February 9: What's unusual about today?

This Day In History

1825 - The U.S. House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams president. No candidate had received a majority of electoral votes.

1929 - The Lateran Treaty was signed with Italy, recognizing the independence and sovereignty of Vatican City.

1958 - The American Research Bureau stated that "American Bandstand" was the number one daytime TV program.


1962 - Neil Sedaka recorded "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" for the first time.

1964 - The Beatles made the first of three record-breaking appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show." 73 million people watched the show. It was their American TV debut.

1969 - The Boeing 747 flew its inaugural flight.

1975 - Margaret Thatcher became the first woman to lead the British Conservative Party.

1990 - South African black activist Nelson Mandella was freed after 27 years in captivity.

1997 - "The Simpsons" became the longest-running prime-time animated series. "The Flintstones" held the record previously.

Liturgical Calendar: Friday the Fifth Week of Ordinary Time
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