1594 – Henry IV was crowned King of France on the 27th February 1594.

1700 – The island of New Britain was discovered on the 27th February 1700.

1812 – Manuel Belgrano raised the Flag of Argentina for the first time on the 27th February 1812, in the city of Rosario.

1844 – The Dominican Republic gained independence from Haiti on the 27th February 1844.

1863 – Joaquín Sorolla the Spanish painter was born on the 27th February 1863 (d. 1923).

1900 – The British Labour Party was founded on the 27th February 1900.

1902 – John Steinbeck the American author and Nobel Prize laureate was born on the 27th February 1902 (died 1968).

1903 – Ion Irimescu the Romanian sculptor and sketcher was born on the 27th February 1903 (died 2005).

1935 – Uri Shulevitz the American author and illustrator was born on the 27th February 1935.

1936 – Ron Barassi the Australian footballer and coach was born on the 27th February 1936.

1940 – Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discovered carbon-14 on the 27th February 1940.

1940 – Bill Hunter the Australian actor was born on the 27th February 1940 (died 2011).

1951 – Steve Harley the English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Cockney Rebel was born on the 27th February 1951.

1957 – Adrian Smith the English guitarist from Iron Maiden was born on the 27th February 1957.

1957 – Robert de Castella the Australian runner was born on the 27th February 1957.

1958 – Max Crivello the Italian illustrator was born on the 27th February 1958.

1958 – Nancy Spungen the American girlfriend of Sid Vicious was born on the 27th February 1958 (died 1978).

1964 – The government of Italy asked for aid to keep the Leaning Tower of Pisa from falling over on the 27th February 1964.

1973 – Peter Andre the Australian singer-songwriter and actor was born on the 27th February 1973.

2007 – The Chinese Correction: the Shanghai Stock Exchange fell 9% on the 27th February 2007, the largest drop in 10 years.

2010 – An earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale hit central parts of Chile on the 27th February 2010, killing over 500 people. The quake triggered a tsunami which hit Hawaii shortly after.

1815 ~ Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from Elba on the 26th February 1815.

1829 ~ Levi Strauss the German-American fashion designer and founder of Levi Strauss & Co. was born on the 26th February 1829 (died 1902).

1846 ~ Buffalo Bill the American soldier and hunter was born on the 26th February 1846 (died 1917).

1852 ~ John Harvey Kellogg the American surgeon and co-creator of Corn flakes was born on the 26th February 1852 (died 1943).

1909 ~ Kinemacolor, the 1st successful color motion picture process was first shown to the general public on the 26th February 1909, at the Palace Theatre in London.

1917 ~ The Original Dixieland Jass Band recorded the 1st jazz record on the 26th February 1917, for the Victor Talking Machine Company in New York. In 1917 the spelling of the band’s name was changed to Original Dixieland Jazz Band.

1919 ~ The Grand Canyon was established as a United States National Park on the 26th February 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson signed an act of the U.S. Congress. It is now known as the Grand Canyon National Park.

1920 ~ The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, the 1st German Expressionist film and early horror movie by Robert Wiene premièred in Berlin on the 26th February 1920.

1916 ~ Jackie Gleason the American actor and singer was born on the 26th February 1916 (died 1987). YouTube video: Jackie Gleeson in The Honeymooners: The Really Lost Debut Episodes…

1920 ~ Tony Randall the American actor, director, and producer was born on the 26th February 1920 (died 2004). Tony Randall was best known as known as Felix Unger in the 1970s television series The Odd Couple. YouTube video: The Odd Couple TV Show Opening Theme Season Two 1970…

1929 ~ Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming was established as a 96,000 acre national park on the 26th February 1929, when President Calvin Coolidge signed an Executive Order.

1932 ~ Johnny Cash the American singer-songwriter and guitarist from The Tennessee Three and The Highwaymen was born on the 26th February 1932 (died 12th September 2003 aged 71). YouTube video: Johnny Cash – Live from Austin, Texas 1987…

1935 ~ Robert Watson-Watt carried out a demonstration near Daventry on the 26th February 1935, which lead directly to the development of RADAR in the United Kingdom.

