February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 309 days remaining until the end of the year (310 in leap years). [edit] Events - 138 – The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor.
- 1570 – Pope Pius V excommunicates Queen Elizabeth I of England.
- 1793 – George Washington holds the first Cabinet meeting as President of the United States.
- 1797 – Colonel William Tate and his force of 1000-1500 soldiers surrender after the Last Invasion of Britain.
- 1836 – Samuel Colt receives an American patent for the Colt revolver.
- 1870 – Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, is sworn into the United States Senate, becoming the first African American ever to sit in the U.S. Congress.
- 1901 – J.P. Morgan incorporates the United States Steel Corporation.
- 1912 – Marie-Adélaïde, the eldest of six daughters of Guillaume IV, becomes the first reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.
- 1919 – Oregon places a 1 cent per U.S. gallon tax on gasoline, becoming the first U.S. state to levy a gasoline tax.
- 1921 – Tbilisi, capital of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, is occupied by Bolshevist Russia.
- 1925 – Glacier Bay National Monument (now Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve) is established in Alaska.
- 1925 – Diplomatic relations between Japan and the Soviet Union are established.
- 1928 – Charles Jenkins Laboratories of Washington, D.C. becomes the first holder of a television license from the Federal Radio Commission.
- 1932 – Adolf Hitler obtains German citizenship by naturalization, which allows him to run in the 1932 election for Reichspräsident.
- 1933 – The USS Ranger (CV-4) is launched. It is the first US Navy ship to be built solely as an aircraft carrier.
- 1941 – February Strike: In occupied Amsterdam, a general strike is declared in response to increasing anti-Jewish measures instituted by the Nazis.
- 1945 – World War II: Turkey declares war on Germany.
- 1947 – State of Prussia ceases to exist.
- 1948 – The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia takes control of government in Czechoslovakia and the period of the Third Republic ends.
- 1951 – The first Pan American Games are held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- 1954 – Gamal Abdul Nasser is made premier of Egypt.
- 1956 – In his speech On the Personality Cult and its Consequences Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev denounces the cult of personality of Joseph Stalin.
- 1971 – The first unit of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, first
commercial nuclear power station in Canada, goes online. [edit] Births - 1398 – Xuande, Emperor of China (d. 1435)
- 1591 – Friedrich von Spee, German writer (d. 1635)
- 1643 – Ahmed II, Ottoman Sultan (d. 1695)
- 1663 – Pierre Antoine Motteux, French-born English dramatist (d. 1718)
- 1682 – Giovanni Battista Morgagni, Italian anatomist (d. 1771)
- 1692 – Karl Ludwig, Freiherr von Pöllnitz, German adventurer and writer (d. 1775)
- 1707 – Carlo Goldoni, Italian writer (d. 1793)
- 1714 – René Nicolas Charles Augustin de Maupeou, Chancellor of France (d. 1792)
- 1714 – Sir Hyde Parker, 5th Baronet, British admiral (d. 1782)
- 1725 – Karl Wilhelm Ramler, German poet (d. 1798)
- 1752 – John Graves Simcoe, first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada (d. 1806)
- 1778 – José de San Martín, Argentine general and liberator of South America (d. 1850)
- 1841 – Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French painter, graphic artist and sculptor (d. 1919)
- 1842 – Karl May, German writer (d. 1912)
- 1845 – George Reid, fourth Prime Minister of Australia (d. 1918)
