NEA DATEBOOK

Today is the 65th day of 2023 and the 76th day of winter.

TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1836, the Alamo mission and fortress compound in Texas fell to Mexican forces after a 13-day siege.

In 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that African Americans were not citizens in Dred Scott v. Sandford.

In 1951, the espionage trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg began in New York Southern District federal court.

In 1981, Walter Cronkite signed off for the last time as “CBS Evening News” anchor, a post he had held for 19 years.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Michelangelo (1475-1564), painter/sculptor/architect; Cyrano de Bergerac (1619-1655), soldier/ writer; Lou Costello (1906-1959), actor/comedian; Will Eisner (1917-2005), cartoonist; Alan Greenspan (1926- ), economist; Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1927-2014), author; Rob Reiner (1947- ), actor/director; D.L. Hughley (1963- ), actor/comedian; Connie Britton (1967- ), actress; Shaquille O’Neal (1972- ), basketball player.

TODAY’S FACT: Michelangelo’s talent as a sculptor first drew attention after a failed attempt at art fraud. The cardinal who purchased his fake antique cupid statue was so impressed with Michelangelo’s work that he invited the artist to Rome for a meeting.

TODAY’S SPORTS: In 1964, world heavyweight boxing champion Cassius Clay announced that his spiritual mentor, Elijah Muhammad, had given him the new name Muhammad Ali.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.” — Gabriel Garcia Marquez, “One Hundred Years of Solitude”

TODAY’S NUMBER: $0.30 — price for one pound of Oreo cookies in a novelty can when the cookie was introduced by the National Biscuit Co. (today known as Nabisco) on this day in 1912.

TODAY’S MOON: Between first quarter moon (Feb. 27) and full moon (March 7).