February 14: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
On February 14, 1990, Voyager 1 turned its camera toward Earth from billions of miles away, capturing the iconic "Pale Blue Dot" photograph of our fragile home.
About February 14
While much of the world marks February 14 with romance, this date carries a surprising weight of scientific milestones and geopolitical shifts. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell applied for a telephone patent on this very day, sparking one of history's most famous inventor rivalries. More than a century later in 2005, a handful of college students launched YouTube, fundamentally reshaping how humanity shares information and entertainment.
It is also a day of American expansion and recognition. Oregon joined the Union as the 33rd state in 1859, followed over half a century later by Arizona in 1912, completing the contiguous United States. Back in 1778, France formally recognized the American flag for the first time with a nine-gun salute to the USS Ranger, a quiet but powerful acknowledgment of a young nation's sovereignty.
Amid these milestones are moments of sobering reflection, from the 1929 Saint Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago to the 2018 Parkland tragedy. Yet the date endures as a symbol of human curiosity and connection—whether through a spacecraft looking back at Earth or a children's hospital opening its doors in London in 1852.
Holidays & Observances on February 14
- Statehood Day (Arizona, United States)
- Statehood Day (Oregon, United States)
- Presentation of Jesus at the Temple (Armenian Apostolic Church)
- Parents' Worship Day (parts of India)
Fun & National Days on February 14
- Frederick Douglass Day — Honor the legendary abolitionist's legacy by reading his powerful autobiography and reflecting on his fight for justice.
- Global Movie Day — Grab some popcorn and celebrate the magic of cinema by watching your favorite film with friends or family.
- International Book Giving Day — Share the joy of reading by leaving a book in a public place or gifting one to a child who will love it.
- National Ferris Wheel Day — Take a spin on your local Ferris wheel and enjoy the sweeping views from high above the fairground.
- Library Lovers Day — Visit your neighborhood library, check out a stack of books, and thank a librarian for keeping knowledge free.
- International Quirkyalone Day
- International Snowmobile Ride Day
- League of Women Voters Day
- National Call in Single Day
- National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day
On This Day in History
- 1778 — A French admiral rendered a nine-gun salute to the USS Ranger, marking the first time a foreign naval vessel formally recognized the United States flag.
- 1852 — Great Ormond Street Hospital opened in London, becoming England's first hospital to provide in-patient beds specifically for sick children.
- 1859 — Oregon was admitted to the Union as the 33rd U.S. state, expanding the nation's reach into the Pacific Northwest.
- 1876 — Alexander Graham Bell filed a patent for the telephone on the exact same day that rival inventor Elisha Gray submitted his own competing application.
- 1912 — Arizona was admitted as the 48th and final contiguous U.S. state, completing the geographic footprint of the continental United States.
- 1924 — The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company officially changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation, better known as IBM.
- 1929 — Seven men were murdered in a Chicago garage in the infamous Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, a defining event of Prohibition-era organized crime.
- 1990 — The Voyager 1 spacecraft snapped a photograph of Earth from billions of miles away, producing the celebrated "Pale Blue Dot" image.
- 2000 — The NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft entered orbit around asteroid 433 Eros, becoming the first probe ever to successfully orbit an asteroid.
- 2005 — YouTube was launched by a small group of college students, growing into the world's dominant video-sharing platform and a cultural powerhouse.
- 2018 — A devastating shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida claimed 17 lives, sparking a national movement for gun safety reform.
Famous Birthdays on February 14
- 1483 — Babur, The founder and first emperor of the Mughal Empire, whose descendants ruled much of the Indian subcontinent for centuries.
- 1819 — Christopher Latham Sholes, American journalist and inventor whose creation of the first practical typewriter transformed written communication.
- 1859 — George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., The American engineer who designed and built the original Ferris wheel for the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition.
- 1913 — Jimmy Hoffa, Powerful and controversial American labor union leader who vanished under mysterious circumstances in 1975.
- 1942 — Michael Bloomberg, Business magnate, philanthropist, and former three-term mayor of New York City who built a global financial media empire.
- 1946 — Gregory Hines, Legendary American dancer and actor who revitalized tap dancing and broke barriers in Hollywood and on Broadway.
- 1959 — Renée Fleming, One of the most celebrated American sopranos of her generation, renowned for performances on the world's great opera stages.
- 1970 — Simon Pegg, English actor and screenwriter known for the beloved "Cornetto Trilogy" and his role in rebooting the Star Trek film franchise.
- 1992 — Freddie Highmore, English actor who rose to fame as a child star and earned critical acclaim as the lead in television's "The Good Doctor."