1141
Science
Stephen captured at the Battle of Lincoln
On 2 February 1141, Matilda's forces defeated and captured King Stephen at Lincoln, opening the way to her ascendancy.
View detailsThis Day
02February
27 indexed achievements across recorded history.
1237
Science
Death of Joan, Lady of Wales at Aber
Joan, Lady of Wales, died at the royal court at Aber and was buried at Llanfaes, ending nearly three decades as a key Anglo-Welsh diplomatic intermediary.
View details1712
Science
Birth of Lydia Chapin Taft
Lydia Chapin was born in Mendon, Massachusetts, into a prominent colonial New England family.
View details1864
Literature
Died in London of tuberculosis
Adelaide Anne Procter died on 2 February 1864 in London at age 38, after a long illness with tuberculosis.
View details1880
Science
Sponsors Samuel R. Lowery's Supreme Court bar admission
Moved the admission of Samuel R. Lowery, generally cited as the first southern Black lawyer admitted to the Supreme Court bar.
View details1892
Science
Patent granted for Tracy Gravity Safety Elevator
Tracy was granted U.S. patent no. 468,039 for her signature invention, the Tracy Gravity Safety Elevator, designed to prevent shaft falls.
View details1897
Science
Birth of Gertrude Blanch
Birth of Gertrude Blanch in Kolno, then in the Russian Empire, before her later rise as a pioneer in numerical analysis and computation.
View details1905
Literature
Birth in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Born Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Jewish middle-class family.
View details1922
Literature
Publishes James Joyce's Ulysses
Sylvia Beach published the first complete edition of James Joyce's novel Ulysses on February 2, 1922, Joyce's 40th birthday, after it was banned in the US and UK.
View details1935
Arts
First known film appearance in Teacher's Beau
At about age 12, Dandridge made her first uncredited film appearance in the Our Gang short Teacher's Beau, released February 2, 1935.
View details1936
Science
Inaugural election to the Baseball Hall of Fame
Mathewson was named one of the inaugural 'First Five' inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame, alongside Cobb, Ruth, Wagner, and Johnson.
View details1943
Arts
Naturalized as a United States Citizen
Lempicka became a naturalized U.S. citizen during World War II.
View details1952
Politics
Birth in Daegu
Born in Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, the eldest daughter of future president Park Chung-hee and Yook Young-soo.
View details1954
Literature
Death of Hella Wuolijoki
Hella Wuolijoki passed away on February 2, 1954, leaving behind a legacy in literature and politics.
View details1956
Sports
First American woman to win Olympic gold in figure skating
Wins first-ever Olympic gold by an American woman in figure skating.
View details1956
Sports
Gold medal at 1956 Winter Olympics
Secures gold in figure skating at 1956 Winter Olympics.
View details1957
Arts
Death of Julia Morgan
Julia Morgan died in San Francisco at age 85, having designed more than 700 buildings over her extraordinary career.
View details1959
Politics
Elected President of the Indian National Congress
Indira Gandhi was elected President of the Indian National Congress.
View details1972
Literature
Death of Natalie Clifford Barney
Natalie Clifford Barney died on February 2, 1972, in Paris, France.
View details1980
Arts
Recognition as first woman to head a major movie studio
Lansing is recognized on February 2, 1980, as the first woman to head a major film studio.
View details1981
Exploration
Congressional Antarctic Service Medal Awarded
Received Congressional Antarctic Service Medal for contributions to research on Antarctic microorganisms.
View details1985
Politics
First African American and first woman DNC treasurer
Elected DNC treasurer, becoming the first African American and first woman to hold the post.
View details1995
Science
Death of Tikvah Alper in Sarisbury, Hampshire
Died in Sarisbury, Hampshire, at age 86, after a career that helped shape radiobiology and prion research.
View details1999
Activism
Death of Marie Van Brittan Brown
Marie Van Brittan Brown passed away on February 2, 1999. Her legacy endures.
View details2009
Medicine
Suleman octuplets become longest-surviving U.S. octuplets
One week after their birth, the Suleman octuplets become the longest-surviving octuplets in U.S. history, surpassing the 1998 Chukwu octuplets.
View details2012
Literature
Death of Dorothy Gilman
Dorothy Gilman passed away on February 2, 2012, leaving behind a literary legacy.
View details2025
Activism
Start of documented hunger strike
Narges Mohammadi began a hunger strike on February 2, 2025, highlighting her continued protest against unlawful detention.
View details