1943 ~ Bob Hite the American singer-songwriter from Canned Heat was born on the 26th February 1943 (died 1981). YouTube video: “Going up the Country” – Canned Heat at Woodstock 1969…YouTube video: Canned Heat – On The Road Again (1968)…

1945 ~ Peter Brock the Australian race car driver was born in Richmond,_Victoria on the 26th February 1945 (died 8th September 2006 aged 61) He grew up in the country town of Hurstbridge, where he continued to live throughout his life. Peter Brock was also known as Brocky, Peter Perfect, The King of the Mountain and one of Australia’s best-known successful motor racing drivers. Peter Brock was associated with Holden for almost 40 years. Peter Brock won the Bathurst 1000 endurance race 9 times, the Sandown 500 touring car race 9 times, the Australian Touring Car Championship 3 times, the Bathurst 24 Hour once and inducted into the V8 Supercar Hall of Fame in 2001. Brock’s business activities also included the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) that produced Brock’s racing machine and modified high-performance road versions of his racing cars. YouTube video: Peter Brock – The Legend…

1950 ~ Helen Clark the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand was born on the 26th February 1950.

1953 ~ Michael Bolton the American singer-songwriter was born Michael Bolotin on the 26th February 1953. Michael Bolton originally performed in hard rock and heavy metal bands from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, and recorded as the frontman of the band Blackjack. YouTube video: Michael Bolton – How Am I Supposed To Live Without You (1989) This song was originally recorded by Laura Branigan in 1983. It was originally written by Michael Bolton and Doug James in 1989…YouTube video: Blackjack – Love Me Tonight (1979): This is Michael Bolton before becoming the crooner in the mid 1980s. Note: Bruce Kulick on guitar before joining KiSS in 1985…

1966 ~ AS-201 was launched on the 26th February 1966, which was the 1st flight of the Saturn IB rocket.

1968 ~ LiONEL ROSE (MBE) the Australian bantamweight boxer made history on the 26th February 1968 by becoming the 1st Indigenous Australian to be a world champion boxer when he defeated Masahiko Harada aka Fighting Harada in Tokyo.On the 26th February 1968 in Tokyo, Lionel Rose made history by becoming the 1st Aboriginal Australian to be a world champion boxer when he defeated Masahiko Harada aka Fighting Harada. YouTube video: Lionel Rose vs Fighting Harada (Colour) 27 Feb 1968 Tokyo, Japan (see the whole fight on video)…

The world title win made Lionel Rose an instant national hero and icon in Australia, with more than 100,000 people coming to see him at a reception at Melbourne Town Hall. In 1969 Elvis Presley requested to see Lionel Rose. (see photo below)…

Lionel Rose was born on the 21st June 1948 (died 8th May 2011 aged 62). Lionel was born and raised in hardship at Jacksons Track and Warragul, where learned to box from his father, Roy. When he was 10 his teacher Ian Hawkins gave Lionel a pair of boxing gloves when he saw him shadow boxing. When he was about 15, he trained under Frank Oakes a Warragul trainer, whose daughter Jenny he later married). Lionel won the Australian amateur flyweight title at 15.

Lionel Rose started a singing career during his time off boxing, and had a nationwide hit in 1970 with I Thank You (1969) (written by Johnny Young). Lionel also recorded Please Remember Me (1970) and Good Old Country Song (1970). YouTube video: Lionel Rose singing I Thank You…

YouTube video: Lionel (2008) Lionel Rose Documentary…

1971 ~ Earth Day was proclaimed on the 26th February 1971, when the U.N. Secretary General U Thant signed United Nations proclamation of the vernal equinox as Earth Day. Official website: www.EarthDay.org

1979 ~ Corinne Bailey Rae the British singer-songwriter and guitarist was born Corinne Jacqueline Bailey on the 26th February 1979.

1570 – Pope Pius V excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I of England on the 25th February 1570.

1841 – Pierre-Auguste Renoir the French painter and sculptor was born on the 25th February 1841 (died 1919).

1861 – Rudolf Steiner the Austrian philosopher and educator was born on the 25th February 1862 (died 1925).

1836 – Samuel Colt was granted a United States patent for the Colt revolver on the 25th February 1836.

1938 – Herb Elliott the Australian runner was born on the 25th February 1938.

