On this day: February 25
February 25, 1836
The Battle of the Alamo begins in San Antonio, Texas. The 13-day siege would result in the deaths of nearly 200 Texan defenders, including famous figures such as Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie. The battle would become a symbol of resistance and sacrifice in the fight for Texas independence from Mexico.
February 25, 1870
Hiram Rhodes Revels becomes the first African American to serve in the United States Senate. Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Jefferson Davis, who had left to join the Confederacy during the Civil War. Revels’ appointment was a significant milestone in the ongoing struggle for civil rights and equality in America.
February 25, 1956
Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev delivers his famous “Secret Speech” denouncing the crimes of his predecessor, Joseph Stalin. Khrushchev’s speech marked a turning point in Soviet history, as it exposed the extent of Stalin’s brutal regime and began a period of de-Stalinization in the Soviet Union.
February 25, 1986
Filmmaker and animator Hayao Miyazaki’s iconic film “Castle in the Sky” is released in Japan. The film, which tells the story of a young boy and girl searching for a legendary floating castle, would become a beloved classic in the world of animation and solidify Miyazaki’s reputation as a master storyteller.
February 25, 2011
Protests erupt in Libya as demonstrators demand the ousting of longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The protests were part of the larger Arab Spring movement sweeping through the Middle East and North Africa, leading to Gaddafi’s eventual downfall and death later that year.
February 25, 2020
Harvey Weinstein, the former Hollywood producer whose alleged sexual misconduct sparked the #MeToo movement, is found guilty of rape and sexual assault in a landmark trial in New York City. Weinstein’s conviction was seen as a victory for the survivors who came forward to accuse him and a turning point in the fight against sexual harassment and abuse in the entertainment industry.
