Welcome to today’s edition of historical events! It’s Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, marking the 56th day of the year with 309 days still to go.
Significant events on this day:
On Feb. 25, 1986, President Ferdinand Marcos left the Philippines after ruling for two decades following a controversial election; opposition leader Corazon Aquino — the first female president of the country — took over the presidency.
Additional notable occurrences on this date:
In 1870, Hiram R. Revels of Mississippi was inaugurated as a U.S. senator, becoming the first African American member of Congress.
In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting Congress the authority to impose and collect income taxes, was officially enacted by Secretary of State Philander Chase Knox.
In 1956, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev delivered a lengthy speech denouncing the brutality and “cult of personality” of his predecessor, dictator Josef Stalin, at a Communist Party congress.
In 1964, Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, claimed the world heavyweight boxing title for the first time by defeating Sonny Liston in Miami Beach.
In 1991, during the Persian Gulf War, 28 American soldiers lost their lives when an Iraqi Scud missile struck a U.S. barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
In 1994, American-born Jewish settler Baruch Goldstein opened fire with an automatic rifle inside the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank during Ramadan, killing 29 Muslims before being subdued by worshippers.
In 1997, chemical heir John E. du Pont was found guilty of third-degree murder for fatally shooting wrestler David Schultz, with the jury determining he was mentally unstable at the time. (Du Pont passed away in prison in December 2010 while serving a 13- to 30-year sentence; he was 72.)
In 2024, the U.S. and Britain launched strikes on 18 Houthi targets in Yemen in response to increased attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including a missile assault that ignited a cargo vessel.
Celebrity birthdays for today:
- Sally Jessy Raphael, former talk show host, turns 91.
- Tom Courtenay, actor, celebrates his 89th birthday.
- Neil Jordan, film director, marks 76 years.
- John Doe, rock musician and actor from X, turns 73.
- Carrot Top, comedian, is 61 today.
- Tea Leoni, actress, celebrates her 60th birthday.
- Sean Astin, actor, turns 55.
- Daniel Powter, singer, also turns 55.
- Chelsea Handler, comedian and actress, is 51.
- Rashida Jones, actress, celebrates her 50th birthday.
- Kash Patel, FBI Director, turns 46.
- Jameela Jamil, actress, celebrates her 40th birthday.
- Hideki Matsuyama, golfer, is 34 today.
- Isabelle Fuhrman, actress, turns 29.
- Bo Nix, Denver Broncos quarterback, celebrates his 26th birthday.