1943 ~ George Harrison (MBE) the English musician, singer, songwriter and lead guitarist of The Beatles was born in Liverpool, England on the 25th February 1943 (died 29th November 2001 aged 58). George Harrison’s official website: www.GeorgeHarrison.com

1962 ~ Amanda Keller the Australian journalist, radio and television presenter was born on the 25th February 1962.

1964 – Lee Evans the English comedian and actor was born on the 25th February 1964.

1966 – Téa Leoni the American actress was born on the 25th February 1966.

1973 – Julio Iglesias, Jr. the Spanish model and singer was born on the 25th February 1973.

1982 – Anton Volchenkov the Russian ice hockey player was born on the 25th February 1982.

1582 – Pope Gregory XIII announced the Gregorian calendar on the 24th February 1582.

1711 – The London première of Rinaldo by George Frideric Handel was on the 24th February 1711, the 1st Italian opera written for the London stage.

1863 – Arizona was organized as a United States territory on the 24th February 1863.

1875 – The SS Gothenburg hit the Great Barrier Reef and sank off the Australian east coast on the 24th February 1875, killing approximately 100 people, including high profile civil servants and dignitaries.

1920 – The Nazi Party was founded on the 24th February 1920.

1942 – The Battle of Los Angeles was on the 24th February 1942, one of the largest documented UFO sightings in history. The event lasted into the early hours of the 25th February 1942.

1942 – Paul Jones the English singer and harmonica player from Manfred Mann was born on the 24th February 1942.

1947 ~ Rupert Holmes the British-born American composer, singer-songwriter, musician and author was born on the 24th February 1947. Rupert Holmes is best known for his number one hit Escape (The Piña Colada Song)  in 1979, and also his Top 10 song Him in 1980. Rupert Holmes is also known for his 1985 Tony Award-winning musical Drood and his 2007 Drama Desk Award-winning book for the Broadway musical Curtains, and his television series Remember WENN. Official website: www.RupertHolmes.com |YouTube video: Rupert Holmes – Escape (The Piña Colada Song – 1980)…YouTube video: Rupert Holmes – Him (1979)…

1948 ~ Dennis Waterman the English actor and singer was born on the 24th February 1948. Dennis Waterman is best known for his tough-guy roles on television including The Sweeney, Minder and New Tricks. As well as starring in Minder, Dennis Waterman also sang the theme song I Could Be So Good For You which was a No.3 hit in the UK and in the Top 10 in Australia in 1980 (written in 1979 by his then wife Patricia Waterman and Gerard Kenny). YouTube video: Dennis Waterman – I Could Be So Good For You (1980)…

1950 ~ George Thorogood the American singer-songwriter and guitarist was born on the 24th February 1950. YouTube video: George Thorogood ~ Bad To The Bone (1982)…

1954 ~ Plastic Bertrand the Belgian musician, songwriter, producer, editor and television presenter was born Roger Allen François Jouret on the 24th February 1954. Plastic Bertrand is best known for the international hit single Ça plane pour moi in 1978. The 1977 Ça plane pour moi song was written by Yvan Lacomblez aka Pipou, and the vocals were actually performed by the record’s producer Lou Deprijck. Ça plane pour moi is a French idiomatic expression which roughly translate to Everything’s going well for me (literal meaning = It is gliding for me). YouTube video: Plastic Bertrand – Ca Plane Pour Moi (1978 promo-video on rage)…

1955 – Alain Prost the French race car driver was born on the 24th February 1955.

1955 – Steve Jobs the American businessman and co-founder of Apple Inc. and Pixar was born on the 24th February 1955 (died 2011).

1965 – Kristin Davis the American actress was born on the 24th February 1965.

1966 – Billy Zane the American actor and producer was born on the 24th February 1966.

1989 – Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini offerred a US$3 million bounty for the death of The Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie on the 24th February 1989.

1989 – United Airlines Flight 811, bound for New Zealand from Honolulu, Hawaii, ripped open during flight on the 24th February 1989, blowing 9 passengers out of the business-class section.

2007 – Japan launched its 4th spy satellite on the 24th February 2007, stepping up its ability to monitor potential threats from North Korea.

2008 – Fidel Castro retired as the President of Cuba on the 24th February 2008, after nearly 50 years.

