Observances

February 2010

• African American History Month.

February 1, Monday
Langston Hughes (1902-1967): African American.
Thomas Lantos (born Lantos Tamás Péter) (1928–2008): Jewish American.

February 2, Tuesday
Groundhog Day: United States.
Candlemas: Christian. Imbolc: Pagan and Wiccan.

February 3, Wednesday
Gertrude Stein (1874–1946): Lesbian.
Bean Scattering Festival (Setsubun): Japan.

February 4, Thursday
Betty Friedan (born Bettye Naomi Goldstein) (1921–2006): Jewish American.
Abaeen: Islamic.

February 5, Friday
Constitution Day: Mexico.

February 6, Saturday
Bob Marley (1945–1981): Jamaican.
Sending Off the Kitchen God Day (2/6-7): China.
Waitangi Day: New Zealand.

February 8, Monday
Great Lent begins: Coptic Orthodox Christian.
Constitution Day: Philippines.

February 9, Tuesday
St. Maroon's Day: Lebanon.

February 11, Thursday
National Foundation Day (Kenkoku Kinen Bi): Japan.

February 12, Friday
Tadeusz (Thaddeus) Kosciuszko (1746–1817): Polish.
Maha Shivaratri (Shiva's Night): Hindu.
Lincoln’s Birthday: United States.

February 14, Sunday
Richard Allen (1760–1831): African American.
Frederick Douglass (1817–1895): African American.
Willem Johan Kolff (1911-2009): Dutch American.
Masao Satow (1908–1977): Japanese American.
Valentine's Day: United States.
New Year (Gao Nian): China.
New Year (Losar): Tibet.
New Year (Sol): South Korea.
New Year (Tet Nguyen Dan): Vietnam.

February 15, Monday
Susan B[rownell] Anthony (1820–1906): Suffragist, United States.
Bun Day (Shrove Monday): Iceland.
Beginning of Great Lent: Eastern Orthodox Christian.
Nirvana (Buddha's Death): Buddhist.
Shrove Monday: Christian.
Liberation Day: Afghanistan.
Washington’s Birthday (Presidents’ Day): United States.

February 16, Tuesday
Bursting Day (Shrove Tuesday): Iceland.
Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras): Christian.
Independence Day: Lithuania.

February 17, Wednesday
Marian Anderson (1902–1993): African American.
Goyaale (Geronimo) (1829–1909): American Indian (Chiricahua Apache).
Randy Shilts (1952–1994): Gay.
Declaration of Independence: Republic of Kosovo.
Ash Wednesday (beginning of Lent): Christian.

February 18, Thursday
Sholom Aleichem (born Solomon Rabinowitz) (1854–1916): Jewish Russian American.
J. Max Bond Jr. (1935-2009): African American.
Audre Geraldin Lorde (1934–1992): Lesbian.
Luis Muñoz Marín: Puerto Rican.
National Democracy Day: Nepal.

February 21, Sunday
Barbara Jordan (1936–1996): African American.
International Mother Language Day: United Nations.
Martyrs’ Day (Shaheed Dibash): Bangladesh.

February 22, Monday
Zitkala-Sa (Gertrude Bonnin) (1876–1938): American Indian (Sioux).
People Power Day (2/22-2/25): Philippines.

February 23, Tuesday
W[illiam] E[dward] B[urkhardt] Du Bois (1868–1963): African American.
Casimir Funk (1884–1967): Jewish Polish American.
Quanah Parker (1850?–1911): American Indian (Comanche).
Defenders of the Motherland Day: Russia.

February 24, Wednesday
Flag Day: Mexico.
Independence Day: Estonia.

February 25, Thursday
Enrico Caruso (1873–1931): Italian American.
José de San Martín (1778–1850): Argentine.
National Day (2/25-2/26): Kuwait.

February 26, Friday
Intercalary Days (2/26-3/1): Baha'i.
Maulid an-Nabi (Prophet Muhammad's Birthday): Islamic.

February 27, Saturday
Independence Day: Dominican Republic.

February 28, Sunday
Lantern Festival (Yuan-hsiao): China.
Taeborum (tay-bore-oom): South Korea.
Butter Sculpture Festival: Tibet.
Holi (2/28-3/1): Hindu.
Purim (Feast of Lots): Jewish.