1848
Law
Birth of Myra Maybelle Shirley in Carthage, Missouri
Belle Starr was born Myra Maybelle Shirley on February 5, 1848, in Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri, to a prosperous innkeeping family.
View detailsThis Day
05February
26 indexed achievements across recorded history.
1855
Medicine
Birth of Katharine Bushnell
Katharine Bushnell was born on February 5, 1855, in Peru, Illinois.
View details1869
Politics
Birth of Minnie Geddings Cox
Minnie Geddings Cox was born in Mississippi, to become a significant figure in early 1900s U.S. politics.
View details1870
Science
Opening of Woodhull, Claflin & Co. brokerage
Public opening of Woodhull, Claflin & Co. brokerage in New York City, established by Tennessee Claflin and her sister.
View details1892
Literature
Death of Emilie Flygare-Carlén
Emilie Flygare-Carlén died on February 5, 1892, in Stockholm, Sweden.
View details1901
Arts
Birth of Marjorie Eaton in San Francisco
Marjorie Lee Eaton was born on February 5, 1901, in San Francisco, California, beginning a life that would span careers as a painter, muralist, and character actress.
View details1908
Arts
Premiere performance of Bartók's Violin Concerto No. 1 dedicated to her withheld until posthumous publication
Béla Bartók composed his First Violin Concerto (1907-08) as a private love token for Geyer; it remained unperformed publicly during her lifetime association.
View details1909
Arts
Birth of Grażyna Bacewicz
Grażyna Bacewicz was born on February 5, 1909, in Łódź, Poland.
View details1916
Arts
Performs at the opening of the Cabaret Voltaire's Galerie Dada
Sophie Taeuber performed her radical, mask-wearing abstract dance at Dada events in Zurich, becoming a key artistic contributor to the Dada movement.
View details1917
1921
Arts
Saturday Evening Post cover: Feathered Beret
McMein's 'Feathered Beret' cover was featured on February 5, 1921, in the Saturday Evening Post.
View details1922
Science
First issue of Reader's Digest mailed
The inaugural issue of Reader's Digest, cofounded by Lila Acheson Wallace, was mailed to subscribers from New York.
View details1925
Law
Senate confirmation as Associate Justice
Stone is confirmed by the Senate as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
View details1931
Exploration
First women to see Antarctica from a ship
Ingrid Christensen became one of the first women to see Antarctica from a ship at Bjerkö Head.
View details1938
Sports
Gold medal in high jump at 1938 British Empire Games
Dorothy Tyler won gold in high jump at 1938 British Empire Games.
View details1945
Activism
Death of Violette Szabo
Executed by the Nazis on February 5, 1945, at Ravensbrück concentration camp.
View details1951
Medicine
Admission to Johns Hopkins and tumor biopsy
Lacks was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital for cervical cancer; a biopsy of her tumor was taken and cells collected without her knowledge or consent.
View details1954
1964
Aviation
Death in Glendale, California
Matilde Moisant died in Glendale, California, after retiring from aviation.
View details1972
1975
Science
Issues Decree 261/75, the first 'decree of annihilation'
President Isabel Perón signed Decree 261/75, ordering the military to 'annihilate' leftist guerrillas in Tucumán, a key step in escalating state repression.
View details1977
Arts
Women in Film Crystal Award
Lucille Ball received the Women in Film Crystal Award, honoring her achievements expanding the role of women in entertainment.
View details1981
Politics
Death of Ella T. Grasso in Hartford, Connecticut
Ella T. Grasso dies in Hartford, Connecticut, at age 61 after a battle with ovarian cancer.
View details1997
Politics
Died in Paris while serving as US Ambassador to France
Pamela Harriman died on February 5, 1997, in Paris of a cerebral hemorrhage suffered while swimming, while still serving as US Ambassador to France.
View details2012
Science
Super Bowl XLVI halftime show headliner
Madonna headlines the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show at Lucas Oil Stadium, one of the most-watched musical performances ever.
View details2013
Sports
Death of Pepper Paire Davis
Pepper Paire Davis died on February 5, 2013, in Los Angeles at age 88, remembered as a pioneer of women's professional baseball.
View details