2010 – Sachin Tendulkar became the 1st Cricket player to score a Double hundred in One Day International format on the 24th February 2010.

2011 – Final Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery was on the 24th February 2011.

1455 – The Gutenberg Bible was published on the 23rd February 1455, becoming the first Western book printed with movable type.

1685 – George Frideric Handel the German-English composer was born on the 23rd February 1685 (died 1759).

1739 – Richard Palmer was identified at York Castle, by his former schoolteacher, as the outlaw Dick Turpin on the 23rd February 1739.

1836 – The Battle of the Alamo began on the 23rd February 1836, in San Antonio, Texas.

1887 – The French Riviera was hit by a large earthquake on the 23rd February 1887, killing approximately 2,000 people.

1896 – The Tootsie Roll was invented on the 23rd February 1896.

1903 – Cuba leased Guantánamo Bay to the United States “in perpetuity” on the 23rd February 1903.

1934 – Leopold III became King of Belgium on the 23rd February 1934.

1940 – Peter Fonda the American actor was born on the 23rd February 1940.

1944 – Johnny Winter the American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer was born on the 23rd February 1944.

1948 – Steve Priest the English singer-songwriter and bass player from Sweet was born on the 23rd February 1948.

1952 – Brad Whitford the American guitarist from Aerosmith was born on the 23rd February 1952.

1954 – The 1st mass inoculation of children against polio with the Salk vaccine began on the 23rd February 1954, in Pittsburgh, USA.

1955 – Howard Jones the English singer-songwriter was born on the 23rd February 1955.

1955 – 1st meeting of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was on the 23rd February 1955.

1958 – Cuban rebels kidnapped 5-time world F1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio on the 23rd February 1958.

1964 – John Norum the Norwegian guitarist and songwriter from the band Europe was born on the 23rd February 1964.

1965 – Michael Dell the American businessman and founder of Dell was born on the 23rd February 1965.

1987 – Supernova 1987a was seen in the Large Magellanic Cloud on the 23rd February 1987.

1994 – Dakota Fanning the American actress was born on the 23rd February 1994.

1997 – A small fire occurred in the Russian Space station, Mir on the 23rd February 1997.

1998 – Osama bin Laden published a fatwa declaring jihad against all Jews and Crusaders on the 23rd February 1998 (latter term commonly interpreted to refer to the people of Europe and the United States).

1999 – An avalanche destroyed the Austrian village of Galtür on the 23rd February 1999, killing 31 people.

2008 – A United States Air Force B-2 Spirit crashed in Guam on the 23rd February 2008. It was the 1st operational loss of a B-2.

1632 – Galileo‘s Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems was published on the 22nd February 1632.

1879 – Frank Woolworth opened the first 5 and dime Woolworth store on the 22nd February 1879, Utica, New York,

1949 – Niki Lauda the Austrian race car driver was born on the 22nd February 1949.

1962 – Steve Irwin the Australian zoologist and television host was born on the 22nd February 1962 (d. 2006).

1997 – In Roslin, Scotland, scientists announced on the 22nd February 1997 that an adult sheep named Dolly had been successfully cloned.

2011 – An earthquake measuring 6.3 in magnitude hit Christchurch in New Zealand on the 22nd February 2011, killing 185 people.

1245 – Bishop Thomas, the 1st known Bishop of Finland, was granted resignation on the 21st February 1224, after confessing to torture and forgery.

1804 – The 1st self-propelling steam locomotive made its outing on the 21st February 1804, at the Pen-y-Darren Ironworks in Wales.

1842 – John Greenough was granted the 1st U.S. patent for the sewing machine on the 21st February 1842.

1848 – Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published The Communist Manifesto on the 21st February 1848.

1874 – The Oakland Daily Tribune published its 1st edition on the 21st February 1874.

1878 – The 1st telephone book was issued on the 21st February 1878, in New Haven, Connecticut.

1885 – The newly completed Washington Monument was dedicated on the 21st February 1885.

1925 – The New Yorker published its 1st issue on the 21st February 1925.

1947 ~ Edwin Land demonstrated the 1st instant camera on the 21st February 1947. The Polaroid Land Camera was demonstrated to a meeting of the Optical Society of America in New York City.

