On This Day February 29th

 OTD

February 29th is the Sixtieth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 305 days remain until the end of the year.

 Events

1504 – Christopher Columbus uses his knowledge of a lunar eclipse that night to convince Jamaican natives to provide him with supplies.

1644 – Abel Tasman's second Pacific voyage begins as he leaves Batavia in command of three ships

1796 – The Jay Treaty between the United States and Great Britain comes into force, facilitating ten years of peaceful trade between the two nations.

1892 – St. Petersburg, Florida is incorporated.

1912 – The Piedra Movediza (Moving Stone) of Tandil falls and breaks.

1916 – In South Carolina, the minimum working age for factory, mill, and mine workers was 12 to 14.

1940 – Hattie McDaniel becomes the first African American to win an Academy Award for her performance as Mammy in Gone with the Wind.

1980 – Gordie Howe of the Hartford Whalers made NHL history as he scored his 800th goal.

1996 – The Siege of Sarajevo officially ends.

2008 – The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense withdrew Prince Harry from a tour of Afghanistan after news of his deployment was leaked to foreign media.

 Birthdays

1468 – Pope Paul III (d. 1549)

1576 – Antonio Neri, Florentine priest and glassmaker (d. 1614)

1736 – Ann Lee, English American religious leader, founder of the Shakers (d. 1784)

1892 – Augusta Savage, American sculptor (d. 1962)

1904 – Jimmy Dorsey, American saxophonist, composer and bandleader (d. 1957)

1928 – Vance Haynes, American archaeologist, geologist and author

1956 – Aileen Wuornos, American serial killer (executed 2002)

1980 – Taylor Twellman, American soccer player and sportscaster

 Holiday Spotlight

February 29 is a leap day (or "leap year day"), an intercalary date added periodically to create leap years in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. According to both calendars, it's the 60th day of a leap year, and 306 days remain until the end of a leap year. It is, therefore, the last day of February in leap years, excluding 1712 in Sweden. At the same time, this is the last day of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the last day of meteorological summer in the Southern Hemisphere if a leap year is considered.

 In the Gregorian calendar, the standard civil calendar used in most of the world, February 29 is added yearly. It is an integer multiple of four, except when it divides evenly by 100 but not by 400. For instance, 1900 was not a leap year, though 2000 was. The Julian calendar, since 1923, is liturgical and has the 29th of February every fourth year without exception. It will, therefore, fall thirteen days behind February 29 of the Gregorian calendar in the Julian calendar until the year 2100.

 Others Include.

Bachelor's Day - February 29 (Every 4 Years)

Digital Learning Day - February 29, 2024 (Last Thursday in February)

International Underlings Day - February 29 (Every 4 Years)

Leap Year Day

National Chili Day - February 29, 2024 (Last Thursday in February)

National Toast Day - February 29, 2024 (Last Thursday in February)

Rare Disease Day - February 29, 2024 (Last Day of February)

Superman's Birthday

Surf and Turf Day

Yellowstone Park Day

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