◆ On this day

February 1

5 sourced moments from February 1 in history: Lincoln Signs the Thirteenth Amendment (1865); First part of the Oxford English Dictionary published (1884); The Greensboro sit-in grew from 4 students to 1,400 (1960), plus 2 more.

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5 things happened on February 1

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2003 Space · Space Exploration

Why Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart on reentry in 2003

A foam strike at launch doomed Columbia — and NASA knew about the strike in flight, but declined to photograph the damaged wing.

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1979 History · Modern

Khomeini returned to Iran from exile on February 1, 1979

Millions met his Air France flight; asked how he felt, he said 'Nothing.' Washington had predicted the Shah would rule for years.

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1960 History · Modern

The Greensboro sit-in grew from 4 students to 1,400

Four A&T freshmen sat at a whites-only Woolworth's counter on 1 February 1960. Within days they filled all 65 seats — and the store finally gave in that July.

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1884 Language & Communication · Languages

First part of the Oxford English Dictionary published

After decades of slips and false starts, the great dictionary finally appeared, and had only reached the word "ant."

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1865 Society & Economy · Politics & Law

Lincoln Signs the Thirteenth Amendment

A president with no formal role in amending the Constitution still put his name to the resolution that would end American slavery.

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