1948 – NASCAR was incorporated on the 21st February 1948.

1952 – The British government, under Winston Churchill, abolished identity cards in the UK on the 21st February 1952, to set the people free.

1958 – The peace symbol, commissioned by Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in protest against the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, was designed and completed by Gerald Holtom on the 21st February 1958.

1965 – Malcolm X was assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom on the 21st February 1965, in New York City by members of the Nation of Islam.

1970 – Swissair Flight 330: A mid-air bomb explosion and subsequent crash killed 38 passengers and 9 crew members near Zürich, Switzerland on the 21st February 1970.

1971 – The Convention on Psychotropic Substances was signed at Vienna on the 21st February 1971.

1972 – The Soviet unmanned spaceship Luna 20 landed on the Moon on the 21st February 1972.

1973 – Over the Sinai Desert, Israeli fighter aircraft shot down Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 jet on the 21st February 1973, killing 108 people.

1995 – Steve Fossett landed in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada becoming the 1st person to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon on the 21st February 1995.

1472 – Orkney and Shetland were pawned by Norway to Scotland on the 20th February 1472, in lieu of a dowry for Margaret of Denmark.

1547 – Edward VI of England was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey on the 20th February 1547.

1792 – The Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department, was signed by President George Washington on the 20th February 1792.

1810 – Andreas Hofer, the Tirolean patriot and leader of rebellion against Napoleon‘s forces, was executed on the 20th February 1810.

1816 – Rossini’s opera The Barber of Seville premiered at the Teatro Argentina in Rome on the 20th February 1816.

1835 – Concepción, Chile was destroyed by an earthquake on the 20th February 1835.

1872 – In New York City the Metropolitan Museum of Art opened on the 20th February 1872.

1877 – Tchaikovsky‘s ballet Swan Lake received its première performance at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on the 20th February 1877.

1902 – Ansel Adams the American photographer was born on the 20th February 1902 (died 1984).

1913 – King O’Malley drove in the first survey peg to mark commencement of work on the construction of Canberra on the 20th February 1913.

1927 – Sidney Poitier the American actor and director was born on the 20th February 1927.

1933 – Adolf Hitler secretly met with German industrialists on the 20th February 1933, to arrange for financing of the Nazi Party‘s upcoming election campaign.

1935 – Caroline Mikkelsen became the first woman to set foot in Antarctica on the 20th February 1935.

1939 ~ Abraham Quintanilla, Jr. the American singer-songwriter, record producer, and father of singer Selena, was born on the 20th February 1939. Official website: www.Q-Productions.com

1943 – American movie studio executives agreed to allow the Office of War Information to censor movies on the 20th February 1943.

1943 – The Parícutin volcano began to form in Parícutin, Mexico on the 20th February 1943.

1946 – J. Geils the American singer-songwriter and guitarist  from The J. Geils Band was born on the 20th February 1946.

1947 – Peter Strauss the American actor and producer was born on the 20th February 1947.

1949 – Ivana Trump the Czech-American skier and model was born on the 20th February 1949.

1950 – Walter Becker the American singer-songwriter an guitarist from Steely Dan was born on the 20th February 1950.

1953 ~ Justine Saunders the Australian actress was born on the 20th February 1953 (died 2007).

1962 – Mercury program: While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth on the 20th February 1962, making 3 orbits in 4 hours, 55 minutes.

1965 – Ranger 8 crashed into the moon on the 20th February 1965, after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts.

1966 – Cindy Crawford the American model and actress was born on the 20th February 1966.

1967 – Kurt Cobain the American singer-songwriter and guitarist  from Nirvana was born on the 20th February 1967 (died 1994).

1971 – The United States Emergency Broadcast System was accidentally activated in an erroneous national alert on the 20th February 1971.

1973 – Kimberley Davies the Australian actress was born on the 20th February 1973.

1988 – Rihanna the Barbadian-American singer-songwriter and actress was born on the 20th February 1988.

1998 – American figure skater Tara Lipinski became the youngest gold-medalist on the 20th February 1998, at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

 2013 – The smallest Extrasolar planet, Kepler-37b was discovered on the 20th February 2013.

1885 – The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain was published in the United States on the 18th February 1885.

