This Day In History : February 12

1961 Russian Federation

USSR Launches Venera 1 Probe on Mission to Venus

On February 12, 1961, the Soviet Union launched the Venera 1 spacecraft towards Venus, marking a significant milestone in space exploration. Venera 1 was the first spacecraft to be sent to Venus, aiming to study the planet's atmosphere and environment. Although communication with the probe was lost before it reached Venus, its mission laid the groundwork for future space missions to the planet.

Also on This Day in History February 12

Discover what happened on February 12 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, February 12
  • 1809 Abraham Lincoln

    16th President of the United States (1861- 1865)

  • 1809 Charles Darwin

    English scientist, theorist and naturalist who conceived the theory of evolution by natural selection (Origin of the Species) 

  • 1918 Julian Seymour Schwinger

    American physicist who received Nobel Prize 1965 in Physics for work in quantum electrodynamics

  • 1873 Barnum Brown

    American paleontologist who discovered the first Tyrannosaurus rex fossil and few types of dinosaurs

  • 1785 Pierre-Louis Dulong

    French chemist and physicist

Deaths on This Day, February 12
  • 1971 James C. Penney

    American department store founder (J C Penney)

  • 1912 Armauer Hansen

    Norwegian physician who became 1st to identify leprosy as bacteria

  • 1950 Dirk Coster

    Dutch physicist who discovered the element hafnium

  • 1929 Freiherr Albert von Schrenk-Notzing

    German para-psychologist

  • 1916 Richard Dedekind

    German mathematician worked on Nature & Meaning of Numbers

1855

Establishment of Michigan State University

On February 12, 1855, Michigan State University (MSU) was established under the Morrill Act of 1862. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, MSU became the pioneer land-grant institution, focusing on agricultural and mechanical education. Over the years, it has grown into a comprehensive university known for its research and academic programs across various disciplines.
1909

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) founded

On February 12, 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in New York City. It was established in response to ongoing racial discrimination and violence against African Americans, aiming to secure civil rights and equality through legal challenges, advocacy, and public education. The NAACP has been instrumental in numerous landmark legal victories and remains a prominent civil rights organization in the United States.
1934

Austrian Civil War Begins

The Austrian Civil War broke out on February 12, 1934, between the government forces of the Federal State of Austria, led by Engelbert Dollfuss, and the Social Democratic Workers' Party, supported by paramilitary forces. The conflict stemmed from political and economic tensions exacerbated by the Great Depression and culminated in a short-lived but intense struggle for power.
1925

First Federal Arbitration Law Approved by Congress

On February 12, 1925, the United States Congress approved the Federal Arbitration Act, establishing a legal framework for the enforcement of arbitration agreements in contracts involving commerce. This landmark legislation aimed to streamline dispute resolution outside of traditional court proceedings, promoting arbitration as a means to resolve commercial conflicts efficiently and effectively.
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