On this day

1 February in history.

5 moments from 1884 to 2009: discovery, creativity and courage, each with a source to read more.

5 moments

1960

Four students sit down for change. Four Black college students took seats at a whites-only lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, and politely asked to be served. Their quiet protest spread to other cities and lasted for months.

Photo: Jack Moebes / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

1884
A dictionary begins with "A to Ant"
The first part of the Oxford English Dictionary came out: 352 pages covering only words from A to "ant". Finishing the whole work took another 44 years.
Wikipedia: Oxford English Dictionary
Photo: Dan (mrpolyonymous on Flickr) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
1893
The first film studio is finished
Thomas Edison's team completed the "Black Maria", a small tar-paper building in New Jersey that could turn to follow the sun. Many of the earliest short films were made inside it.
Wikipedia: Edison's Black Maria Wikipedia: Thomas Edison
Photo: William Kennedy Dickson / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
1896
La bohème opens in Turin
Puccini's opera about poor young artists in Paris was first performed at the Teatro Regio, with a young Arturo Toscanini conducting. It became one of the most loved operas in the world.
Wikipedia: La bohème Wikipedia: Arturo Toscanini
Photo: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, PPOC, Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
2009
Iceland gets its first woman prime minister
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir took office as Iceland's prime minister. She was also the first openly gay person to lead a modern national government.
Wikipedia: Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Photo: Unknown author / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Moments chosen for discovery, creativity and courage. Each one links to a source where you can read more; photos are credited to their owners.