakaya, one of the largest Buddhist temples in Thailand, was founded in Pathum Thani. Read more
- 1965 — The NASA spacecraft Ranger 8 spacecraft transmitted 7,137 photographs of the Moon in the final 23 minutes of its mission before crashing as planned into Mare Tranquillitatis. Read more
- 1962 — The Project Mercury stamp, designed by Charles R. Chickering, was released to commemorate the successful space flight of Colonel John Glenn. Read more
- 1959 — Canadian prime minister John Diefenbaker cancelled the Avro CF-105 Arrow (pictured) interceptor-aircraft program amid much political debate. Read more
- 1943 — A fissure opened in a cornfield in the Mexican state of Michoacán and continued to erupt for nine years, forming the cinder cone Parícutin . Read more
- 1943 — The Saturday Evening Post published the first of Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms, among the most widely distributed paintings ever produced, in support of U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt's Four Freedoms. Read more
- 1931 — Paraguayan anarchists briefly seized the city of Encarnación as part of a larger plan to initiate a social revolution in the country. Read more
- 1872 — The Metropolitan Museum of Art , today the largest art museum in the United States with a collection of more than two million works, opened in New York. Read more
- 1864 — American Civil War: The Union Army suffered a one-in-three casualty rate at the Battle of Olustee near Lake City, Florida. Read more
- 1846 — Polish insurgents in the Free City of Kraków led an uprising (depicted) attempting to incite a fight for national independence that was put down by the Austrian Empire nine days later. Read more
- 1835 — An earthquake registering approximately 8.5 Mw devastated Concepción, Chile, and triggered a tsunami that destroyed neighbouring Talcahuano. Read more
- 1816 — The Barber of Seville, an opera buffa composed by Gioachino Rossini, premiered at the Teatro Argentina in Rome to jeers from the audience. Read more
- 1685 — The French colonization of Texas began with the landing of colonists led by Robert de La Salle near Matagorda Bay. Read more
Events
- 2016 — Six people are killed and two injured in multiple shooting incidents in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Read more
- 2015 — Two trains collide in the Swiss town of Rafz resulting in as many as 49 people injured and Swiss Federal Railways cancelling some services. Read more
- 2014 — Dozens of Euromaidan anti-government protesters die in Ukraine's capital Kyiv, many reportedly killed by snipers. Read more
- 2010 — In Madeira Island, Portugal, heavy rain causes floods and mudslides, resulting in at least 43 deaths, in the worst disaster in the history of the archipelago. Read more
- 2009 — Two Tamil Tigers aircraft packed with C4 explosives en route to the national airforce headquarters are shot down by the Sri Lankan military before reaching their target, in a kamikaze style attack. Read more
- 2005 — Spain becomes the first country to vote in a referendum on ratification of the proposed Constitution of the European Union, passing it by a substantial margin, but on a low turnout. Read more
- 2003 — During a Great White concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island, a pyrotechnics display sets the Station nightclub ablaze, killing 100 and injuring over 200 others. Read more
- 2002 — A cooking gas cylinder explodes on board an Egyptian National Railways train in El Ayyat, causing a fire and killing over 370 people. Read more
- 1998 — American figure skater Tara Lipinski, at the age of 15, becomes the youngest Olympic figure skating gold-medalist at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Read more
- 1991 — In the Albanian capital Tirana, a gigantic statue of Albania's long-time leader, Enver Hoxha, is brought down by mobs of angry protesters. Read more
- 1988 — The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast votes to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia, triggering the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. Read more
- 1986 — The Soviet Union launches its Mir spacecraft. Remaining in orbit for 15 years, it is occupied for ten of those years. Read more
- 1979 — An earthquake cracks open the Sinila volcanic crater on the Dieng Plateau, releasing poisonous H2S gas and killing 149 villagers in the Indonesian province of Central Java. Read more
- 1971 — The United States Emergency Broadcast System is accidentally activated in an erroneous national alert. Read more
- 1968 — The China Academy of Space Technology, China's main arm for the research, development, and creation of space satellites, is established in Beijing. Read more
- 1965 — Ranger 8 crashes into the Moon after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts. Read more
- 1962 — Mercury program: While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the Earth, making three orbits in four hours, 55 minutes. Read more
- 1959 — The Avro Arrow program to design and manufacture supersonic jet fighters in Canada is cancelled by the Diefenbaker government amid much political debate. Read more
- 1956 — The United States Merchant Marine Academy becomes a permanent Service Academy. Read more
