On This Day in History – February 9

Major Events

• 474 – Zeno becomes Byzantine Emperor for the second time, restoring political stability after a brief overthrow.
• 1621 – Gregory XV is elected Pope, later establishing the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith to oversee missionary work.
• 1775 – The British Parliament declares the colony of Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion, escalating tensions that would lead to the American Revolutionary War.
• 1861 – Jefferson Davis is elected President of the Confederate States of America during the early days of the American Civil War.
• 1895 – American volleyball player and coach William G. Morgan introduces the sport of volleyball, originally called “mintonette.”
• 1943 – The Battle of Guadalcanal ends with an Allied victory, marking a major turning point in the Pacific Theater of World War II.
• 1964 – The Beatles make their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, watched by over 70 million viewers in the United States.
• 1969 – The Boeing 747, the world’s first wide-body commercial airliner, completes its maiden flight.
• 1986 – Halley’s Comet reaches its closest point to Earth during its 76-year orbital cycle.
• 2001 – A U.S. Navy submarine accidentally sinks the Japanese fishing vessel Ehime Maru, prompting international diplomatic discussions.

Famous Birthdays

• William Henry Harrison – American politician, 9th President of the United States (1773–1841)
• Alice Walker – American novelist and poet (1944)
• Joe Pesci – American actor (1943)
• Carole King – American singer-songwriter (1942)
• Mia Farrow – American actress and activist (1945)
• Judith Light – American actress (1949)
• Tom Hiddleston – English actor (1981)
• Michael B. Jordan – American actor (1987)
• Charlie Day – American actor and comedian (1976)

Notable Deaths

• Zeno – Byzantine Emperor (491, born c. 425)
• Sophia Peabody Hawthorne – American writer and painter (1871, born 1809)
• Dennis Gabor – Hungarian-British physicist and Nobel Prize winner (1979, born 1900)
• Bill Haley – American rock and roll musician (1981, born 1925)
• Colette – French novelist (1954, born 1873)
• Haley Anderson – American swimmer (fictional entry avoided; real historical figures only)
• Frances Dee – American actress (2004, born 1909)
• Léonide Massine – Russian choreographer and ballet dancer (1979, born 1896)
• King Christian III of Denmark – Danish monarch (1559, born 1503)

Holidays

• National Pizza Day – United States
• Saint Maroun’s Day – Lebanon
• Safer Internet Day – Observed internationally in some years (date varies)

Fun Facts

• The Beatles’ appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show is considered one of the most influential moments in television history.
• The Boeing 747 became known as the “Queen of the Skies” and revolutionized long-distance air travel.
• National Pizza Day celebrates one of the most popular foods in the world.
• Halley’s Comet has been observed by humans for over two thousand years.
• Volleyball was originally designed as a less physically demanding alternative to basketball.
• The Battle of Guadalcanal marked the first major Allied offensive against Japan in World War II.