- 1855 – George Bonnor, Australian cricketer (d. 1912)
- 1855 – Cesário Verde, Portuguese poet (d. 1886)
- 1860 – Sir William Ashley, economic historian (d. 1927)
- 1861 – Rudolf Steiner, Austrian philosopher and educator (d. 1925)
- 1866 – Benedetto Croce, Italian philosopher (d. 1952)
- 1873 – Enrico Caruso, Italian tenor (d. 1921)
- 1877 – Erich von Hornbostel, Austrian musicologist (d. 1935)
- 1883 – Princess Alice of Albany, Countess of Athlone (d. 1981)
- 1885 – Sylvia Brett, Lady Brooke, Ranee of Sarawak (d. 1971)
- 1885 – Princess Alice of Battenberg (d. 1969)
- 1888 – John Foster Dulles, U.S. Secretary of State (d. 1959)
- 1889 – Homer S. Ferguson, United States Senator (d. 1982)
- 1890 – Dame Myra Hess, English pianist (d. 1965)
- 1890 – Vyacheslav Molotov, Soviet politician (d. 1986)
- 1894 – Meher Baba, Indian spiritual leader (d. 1969)
- 1895 – Lew Andreas, American basketball coach (d. 1984)
- 1901 – Zeppo Marx, American actor (d. 1979)
- 1903 – King Clancy, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1986)
- 1908 – Frank G. Slaughter, American novelist (d. 2001)
- 1910 – Millicent Fenwick, American fashion editor and politician (d. 1992)
- 1912 – Brenda Joyce, American actress (d. 2009)
- 1913 – Jim Backus, American actor (d. 1989)
- 1913 – Gert Fröbe, German actor (d. 1988)
- 1914 – John Arlott, English cricket journalist (d. 1991)
- 1916 – Reinhard Bendix, German sociologist (d. 1991)
- 1917 – Anthony Burgess, English author (d. 1993)
- 1918 – Barney Ewell, American athlete (d. 1996)
- 1918 – Rena Kyriakou, Greek pianist (d. 1994)
- 1918 – Bobby Riggs, American tennis player (d. 1995)
- 1919 – Karl H. Pribram, Austrian neuroscientist
- 1920 – Gérard Bessette, Canadian author (d. 2005)
- 1921 – Pierre Laporte, Canadian statesman (d. 1970)
- 1927 – Ralph Stanley, American musician
- 1927 – Dickie Jones, American actor
- 1928 – Larry Gelbart, American comedy writer
- 1929 – Christopher George, American actor (d. 1983)
- 1929 – Tommy Newsom, American bandleader (d. 2007)
- 1932 – Tony Brooks, English race car driver
- 1932 – Faron Young, American singer (d. 1996)
- 1934 – Bernard Bresslaw, English actor (d. 1993)
- 1934 – Tony Lema, American golfer (d. 1966)
- 1935 – Sally Jessy Raphaël, American talk show host
- 1937 – Tom Courtenay, English actor
- 1937 – Barbara Piasecka Johnson, widow of John Seward Johnson I
- 1937 – Bob Schieffer, American broadcast journalist
- 1938 – Diane Baker, American actress
- 1938 – Herb Elliott, Australian runner
- 1940 – Danny Cater, American baseball player
- 1940 – Billy Packer, American sports broadcaster
- 1940 – Ron Santo, American baseball player
- 1942 – Karen Grassle, American actress
- 1943 – George Harrison, English musician (The Beatles) (d. 2001)
- 1943 – Wilson da Silva Piazza, Brazilian footballer
- 1944 – Matt Guokas, American basketball player & head coach
- 1945 – Elkie Brooks, English singer
- 1945 – Herbert Léonard, French singer
- 1946 – Franz Xaver Kroetz, German dramatist
- 1946 – Jean Todt, French executive director of Scuderia Ferrari
- 1947 – Lee Evans, American athlete
- 1947 – Doug Yule, American bass guitarist (The Velvet Underground)
- 1947 – Giuseppe Betori, Archbishop of Florence
- 1948 – Aldo Busi, Italian writer
- 1948 – Danny Denzongpa, Indian actor
- 1949 – Ric Flair, American professional wrestler
- 1950 – Neil Jordan, Irish director
- 1950 – Néstor Kirchner, President of Argentina
- 1950 – Francisco Fernández Ochoa, Spanish alpine skier (d. 2006)
- 1951 – James Brown, American sportscaster
- 1951 – César Cedeño, Dominican baseball player
- 1951 – Don Quarrie, Jamaican runner
- 1952 – Jerry Chamberlain, American musician
