Today in history: Feb. 21
In 1965, minister and civil rights activist Malcolm X, 39, was shot to death inside Harlem’s Audubon Ballroom in New York, and more events that happened on this day in history.
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1885: The Washington Monument
In 1885, the Washington Monument was dedicated.
1916: Battle of Verdun
In 1916, the World War I Battle of Verdun began in France as German forces attacked; the French were able to prevail after 10 months of fighting.
1945: Battle of Iwo Jima
In 1945, during the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima, the escort carrier USS Bismarck Sea was sunk by kamikazes with the loss of 318 men.
1965: Malcolm X
In 1965, minister and civil rights activist Malcolm X, 39, was shot to death inside Harlem’s Audubon Ballroom in New York by assassins identified as members of the Nation of Islam. (Three men were convicted of murder and imprisoned; all were eventually paroled.)
1972: Richard Nixon
In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon began his historic visit to China as he and his wife, Pat, arrived in Beijing.
1973: Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114
In 1973, Israeli fighter planes shot down Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 over the Sinai Desert, killing all but five of the 113 people on board.
1995: Steve Fossett
In 1995, Chicago adventurer Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean by balloon, landing in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada.
2005: George W. Bush
In 2005, President George W. Bush, in Belgium for a NATO summit, scolded Russia for backsliding on democracy and urged Mideast allies to take difficult steps for peace.
2010: Bode Miller
In 2010, Bode (BOH’-dee) Miller finally captured his elusive gold medal, winning the super-combined for his third medal in three events.
2010: Hockey
In 2010, the United States stunned Canada 5-3 to advance to the Olympic men’s hockey quarterfinals in Vancouver.
2011: Libya
Ten years ago: Deep cracks opened in Moammar Gadhafi’s regime, with Libyan government officials at home and abroad resigning, air force pilots defecting and a major government building ablaze after clashes in the capital of Tripoli.
2011: Yemen
Ten years ago: Yemen’s embattled leader, President Ali Abdullah Saleh (AH’-lee ahb-DUH’-luh sah-LEH’), rejected demands that he step down, calling demonstrations against his regime unacceptable acts of provocation and offering to begin a dialogue with protesters.
2016: Denny Hamlin
Five years ago: Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500, edging Martin Truex Jr. by inches at the finish line.
2016: Pope Francis
Five years ago: Pope Francis, speaking at the Vatican, urged Catholic leaders to show “exemplary” courage by not allowing executions “in this Holy Year of Mercy.”
2016: Syria
Five years ago: Bombings claimed by the Islamic State group in the Syrian cities of Damascus and Homs killed nearly 130 people.
2018: Billy Graham
In 2018, the Rev. Billy Graham, a confidant of presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, died at his North Carolina home; he was 99.
2018: Donald Trump
In 2018, a week after the Florida school shooting, President Donald Trump met with teen survivors of school violence and parents of slain children; Trump promised to be “very strong on background checks” and suggested he supported letting some teachers and other school employees carry weapons.
2020: Greyhound
One year ago: Greyhound, the nation’s largest bus company, said it would stop allowing Border Patrol agents without a warrant to board its buses to conduct routine immigration checks.
2020: Wells Fargo
One year ago: Wells Fargo agreed to pay $3 billion to settle criminal and civil investigations into a long-running practice in which employees opened millions of unauthorized bank accounts in order to meet sales goals.
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