Osun Defender History Corner: February 29 In Focus

As February 29 only occurs during leap years, which happen every four years, the number of notable events and historical occurrences on this specific date is limited. However, here are a few significant events that have happened on February 29 throughout history:

February 29, 1504

Christopher Columbus uses a lunar eclipse to frighten hostile Jamaican natives, encouraging them to continue supplying him with provisions.

February 29, 1692

Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba are arrested for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts, marking the beginning of the Salem witch trials.

February 29, 1704

Queen Anne’s War: French forces and Native American allies attack the English settlement at Deerfield, Massachusetts, killing more than 50 colonists and taking 100 captive.

February 29, 1864

American Civil War: Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid fails – Plans to free Union prisoners being held at Libby Prison are thwarted.

February 29, 1904

President Theodore Roosevelt appoints seven members to the Panama Canal Commission, establishing American oversight of the construction of the Panama Canal.

February 29, 1940

Hattie McDaniel becomes the first African American to win an Academy Award, winning Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Gone with the Wind.”

February 29, 1960

The first Playboy Club featuring waitresses in revealing costumes opens in Chicago.

February 29, 1988

South African archbishop Desmond Tutu is arrested along with 100 clergymen during a five-day anti-apartheid demonstration in Cape Town.

February 29, 2004

Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigns as President of Haiti, leading to political turmoil and international intervention.

February 29, 2012

Davy Jones, lead singer of the 1960s band The Monkees, dies of a heart attack at age 66.

Please note that these are just a few historical events that happened on February 29. History is full of numerous other significant events on this day, ranging from politics and warfare to cultural and scientific milestones.