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On this day in history - February 23

What Happened On This Day – February 23

  • 1954 The first mass inoculation against polio is conducted

    Virologist Jonas Salk's vaccine is still one of the two versions used today, along with Hilary Koprowski's live polio vaccine.

  • 1947 The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) begins operating

    The ISO issues standards for everything from bicycle tires to date formats.

  • 1941 Glenn T. Seaborg and his team chemically identify Plutonium

    The radioactive element plays an important role as nuclear fuel or in nuclear weapons.

  • 1917 The February Revolution begins in Russia

    The demonstrations and armed clashes ultimately resulted in the demise of the Russian Empire.

  • 1455 The Gutenberg Bible is published

    Johannes Gutenberg's Bible edition was the first book ever printed in movable type, heralding the age of the printed book in the West.

Illustration of stork, signifying birth

Births On This Day,
February 23

  • 1983 Mido

    Egyptian footballer

  • 1929 Alexy II of Moscow

    Estonian/Russian patriarch

  • 1899 Erich Kästner

    German author, poet

  • 1868 W. E. B. Du Bois

    American sociologist, historian, activist

  • 1685 George Frideric Handel

    German/English composer

Illustration of tombstone, signifying death

Deaths On This Day,
February 23

  • 1965 Stan Laurel

    English actor, comedian

  • 1934 Edward Elgar

    English composer

  • 1855 Carl Friedrich Gauss

    German mathematician

  • 1848 John Quincy Adams

    American politician, 6th President of the United States

  • 1821 John Keats

    English poet