8 History Lessons + 4 Births & 4 Deaths for February 25, 2025
Today’s History:
- 1836 – Samuel Colt is granted a United States patent for his revolver firearm.
- 1870 – Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, is sworn into the United States Senate, becoming the first African American to serve in Congress.
- 1913 – The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, allowing Congress to levy income taxes, is declared in effect.
- 1933 – The USS Ranger, the first purpose-built aircraft carrier of the U.S. Navy, is launched.
- 1956 – In his speech “On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences,” Nikita Khrushchev denounces Joseph Stalin.
- 1964 – Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) defeats Sonny Liston in Miami Beach, becoming the world heavyweight boxing champion for the first time.
- 1986 – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos flees the country after 20 years of rule; Corazon Aquino becomes the first female president of the Philippines.
- 1991 – The Warsaw Pact is declared disbanded at a meeting in Budapest.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1964 – Kristin Davis, American actress best known for her role in “Sex and the City” (61)
- 1976 – Rashida Jones, American actress known for “Parks and Recreation” (49)
- 1983 – Emily Blunt, British actress known for roles in “The Devil Wears Prada” and “A Quiet Place” (42)
- 1994 – Dakota Fanning, American actress who rose to fame as a child star in “I Am Sam” (31)
Today’s Deaths:
- 1723 – Sir Christopher Wren, English architect who designed St. Paul’s Cathedral (age 90)
- 1964 – Kenneth Spencer, American actor and singer known for his work on stage and screen (age 50)
- 1983 – Tennessee Williams, American playwright famous for “A Streetcar Named Desire” (age 71)
- 2017 – Bill Paxton, American actor known for roles in “Twister” and “Aliens” (age 61)
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