- 1952 — Emmett Ashford becomes the first African-American umpire in organized baseball by being authorized to be a substitute umpire in the Southwestern International League. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: The "Big Week" begins with American bomber raids on German aircraft manufacturing centers. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: The United States takes Eniwetok Atoll. Read more
- 1943 — World War II: American movie studio executives agree to allow the Office of War Information to censor movies. Read more
- 1943 — The Saturday Evening Post publishes the first of Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms in support of United States President Franklin Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union address theme of Four Freedoms. Read more
- 1942 — World War II: Lieutenant Edward O'Hare becomes America's first World War II flying ace. Read more
- 1939 — Madison Square Garden Nazi rally: The largest ever pro-Nazi rally in United States history is convened in Madison Square Garden, New York City, with 20,000 members and sympathizers of the German American Bund present. Read more
- 1935 — Caroline Mikkelsen becomes the first woman to set foot in Antarctica. Read more
- 1933 — The U.S. Congress approves the Blaine Act to repeal federal Prohibition in the United States, sending the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution to state ratifying conventions for approval. Read more
- 1933 — Adolf Hitler secretly meets with German industrialists to arrange for financing of the Nazi Party's upcoming election campaign. Read more
- 1931 — The U.S. Congress approves the construction of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge by the state of California. Read more
- 1931 — An anarchist uprising in Encarnación, Paraguay briefly transforms the city into a revolutionary commune. Read more
- 1920 — An earthquake kills between 114 and 130 in Georgia and heavily damages the town of Gori. Read more
- 1913 — King O'Malley drives in the first survey peg to mark commencement of work on the construction of Canberra. Read more
- 1909 — Publication of the Futurist Manifesto in the French journal Le Figaro. Read more
- 1905 — The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of Massachusetts's mandatory smallpox vaccination program in Jacobson v. Massachusetts. Read more
- 1901 — The legislature of Hawaii Territory convenes for the first time. Read more
- 1894 — 20 February bombings by Désiré Pauwels during the Ère des attentats (1892-1894). Read more
- 1877 — Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake receives its premiere at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Read more
- 1872 — The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens in New York City. Read more
- 1865 — End of the Uruguayan War, with a peace agreement between President Tomás Villalba and rebel leader Venancio Flores, setting the scene for the destructive War of the Triple Alliance. Read more
- 1864 — American Civil War: Battle of Olustee: The largest battle fought in Florida during the war. Read more
- 1846 — Polish insurgents lead an uprising in Kraków to incite a fight for national independence. Read more
- 1835 — The 1835 Concepción earthquake destroys Concepción, Chile. Read more
- 1824 — William Buckland formally announces the name Megalosaurus, the first scientifically validly named non-avian dinosaur species. Read more
- 1816 — Gioachino Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville premieres at the Teatro Argentina in Rome. Read more
- 1813 — Manuel Belgrano defeats the royalist army of Pío de Tristán during the Battle of Salta. Read more
- 1798 — Louis-Alexandre Berthier removes Pope Pius VI from power. Read more
- 1792 — The Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department, is signed by United States President George Washington. Read more
- 1685 — René-Robert Cavelier establishes Fort St. Louis at Matagorda Bay thus forming the basis for France's claim to Texas. Read more
- 1553 — Yohannan Sulaqa professes his Catholic belief and is ordained as bishop shortly after; this marks the beginning of the Chaldean Catholic Church. Read more
- 1547 — Edward VI is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey. Read more
- 1521 — Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León sets out from San Juan, Puerto Rico, for Florida with about 200 prospective colonists. Read more
- 1472 — Orkney and Shetland are pawned by Norway to Scotland in lieu of a dowry for Margaret of Denmark. Read more
- 1339 — The Milanese army and the St. George's (San Giorgio) Mercenaries of Lodrisio Visconti clash in the Battle of Parabiago; Visconti is defeated. Read more
Born on February 20
- 2004 — Jared McCain, American basketball player Read more
- 2003 — Olivia Rodrigo, American actress and singer Read more
- 2002 — Gavin Bazunu, Irish footballer Read more
- 2000 — Josh Sargent, American soccer player Read more
- 1999 — Jarrett Culver, American basketball player Read more
- 1998 — Emam Ashour, Egyptian footballer Read more
- 1996 — Clarke Schmidt, American baseball player Read more
- 1995 — Elle Purrier St. Pierre, American track and field athlete Read more
- 1994 — Kateryna Baindl, Ukrainian tennis player Read more
- 1994 — Luis Severino, Dominican baseball player Read more
- 1993 — Jurickson Profar, Curaçaoan baseball player Read more
- 1991 — Hidilyn Diaz, Filipino weightlifter Read more
- 1991 — Angelique van der Meet, Dutch tennis player Read more
- 1991 — Sally Rooney, Irish novelist Read more
