Hunter S. Thompson, creator of gonzo journalism, shot himself at his home in Colorado
The legendary journalist and author of 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' took his own life while on the phone with his wife. His ashes were later fired...
February 20 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
2005
1998
Tara Lipinski became the youngest person ever to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympics
At just 15 years old, Lipinski defeated favorite Michelle Kwan in figure skating at the Nagano Olympics. She remains the youngest Olympic figure skati...
1985
The Irish Film Board banned the screening of Monty Python's 'Life of Brian' for eight years
Ireland extended its ban on the controversial comedy about a man mistaken for the Messiah, joining countries like Norway where it was marketed as 'so...
1962
John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth aboard Friendship 7
MajorGlenn completed three orbits around Earth in just under five hours, making him a national hero during the Space Race. He later became the oldest perso...
1947
The famous photo of a U.S. Marine raising the flag on Iwo Jima was actually staged two days after the original flag-raising
While the iconic photo taken by Joe Rosenthal on February 23 became legendary, the original flag-raising on Mount Suribachi happened on February 20. T...
1947
Lord Mountbatten announced that Britain would grant independence to India
MajorAs the last Viceroy of India, Mountbatten declared that British rule would end no later than June 1948. This historic announcement set in motion the p...
1943
The Parícutin volcano suddenly appeared in a Mexican farmer's cornfield
Farmer Dionisio Pulido witnessed the birth of a volcano when his land began to crack and emit smoke. Within a week it was 5 stories tall, and within a...
1933
The U.S. Congress proposed the 21st Amendment to repeal Prohibition
MajorAfter 13 years of failed alcohol prohibition, Congress finally admitted the noble experiment didn't work. The amendment was ratified by December, maki...
1909
The first publication of the Futurist Manifesto appeared on the front page of a French newspaper
Filippo Tommaso Marinetti's radical declaration celebrated speed, technology, and violence while calling for the destruction of museums and libraries....
1877
Tchaikovsky's ballet 'Swan Lake' premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre to terrible reviews
Critics called it too complex and the choreography too difficult. The production was deemed a failure and dropped from the repertoire. After Tchaikovs...
1872
New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art opened its doors for the first time in a temporary location
The Met began in a small building at 681 Fifth Avenue with just 174 paintings, mostly European. Today it's one of the world's largest and most visited...
1816
Rossini's opera 'The Barber of Seville' premiered in Rome to a disastrous first performance
The debut was plagued by mishaps: a singer tripped over a trapdoor, a cat wandered on stage, and audience members hired by a rival composer booed thro...
1472
The Orkney and Shetland Islands were transferred from Norway to Scotland as part of a unpaid dowry
King Christian I of Denmark and Norway pledged the islands as security for the dowry of his daughter Margaret, who was marrying King James III of Scot...