Change Your Password Day
Change Your Password Day is observed annually on February 1st as a reminder to update and strengthen online passwords for better cybersecurity. The day encourages individuals to take proactive steps in protecting their personal and financial information from hackers and data breaches.
Face and Body Art Day
Face and Body Art Day is celebrated annually on February 1st as a tribute to the creativity and cultural significance of face and body painting. This form of artistic expression has been used throughout history in various traditions, performances, and festivals worldwide.
G.I. Joe Day
G.I. Joe Day is celebrated annually on February 1st to honor the iconic G.I. Joe action figure and its impact on pop culture. Hasbro introduced G.I. Joe in 1964, pioneering the concept of the “action figure”, which became a staple in toy history. Over the decades, G.I. Joe evolved from a military-themed figure into a beloved franchise, including animated series, comic books, and movies.
February 1st has been a significant date in history, with key events spanning politics, science, culture, and sports.
Historical Events on February 1st
1790 – The U.S. Supreme Court holds its first session: The first session of the U.S. Supreme Court was held in New York City, marking the beginning of the highest judicial authority in the United States.
1861 – Texas secedes from the Union: Texas voted to secede from the United States, joining the Confederacy during the American Civil War.
1884 – First volume of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is published: The first edition covered words from “A” to “Ant,” beginning the creation of one of the most comprehensive dictionaries in history.
1893 – Thomas Edison completes the first motion picture studio: Named the Black Maria, it became the first U.S. movie production studio.
1960 – The Greensboro sit-ins begin: Four African American college students initiated a sit-in protest at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, sparking a wave of civil rights demonstrations.
1972 – First scientific hand-held calculator released: Hewlett-Packard introduced the HP-35, the first scientific pocket calculator, revolutionizing portable computing.
1920 – The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is formed: The RCMP was officially established, merging the North-West Mounted Police and Dominion Police.
2003 – Space Shuttle Columbia disaster: NASA’s Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107) disintegrated upon re-entry, killing all seven astronauts aboard, including the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon. The tragedy led to major safety changes in NASA’s space program.
2004 – Facebook is founded (initially launched on February 4th, but development was completed on February 1st): Mark Zuckerberg and his co-founders at Harvard finalized the development of what would become the world’s largest social media platform.
2004 – Super Bowl XXXVIII “Wardrobe Malfunction”: Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake’s halftime performance led to the infamous “wardrobe malfunction”, sparking controversy and stricter broadcast regulations.
Notable Birthdays
1901 – Clark Gable (Hollywood actor, Gone with the Wind)
1931 – Boris Yeltsin (First President of Russia)
1938 – Sherman Hemsley (Actor, The Jeffersons)
1965 – Brandon Lee (Actor and martial artist, son of Bruce Lee)
1968 – Lisa Marie Presley (Singer, daughter of Elvis Presley)
1987 – Ronda Rousey (MMA fighter, WWE star, and Olympic judoka)
Notable Deaths
1903 – George Gabriel Stokes (b. 1819) – Irish physicist and mathematician known for Stokes’ theorem and contributions to fluid dynamics.
1922 – William Desmond Taylor (b. 1872) – Irish-American film director and actor, whose mysterious unsolved murder remains one of Hollywood’s biggest scandals.
1958 – Clinton Davisson (b. 1881) – American physicist, Nobel Prize winner for his discovery of electron diffraction, which confirmed the wave nature of electrons.
1976 – Werner Heisenberg (b. 1901) – German physicist, Nobel Prize winner, and key developer of quantum mechanics, best known for the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.
1981 – Donald Wills Douglas Sr. (b. 1892) – Founder of Douglas Aircraft Company, which played a major role in aviation history.
2003 – Space Shuttle Columbia Crew (STS-107 disaster):
Rick D. Husband (b. 1957) – Commander
William C. McCool (b. 1961) – Pilot
Michael P. Anderson (b. 1959) – Payload Commander
Ilan Ramon (b. 1954) – Israel’s first astronaut
Kalpana Chawla (b. 1961) – First Indian-born woman in space
David M. Brown (b. 1956) – Mission Specialist
Laurel B. Clark (b. 1961) – Mission Specialist
2008 – Volodymyr Shcherbytsky (b. 1918) – Soviet Ukrainian politician and leader of the Ukrainian SSR during the Cold War.
2012 – Don Cornelius (b. 1936) – Creator and host of Soul Train, a groundbreaking television show that showcased Black music and culture.
2012 – Angelo Dundee (b. 1921) – Legendary boxing trainer, best known for coaching Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard.
