February 1: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
On February 1, 1960, four Black college students sat at a whites-only Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, sparking a wave of sit-ins that reshaped the American civil rights movement.
About February 1
February 1 has a habit of marking turning points in the long struggle for human freedom. In 1835, Mauritius abolished slavery, an event still commemorated there today. Three decades later in 1865, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Thirteenth Amendment, setting the United States on the path to ending slavery nationwide. And in 1960, four Black students at a Greensboro lunch counter quietly sat down and refused to move, igniting a protest movement that would help dismantle Jim Crow segregation.
The date also brims with cultural milestones. In 1884, the very first installment of the Oxford English Dictionary, covering words from A to Ant, reached the public. In 1896, Puccini's La bohème had its premiere in Turin, conducted by a young Arturo Toscanini. In 1893, Thomas Edison finished building the Black Maria, America's first motion picture studio, in West Orange, New Jersey. And in 1964, the Beatles landed their first U.S. number-one hit with "I Want to Hold Your Hand," heralding the British Invasion.
Political shifts have defined this day as well. In 1946, Norway's Trygve Lie was chosen as the first Secretary-General of the United Nations, while Hungary's parliament voted to abolish its monarchy after nine centuries. In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran after nearly 15 years of exile, transforming Iran overnight. And in 2009, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir became Iceland's first female prime minister and the world's first openly gay head of government.
Holidays & Observances on February 1
- Abolition of Slavery Day (Mauritius)
- Air Force Day (Nicaragua)
- Earliest day on which Constitution Day can fall, while February 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday in February. (Mexico)
- Federal Territory Day (Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya, Malaysia)
- Foundation Day (of the Ryukyu Kingdom, celebrated in Okinawa Prefecture)
- Heroes Day (Rwanda)
- Saint Brigid's Day/Imbolc (Ireland, Scotland, Isle of Man, and some Neopagan groups in the Northern hemisphere)
- Memorial Day of the Republic (Hungary)
Fun & National Days on February 1
- National Dark Chocolate Day — Indulge in a rich square of dark chocolate and savor the antioxidants.
- Change Your Password Day — Take five minutes to update your logins and finally ditch that password you've reused everywhere.
- International Cake Pop Day — Whip up bite-sized cake pops on sticks and decorate them with wild abandon.
- Dump Your Significant Jerk Day — A cheeky nudge to break free from a toxic relationship and prioritize yourself.
- G.I. Joe Day — Dust off your action figures and celebrate the original Real American Hero.
- Car Insurance Day
- Decorating With Candy Day
- Hula in the Coola Day
- International Furmint Day
- National Baked Alaska Day
On This Day in History
- 1327 — The teenage Edward III was crowned King of England, though his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer held true power.
- 1662 — After a grueling nine-month siege, the Chinese general Koxinga captured the island of Taiwan, ending Dutch colonial rule there.
- 1835 — Slavery was formally abolished in Mauritius, a milestone still celebrated annually as Abolition of Slavery Day.
- 1865 — President Abraham Lincoln signed the Thirteenth Amendment, paving the way for slavery's abolition across the United States.
- 1884 — The Oxford English Dictionary's first volume, covering entries from A to Ant, was published, a landmark in lexicography.
- 1893 — Thomas Edison completed the Black Maria in West Orange, New Jersey, the world's first motion picture studio.
- 1896 — Puccini's opera La bohème premiered at Turin's Teatro Regio, conducted by a young Arturo Toscanini.
- 1946 — Norway's Trygve Lie was selected as the first Secretary-General of the newly formed United Nations.
- 1960 — Four Black students launched the Greensboro sit-ins at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter, catalyzing the civil rights movement.
- 1964 — The Beatles scored their first number-one hit in the United States with "I Want to Hold Your Hand."
- 1979 — Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Tehran after nearly fifteen years in exile, transforming Iran's political landscape.
- 2009 — Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir became Iceland's first female prime minister and the world's first openly gay head of government.
Famous Birthdays on February 1
- 1901 — Clark Gable, Hollywood icon known as the "King of Hollywood," immortalized as Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind.
- 1902 — Langston Hughes, Leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance whose poems and novels gave voice to Black American life.
- 1922 — Renata Tebaldi, Italian soprano regarded as one of the greatest opera singers of the twentieth century.
- 1931 — Boris Yeltsin, Russia's first president, who steered the country through the turbulent breakup of the Soviet Union.
- 1938 — Sherman Hemsley, Beloved television actor best known for playing George Jefferson on The Jeffersons.
- 1942 — Terry Jones, Welsh comedian, director, and Monty Python member who reshaped British comedy.
- 1948 — Rick James, Funk legend and producer behind the iconic hit "Super Freak."
- 1968 — Lisa Marie Presley, Singer-songwriter and daughter of Elvis Presley who carved out her own musical identity.
- 1987 — Ronda Rousey, Pioneering mixed martial artist and Olympic medalist who became a UFC superstar and actress.
- 1994 — Harry Styles, English singer-songwriter who rose to fame with One Direction before launching a chart-topping solo career.