This Day In History, February 29th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on February 29th.
Treaty of Ghent Signed (1814).
The Nestlé company was founded by Henri Nestlé, who was born in Frankfurt, Germany, on February 29, 1814.
San Francisco became the first city in the US to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples on February 29, 2004, making it the year that openly gay marriage was first legalized.
On February 29, 1494, during his second voyage to the Americas, Christopher Columbus made his first sighting of the island of Jamaica.
Oscar victory for Hattie McDaniel (1940): For her performance in "Gone with the Wind," Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to receive an Academy Award on February 29th, 1940.
On February 29th, 1814, the Treaty of Ghent was signed, officially ending the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain.
The War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain came to a conclusion when the Treaty of Ghent was signed on February 29, 1814, in Ghent, Belgium. Representatives from the United States, led by John Quincy Adams, and the United Kingdom, under the leadership of Lord Castlereagh, negotiated the treaty. The treaty served to strengthen relations between the two nations by restoring the pre-war borders between them. Early in 1815, it was approved by both Great Britain and the United States.
The founder of Nestlé, Henri Nestlé, was born on February 29th, 1814, in Frankfurt, Germany.
The Nestlé company's founder, Henri Nestlé, was born in Frankfurt, Germany, on February 29, 1814. A pharmacist named Nestlé created "Farine lactée Nestlé" or "Nestlé's Milk Food," a nourishing newborn meal, in 1867. Due to the enormous popularity of this product, Nestlé decided to found his own business, which eventually grew to become one of the biggest food and beverage corporations in the world. Henri Nestlé continues to inspire the name of the business today.
San Francisco became the first city in the US to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples on February 29, 2004.
The first city in the US to do so was San Francisco in California, which started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on February 29th, 2004. Despite California state law defining marriage as occurring between a man and a woman, the decision to permit same-sex unions was taken by the then-mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom. The decision triggered a nationwide discussion and legal challenges, and later that year the California Supreme Court revoked the licenses. Yet, this occasion was viewed as a turning point in the struggle for marriage equality in the US.
On February 29, 1494, during his second voyage to the Americas, Christopher Columbus made his first sighting of the island of Jamaica.
On February 29, 1494, during his second trip to the Americas, Christopher Columbus made his first sighting of Jamaica. Columbus claimed the island for the Spanish throne and gave it the name "Santa Gloria." The Spanish did not settle permanently on the island until 1509, after which it developed into a significant hub for the transatlantic slave traffic and a center for the production of sugar. Nowadays, Jamaica is a sovereign state and a well-liked vacation spot thanks to its beaches, music, and culture.
Oscar victory for Hattie McDaniel (1940): For her performance in "Gone with the Wind," Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to receive an Academy Award on February 29th, 1940.
Hattie McDaniel made history on February 29th, 1940, when she became the first African-American to receive an Oscar. For her work as "Mammy" in the 1939 motion picture "Gone with the Wind," she was given the Best Supporting Actress trophy. Yet, despite her historic victory, McDaniel continued to experience racial discrimination in Hollywood and was frequently cast in stereotypical parts. Yet, her win opened the door for greater diversity in the film industry and is still a significant turning point in American cinema.