February 15: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
On February 15, 1946, a room-sized machine at the University of Pennsylvania was dedicated—the world's first general-purpose electronic computer, ENIAC, quietly launching the digital age.
About February 15
February 15 brims with firsts and transformations. In 1946, Philadelphia hosted the dedication of ENIAC, the first electronic general-purpose computer—a thirty-ton behemoth of vacuum tubes and wiring that became the grandmother of every device you're reading this on. Exactly nineteen years later, Canada raised its new maple leaf flag for the first time, swapping the old Red Ensign for a bold, unmistakable symbol of national identity that's recognized worldwide today.
The day also carries a spirit of convergence. In 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed legislation allowing women to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court—a quiet but enormous crack in the legal profession's glass ceiling. In 2003, somewhere between eight and thirty million people across more than six hundred cities took to the streets in the largest peace demonstration ever recorded, all on a single February afternoon. And in 1971, Britons and Irish citizens woke up to Decimal Day, trading centuries of shillings and pence for a streamlined decimal currency.
Long before any of that, a baby named Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa in 1564—a man who would tilt humanity's understanding of the cosmos on its axis. Fellow Aquarius Susan B. Anthony, born this day in 1820, would spend her life tilting democracy toward justice, demanding that half the population be granted its voice at the ballot box.
Holidays & Observances on February 15
- International Duties Memorial Day (Russia, regional)
- John Frum Day (Vanuatu)
- Liberation Day (Afghanistan)
- National Flag of Canada Day (Canada)
- Parinirvana Day, also celebrated on February 8. (Mahayana Buddhism)
- Statehood Day (Serbia), also observed by the Republic of Srpska since 2025.
- Susan B. Anthony Day (Florida, United States)
- The ENIAC Day (Philadelphia, United States)
Fun & National Days on February 15
- National Hippo Day — Celebrate the river horses—watch a nature documentary or just admire their surprisingly graceful underwater ballet.
- National Gumdrop Day — Pop a few of these colorful sugar-coated classics and embrace the nostalgic sweetness of a candy-store staple.
- Singles Awareness Day — Whether single or coupled, treat yourself to something nice—this day is really just an excuse for self-love.
- Annoy Squidward Day — Channel your inner SpongeBob and mildly inconvenience the grumpiest cephalopod in Bikini Bottom, purely in good fun.
- National Clementine Day
- National I Want Butterscotch Day
- Remember the Maine Day
- St. Skeletor's Day
On This Day in History
- 438 — Emperor Theodosius II published the Codex Theodosianus, a monumental compilation of Roman law that standardized legal practice across the empire.
- 1493 — Aboard the Niña, Christopher Columbus drafted an open letter describing his New World discoveries, which was widely circulated after his return to Portugal.
- 1764 — St. Louis was founded in Spanish Louisiana, establishing a fur-trading outpost that would grow into a major American metropolis.
- 1879 — President Rutherford B. Hayes signed a bill permitting female attorneys to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court, a landmark for women in law.
- 1923 — Greece became the final European nation to adopt the Gregorian calendar, abandoning the old Julian system after centuries of divergence.
- 1925 — The second relay of the legendary serum run reached Nome, Alaska, delivering diphtheria antitoxin that saved the town's children from epidemic.
- 1946 — ENIAC, humanity's first electronic general-purpose computer, was formally dedicated at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
- 1965 — Canada adopted the red-and-white maple leaf as its national flag, retiring the Canadian Red Ensign in a ceremony on Parliament Hill.
- 1971 — Decimal Day arrived in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the old pounds-shillings-pence system gave way to decimal currency.
- 1989 — The Soviet Union officially confirmed that all its troops had withdrawn from Afghanistan, ending nearly a decade of military involvement.
- 2001 — The first draft of the complete human genome appeared in Nature, unveiling the genetic blueprint that defines our species.
- 2003 — Over 600 cities worldwide hosted protests against the impending Iraq War, drawing up to thirty million people in history's largest peace demonstration.
Famous Birthdays on February 15
- 1564 — Galileo Galilei, Italian astronomer and physicist whose telescope and theories revolutionized our understanding of the universe.
- 1748 — Jeremy Bentham, English philosopher who founded utilitarianism, arguing laws should maximize happiness for the greatest number.
- 1820 — Susan B. Anthony, American suffragist whose tireless activism laid the groundwork for women's right to vote in the United States.
- 1874 — Ernest Shackleton, Anglo-Irish explorer legendary for his Antarctic expeditions and extraordinary leadership in desperate survival conditions.
- 1909 — Miep Gies, Austrian-Dutch humanitarian who helped hide Anne Frank's family and preserved the diary for the world.
- 1910 — Irena Sendler, Polish nurse who smuggled roughly 2,500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto, risking her life to save others.
- 1951 — Jane Seymour, English-American actress known for her starring role in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and a prolific film career.
- 1954 — Matt Groening, American cartoonist who created The Simpsons, the longest-running scripted prime-time series in television history.
- 1964 — Chris Farley, American comedian and actor whose physical comedy on Saturday Night Live and in films made him a beloved star.
- 1995 — Megan Thee Stallion, American rapper and songwriter who rose to mainstream fame with chart-topping hits and multiple Grammy Awards.