1898 – Enzo Ferrari the Italian race car driver and founder of Ferrari was born on the 18th February 1898 (d. 1988).

1906 ~ Hans Asperger the Austrian pediatrician, medical theorist and medical professor was born on the 18th February 1906 (died 1980). Hans Asperger was best known for his early studies on mental disorders, especially in children. There was a resurgence of interest in Hans Asperger’s work in the 1980s, regarding autism spectrum disorders and Asperger syndrome (AS), which was named after him.

1911 – The 1st official flight with air mail took place on the 18th February 1911, from Allahabad, United Provinces, British India (now India), when Henri Pequet, a 23-year-old pilot, delivered 6,500 letters to Naini, 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) away.

1913 – Pedro Lascuráin became President of Mexico for 45 minutes on the 18th February 1913, becoming the shortest term to date of any person as president of any country.

1933 – Yoko Ono the Japanese-American singer-songwriter was born on the 18th February 1933.

1947 ~ Dennis DeYoung the American singer, songwriter, musician and founding member of STYX was born on the 18th February 1947. Dennis DeYoung was the lead vocalist and keyboardist in Styx from 1961 to 1999, and wrote many Styx songs such as the 1980 hit song Babe . YouTube video: Styx ~ Babe (1979) ~ Number 1 in the US and Canada, number 3 in Australia and New Zealand, and number 6 in the UK (written by Dennis DeYoung)…

1950 – Cybill Shepherd the American actress and singer was born on the 18th February 1950.

1952 – Juice Newton the American singer-songwriter and guitarist was born on the 18th February 1952.

1954 – John Travolta the American actor, singer, and producer was born on the 18th February 1954.

1957 ~ John Pankow the American actor best known as Ira Buchman in Mad About You was born in St. Louis, Missouri on the 18th February 1957.

1965 – Dr. Dre the American rapper and producer was born on the 18th February 1965.

1968 – Molly Ringwald the American actress was born on the 18th February 1968.

1864 – Banjo Paterson the Australian poet was born on the 17th February 1864 (died 1941).

1904 – Madama Butterfly received its première at La Scala in Milan on the 17th February 1904.

1933 – The Blaine Act ended Prohibition in the United States on the 17th February 1933.

1934 – Barry Humphries the Australian comedian, actor, and author was born on the 17th February 1934.

1940 – Gene Pitney the American singer-songwriter was born on the 17th February 1940 (died 2006).

1959 – Vanguard 2 the first weather satellite was launched to measure cloud-cover distribution on the 17th February 1959.

1962 – David McComb the Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist from The Triffids and The Blackeyed Susans was born on the 17th February 1962 (died 1999).

1962 – Lou Diamond Phillips the American actor and director was born on the 17th February 1962.

1963 – Michael Jordan the American basketball player and actor was born on the 17th February 1963.

1965 – The Ranger 8 probe was launched on its mission to photograph the Mare Tranquillitatis region of the Moon on the 17th February 1965, in preparation for the manned Apollo missions. Mare Tranquillitatis aka Sea of Tranquility became the site chosen for the Apollo 11 lunar landing.

1971 – Denise Richards the American model and actress was born on the 17th February 1971.

1972 – Billie Joe Armstrong the American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Green Day was born on the 17th February 1972.

1972 – Taylor Hawkins the American singer-songwriter and drummer  from the Foo Fighters was born on the 17th February 1972.

1972 – Sales of the Volkswagen Beetle exceeded those of the Ford Model-T on the 17th February 1972.

1981 – Paris Hilton the American model, actress and singer was born on the 17th February 1981.

1991 – Ed Sheeran the English singer-songwriter and guitarist was born on the 17th February 1991.

2008 – Kosovo declared independence on the 17th February 2008.

2010 ~ Ruby Hunter the Australian singer and songwriter died on the 17th February 2010, aged 54 (born 31st October 1955). Ruby Hunter was a member of the Ngarrindjeri nation of Aboriginal tribes, and often performed with her partner Archie Roach, whom both met as homeless teenagers. Ruby was forcibly taken from her family at the age of 8 as part of the Stolen Generation. Ruby Hunter received two ARIA Award nominations, for Best Indigenous Release for Thoughts Within (1995), and Best Blues & Roots Album for Feeling Good (2000).