February 21 in History

• 1848

  February 21, 1848:

  Karl Max and Friedrich Engels’ “The Communist Manifesto” is published for the first time.

• 1916

  February 21, 1916:

  World War I’s Battle of Verdun between France and Germany starts.

• 1921

  February 21, 1921:

  Iran’s Qajar dynasty is overthrown by Reza Khan, who would later become known as Reza Shah Pahlavi.

• 1925

  February 21, 1925:

  The New Yorker, the American weekly magazine, starts publication.

• 1948

  February 21, 1948:

  The National Association for Stock Car Racing (NASCAR) is formed.

• 1952

  February 21, 1952:

  Dick Button, the United States’ first figure skating Olympic gold medalist, returns to the Games four years later and picks his second gold medal.

• 1965

  February 21, 1965:

  Malcolm X is assassinated in New York City by members of the Black Muslims.

• 1981

  February 21, 1981:

  Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” peaks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

• 1995

  February 21, 1995:

  Steve Fossett, the American adventurer, flies solo in a balloon across the Pacific Ocean, becoming the first person to achieve this feat.

• 2003

  February 21, 2003:

  The television talk show, “Real Time with Bill Maher” premieres on HBO.