On This Day - February 20th

Featured Event:

John Glenn's orbit of Earth (1962) 👨‍🚀

John H. Glenn, Jr., the oldest of seven astronauts selected by NASA for Project Mercury spaceflight training, became on this day in 1962 the first American to orbit Earth, doing so three times.

Other Events:

1872: The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City opened to the public. 🏛️

1929: The U.S. Congress formally accepted the deeds of cession of eastern Samoa, forming American Samoa. 🇦🇸

1943: The volcano Paricutín in Michoacán state, Mexico, erupted, eventually burying two villages. 🌋

1986: The Soviet Union launched the core module of the space station Mir. 🚀

Holidays:

Day of Heavenly Hundred Heroes 🇺🇦

World Day of Social Justice 🌍

Featured Birthdays:

1963: Charles Barkley 🇺🇸 (Basketball Player)

1967: Kurt Cobain 🇺🇸 (Singer)

1984: Trevor Noah 🇿🇦 (Comedian)

1988: Rihanna 🇧🇧 (Singer)

Featured Deaths:

1895: Frederick Douglas 🇺🇸 (Official and Politician)

1980: Alice Roosevelt 🇺🇸 (Politician)

1993: Ferruccio Lamborghini 🇮🇹 (Automobile designer)

2005: Hunter S. Thompson 🇺🇸 (Journalist)