- 1952 – Joey Dunlop, Irish motorcycle racer (d. 2000)
- 1952 – Inger Segelström, Swedish politician
- 1953 – José María Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain
- 1953 – Kim Yeong-cheol, South Korean actor
- 1954 – John Doe, American musician
- 1954 – Gerardo Pelusso, Uruguayan football manager
- 1957 – Sérgio Marques, Portuguese politician
- 1958 – Panagiotis Beglitis, Greek politician
- 1958 – Jeff Fisher, American football coach
- 1958 – Kurt Rambis, American basketball player
- 1959 – Carl Marotte, Canadian actor
- 1959 – Mike Peters, Welsh musician (The Alarm)
- 1960 – Stefan Blöcher, German field hockey player
- 1960 – Tony Grimaud, Maltese-born singer and songwriter
- 1961 – Davey Allison, American race car driver (d. 1993)
- 1961 – Todd Blackledge, American football player
- 1962 – Birgit Fischer, German kayaker
- 1962 – Faron Moller, Canadian-born British computer scientist
- 1963 – Paul O'Neill, American baseball player
- 1964 – Lee Evans, English comedian
- 1964 – Don Majkowski, American football player
- 1965 – Brian Baker, American guitarist
- 1965 – Carrot Top, American comedian
- 1966 – Alexis Denisof, American actor
- 1966 – Samson Kitur, Kenyan athlete (d. 2003)
- 1966 – Téa Leoni, American actress
- 1966 – Nancy O'Dell, American reporter and television personality
- 1966 – Samantha Phillips, American actress
- 1968 – Evridiki, Greek Cypriot singer
- 1968 – Sandrine Kiberlain, French actress
- 1969 – Paul Trimboli, Australian soccer player
- 1970 – Julie Hesmondhalgh, English actress
- 1971 – Sean Astin, American actor
- 1971 – Dave Harris, American disc jockey
- 1971 – Daniel Powter, Canadian musician
- 1973 – Julio Iglesias, Jr., Spanish singer
- 1973 – Justin Jeffre, American singer (98 Degrees)
- 1973 – Anson Mount, American actor
- 1973 – Normann Stadler, German triathlete
- 1975 – Chelsea Handler, American comedian and actress
- 1976 – Rashida Jones, American actress, writer, model, and musician
- 1976 – Chris Pitman, American keyboardist (Guns N' Roses)
- 1976 – Samaki Walker, American basketball player
- 1977 – Sarah Jezebel Deva, English singer
- 1977 – Josh Wolff, American footballer
- 1979 – Jennifer Ferrin, American actress
- 1979 – David Hoflin, Swedish-born Australian Actor
- 1980 – Antonio Burks, American basketball player
- 1980 – Christy Knowings, American actress
- 1981 – Misty Giles, American beauty queen and Survivor contestant
- 1981 – Park Ji-Sung, South Korean footballer
- 1981 – Shahid Kapoor, Indian actor
- 1981 – Jamie Lynn, American porn star
- 1982 – Chris Baird, Irish footballer
- 1982 – Maria Kanellis, American model and professional wrestler
- 1982 – Bert McCracken, American singer (The Used)
- 1982 – Anton Volchenkov, Russian ice hockey player
- 1982 – Tara Wilson, Canadian actress
- 1982 – Flavia Pennetta, Italian professional tennis player
- 1983 – Eduardo da Silva, Brazilian-born Croatian footballer
- 1984 – Logan Leistikow, American director and actor
- 1984 – Lovefoxxx, Brazilian singer (CSS)
- 1985 – Benji Marshall, New Zealand rugby player
- 1985 – Joakim Noah, American basketball player
- 1986 – Justin Berfield, American actor
- 1986 – James and Oliver Phelps, English actors
- 1986 – Danny Saucedo, Swedish singer
- 1987 – Eva Avila, Canadian singer
- 1987 – Andrew Poje, Canadian figure skater
- 1989 – Logan Browning, American Actress
- 1990 – Alejandra Andreu, Miss International 2008
- 1991 – Tony Oller, American actor
- 1998 – Brendon Baerg, American actor
[edit] Deaths - 1246 – Dafydd ap Llywelyn, King of Gwynedd
- 1522 – William Lilye, English classical scholar
- 1536 – Berthold Haller, German-born reformer (b. 1492)
- 1553 – Hirate Masahide, Japanese diplomat and tutor of Oda Nobunaga (suicide) (b. 1492)
