Today in History

1504 – Christopher Columbus uses his knowledge of a lunar eclipse that night to convince Jamaican natives to provide him with supplies.

1644 – Abel Tasman’s second Pacific voyage begins as he leaves Batavia in command of three ships.

1712 – February 29 is followed by February 30 in Sweden, in a move to abolish the Swedish calendar for a return to the Julian calendar.

1796 – The Jay Treaty between the United States and Great Britain comes into force, facilitating 10 years of peaceful trade between the two nations.

1916 – Tokelau is annexed by the United Kingdom.

1940 – For her performance as Mammy in Gone with the Wind, Hattie McDaniel becomes the first African American to win an Academy Award.

1980 – Ice hockey player Gordie Howe of the Hartford Whalers makes NHL history as he scores his 800th goal.

1984 – Pierre Trudeau announces his retirement as Liberal Party leader and Prime Minister of Canada.

2004 – Jean-Bertrand Aristide is removed as president of Haiti following a coup.

2008 – The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence withdraws Prince Harry from a tour of Afghanistan after news of his deployment is leaked to foreign media.

2012 – North Korea agrees to suspend uranium enrichment and nuclear and longrange missile tests in return for US food aid.

2020 – The United States and the Taliban sign the Doha Agreement for bringing peace to Afghanistan.

Birthdays

Jimmy Dorsey, American saxophonist, composer and bandleader (1904-1957); David Beattie, New Zealand judge, politician, and Governor-General (1924-2001); Aileen Wuornos, American serial killer (1956-2002); Richard Ramirez, American serial killer and sex offender (1960-2013); Gareth Farr, NZ composer and percussionist (1968-); Tyrese Haliburton, American basketball player (2000-).