1923

Archaeologist opens tomb of King Tut

Born on This Day

"The Idol" Red Carpet - The 76th Annual Cannes Film Festival

The Weeknd

1990 -

Canadian singer-songwriter who blended pop, R&B and electronic music on "Blinding LIghts" and "Can't Feel My Face."

Laver Cup 2022 - Previews

John McEnroe

1959 -

Tennis player known for his fiery temperament, rivalry with Björn Borg and seven Grand Slam singles titles.

John Varvatos 13th Annual Stuart House Benefit Presented By Chrysler With Kids' Tent By Hasbro Studios - Arrivals

LeVar Burton

1957 -

Actor and educator who starred in "Roots" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Hosted TV's "Reading Rainbow."

2005

FEB

16

Mired in a labor dispute, the National Hockey League cancels the 2004-05 pro hockey season—a first for any major US sports league.

Timeline

Also on This Day in History

Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on February 16th

1804

U.S. Navy boards and burns the captured USS Philadelphia in daring mission

During the First Barbary War, U.S. Lieutenant Stephen Decatur leads a military mission that famed British Admiral Horatio Nelson calls the “most daring act of the age.” In June 1801, President Thomas Jefferson ordered U.S. Navy vessels to the Mediterranean Sea in protest of continuing raids against U.S. ships by pirates from the Barbary states—Morocco, […]

1951

Joseph Stalin attacks the United Nations

In a statement focusing on the situation in Korea, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin charges that the United Nations has become “a weapon of aggressive war.” He also suggested that although a world war was not inevitable “at the present time,” “warmongers” in the West might trigger such a conflict. Stalin’s comments in response to queries […]

1959

Fidel Castro sworn in as prime minister

On February 16, 1959, Fidel Castro is sworn in as prime minister of Cuba after leading a guerrilla campaign that forced right-wing dictator Fulgencio Batista into exile. Castro, who became commander in chief of Cuba’s armed forces after Batista was ousted on January 1, replaced the more moderate Miro Cardona as head of the country’s […]

1968

Tet Offensive results in many new refugees

U.S. officials report that, in addition to the 800,000 people listed as refugees prior to January 30, the fighting during the Tet Offensive has created 350,000 new refugees. The communist attack known as the Tet Offensive had begun at dawn on January 31, the first day of the Tet holiday truce. Viet Cong forces, supported […]

1968

First 9-1-1 call is placed in the United States

February 16, 1968 sees the first official “911” call placed in the United States. Now taken for granted as first course of action in the event of emergency by nearly all of the nation’s 327 million people, 911 is a relatively recent invention and was still not standard across the United States for many years […]

1984

Bill Johnson becomes first US man to win Olympic gold in downhill skiing

On February 16, 1984, Bill Johnson becomes the first American man to win an Olympic gold medal in downhill skiing, a sport long dominated by European athletes. Johnson quickly became a national hero, though his fame was short-lived, and he never again competed in the Olympics. William Dean Johnson was born March 30, 1960, and […]

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