- 1558 – Eleanor of Austria, Queen of Portugal and France (b. 1498)
- 1601 – Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, English politician (b. 1566)
- 1634 – Albrecht von Wallenstein, Austrian general (b. 1583)
- 1643 – Marco da Gagliano, Italian composer (b. 1582)
- 1655 – Daniel Heinsius, Flemish scholar (b. 1580)
- 1682 – Alessandro Stradella, Italian composer (b. 1639)
- 1713 – King Frederick I of Prussia (b. 1657)
- 1715 – Pu Songling, Chinese writer (b. 1640)
- 1723 – Sir Christopher Wren, English architect (b. 1632)
- 1756 – Eliza Haywood, English actress and writer (b. 1693)
- 1798 – Louis-Jules Mancini-Mazarini, Duc de Nivernais, French diplomat and writer (b. 1716)
- 1805 – Thomas Pownall, British colonial statesman (b. 1722)
- 1831 – Friedrich Maximilian Klinger, German writer (b. 1752)
- 1850 – Daoguang, Emperor of China (b. 1782)
- 1852 – Thomas Moore, Irish poet (b. 1779)
- 1860 – Chauncey Allen Goodrich, American clergyman, educator, and lexicographer (b. 1790)
- 1899 – Paul Julius Reuter, German-born journalist (b. 1816)
- 1912 – Guillaume IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (b. 1852)
- 1919 – Josef Christiaens, Belgian racing driver (b. 1879)
- 1922 – Henri Désiré Landru, French serial killer (b. 1869)
- 1928 – William O'Brien, Irish author, journalist and politician (M.P.) (b. 1852)
- 1934 – John McGraw, American baseball player and manager (b. 1873)
- 1945 – Mário de Andrade, Brazilian writer and photographer (b. 1893)
- 1950 – George Minot, American physician, Nobel laureate (b. 1885)
- 1953 – Sergei Winogradsky, Russian scientist (b. 1856)
- 1957 – George "Bugs" Moran, American gangster (b. 1893)
- 1964 – Grace Metalious, American writer (b. 1924)
- 1966 – James D. Norris, American sports businessman (b. 1906)
- 1970 – Mark Rothko, Latvian-born American painter (b. 1903)
- 1971 – Theodor Svedberg, Swedish chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1884)
- 1975 – Elijah Muhammad, American Black Muslim leader (b. 1897)
- 1978 – Daniel "Chappie" James Jr., American general (b. 1920)
- 1983 – Tennessee Williams, American playwright (b. 1911)
- 1987 – James Coco, American actor (b. 1930)
- 1993 – Eddie Constantine, American-born actor and singer (b. 1917)
- 1993 – Mary Walter, Filipino actress (b. 1912)
- 1994 – Baruch Goldstein, American-born mass murderer (b. 1956)
- 1994 – Jersey Joe Walcott, American boxer (b. 1914)
- 1996 – Haing S. Ngor, Cambodian-born actor (b. 1940)
- 1998 – Celestine Tate Harrington, a quadriplegic street musician and writer. (b. 1956)
- 1999 – Glenn T. Seaborg, American chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1912)
- 2001 – Sir Donald Bradman, Australian cricketer (b. 1908)
- 2003 – Tom O'Higgins, Irish Chief Justice (b. 1916)
- 2003 – Alberto Sordi, Italian actor (b. 1920)
- 2004 – Donald Hings, Canadian inventor (b. 1907)
- 2005 – Peter Benenson, English founder of Amnesty International (b. 1921)
- 2006 – Darren McGavin, American actor (b. 1922)
- 2006 – Charlie Wayman, English footballer (b. 1922)
- 2006 – Thomas Koppel, Danish musician (b. 1944)
- 2007 – William R. Anderson, CO USS Nautilus submarine, US Congressman (b. 1921)
- 2007 – Mark Spoelstra, American singer/songwriter (b. 1940)
- 2008 – Ashley Cooper, Australian race car driver (b. 1980)
- 2008 – Hans Raj Khanna, Judge of the Supreme Court of India (b. 1912)
- 2008 – Static Major, American singer (b. 1974)
- 2008 – Charles Chan, Father of Jackie Chan (b. 1914)
- 2009 – Ivan Cameron, son of David Cameron UK politician
[edit] Holidays and observances [edit] External links
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