- 1990 — Ciro Immobile, Italian footballer Read more
- 1988 — Ki Bo-bae, South Korean archer Read more
- 1988 — Rihanna, Barbadian singer, songwriter, businesswoman, and actress Read more
- 1987 — Luke Burgess, English rugby league player Read more
- 1987 — Martin Hanzal, Czech ice hockey player Read more
- 1987 — James Johnson, American basketball player Read more
- 1987 — Miles Teller, American actor Read more
- 1986 — Julio Borbón, American baseball player Read more
- 1985 — Killian Dain, Northern Irish wrestler Read more
- 1985 — Ryan Sweeney, American baseball player Read more
- 1985 — Julia Volkova, Russian singer and actress Read more
- 1984 — Brian McCann, American baseball player Read more
- 1983 — Jose Morales, Puerto Rican baseball player Read more
- 1983 — Justin Verlander, American baseball player Read more
- 1981 — Tony Hibbert, English footballer Read more
- 1980 — Imanol Harinordoquy, French rugby player Read more
- 1980 — Luis Gabriel Rey, Colombian footballer Read more
- 1980 — Artur Boruc, Polish footballer Read more
- 1977 — Gail Kim, Canadian wrestler Read more
- 1977 — Stephon Marbury, American basketball player Read more
- 1975 — Liván Hernández, Cuban-American baseball player Read more
- 1975 — Brian Littrell, American singer-songwriter and actor Read more
- 1974 — Karim Bagheri, Iranian footballer and manager Read more
- 1971 — Jari Litmanen, Finnish footballer Read more
- 1971 — Joost van der Westhuizen, South African rugby player (died 2017) Read more
- 1969 — Kjell Ove Hauge, Norwegian school principal and track and field athlete Read more
Died on February 20
- 2025 — David Boren, American lawyer and politician, 21st Governor of Oklahoma (born 1941) Read more
- 2025 — Jerry Butler, American singer-songwriter and producer (born 1939) Read more
- 2025 — Peter Jason, American actor (born 1944) Read more
- 2024 — Andreas Brehme, German footballer (born 1960) Read more
- 2024 — Yoko Yamamoto, Japanese actress (born 1942) Read more
- 2021 — Nurul Haque Miah, Bangladeshi professor and writer (born 1944) Read more
- 2021 — Mauro Bellugi, Italian footballer (born 1950) Read more
- 2020 — Joaquim Pina Moura, Portuguese Minister of Economy and Treasury and MP (born 1952) Read more
- 2017 — Vitaly Churkin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United Nations (born 1952) Read more
- 2017 — Mildred Dresselhaus, American physicist (born 1930) Read more
- 2017 — Steve Hewlett, British journalist (born 1958) Read more
- 2016 — Fernando Cardenal, Nicaraguan priest and politician (born 1934) Read more
- 2015 — Govind Pansare, Indian author and activist (born 1933) Read more
- 2015 — Henry Segerstrom, American businessman and philanthropist (born 1923) Read more
- 2015 — John C. Willke, American physician, author, and activist (born 1925) Read more
- 2014 — Rafael Addiego Bruno, Uruguayan jurist and politician, President of Uruguay (born 1923) Read more
- 2014 — Walter D. Ehlers, American lieutenant, Medal of Honor recipient (born 1921) Read more
- 2014 — Garrick Utley, American journalist (born 1939) Read more
- 2013 — Kenji Eno, Japanese game designer and composer (born 1970) Read more
- 2013 — David S. McKay, American biochemist and geologist (born 1936) Read more
- 2013 — Antonio Roma, Argentinian footballer (born 1932) Read more
- 2012 — Knut Torbjørn Eggen, Norwegian footballer and manager (born 1960) Read more
- 2012 — Katie Hall, American educator and politician (born 1938) Read more
- 2010 — Alexander Haig, American general and politician, 59th United States Secretary of State (born 1924) Read more
- 2009 — Larry H. Miller, American businessman and philanthropist (born 1944) Read more
- 2008 — Emily Perry, English actress and dancer (born 1907) Read more
- 2006 — Curt Gowdy, American sportscaster (born 1919) Read more
- 2006 — Lucjan Wolanowski, Polish journalist and author (born 1920) Read more
- 2005 — Sandra Dee, American actress (born 1942) Read more
- 2005 — Josef Holeček, Czech canoeist (born 1921) Read more
- 2005 — John Raitt, American actor and singer (born 1917) Read more
- 2005 — Hunter S. Thompson, American journalist and author (born 1937) Read more
- 2003 — Mushaf Ali Mir, Pakistani air marshal (born 1947) Read more
- 2003 — Maurice Blanchot, French philosopher and author (born 1907) Read more
- 2003 — Orville Freeman, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 29th Governor of Minnesota (born 1918) Read more
- 2001 — Rosemary DeCamp, American actress (born 1910) Read more
- 2001 — Donella Meadows, American environmentalist, author, and academic (born 1941) Read more
- 1999 — Sarah Kane, English playwright (born 1971) Read more
- 1999 — Gene Siskel, American journalist and critic (born 1946) Read more
- 1996 — Solomon Asch, American psychologist and academic (born 1907) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Eleutherius of Tournai; Christian feast day:
Eucherius of Orléans; Christian feast day:
Julia Rodzińska; Christian feast day:
Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto; Christian feast day:
Frederick Douglass (Episcopal Church (USA)); Christian feast day:
Wulfric of Haselbury; Christian feast day:
February 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Day of Heavenly Hundred Heroes (Ukraine); World Day of Social Justice
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “February 20”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.