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Major Events of February 1956: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from February 1956 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

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Major Events of February 1956: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Feb 1956 Army Ballistic Missile Agency Activation: The Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) is officially activated at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, with a critical mission to complete the Redstone missile's development and initiate the Jupiter missile program.
  • 02 Feb 1956 World Première of Eugene O'Neill's 'Long Day's Journey into Night': The world première of Eugene O'Neill's seminal semi-autobiographical play *Long Day's Journey into Night* was staged at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, Sweden. Directed by Bengt Ekerot and starring Lars Hanson, this Swedish language production introduced the powerful, introspective work to an international audience.
  • 03 Feb 1956 Autherine Lucy Breaks Racial Barrier at University of Alabama: Autherine J. Lucy becomes the first African American student admitted to the University of Alabama, marking a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement. However, she was suspended just four days later following a violent riot, highlighting the intense racial tensions of the era.
  • 04 Feb 1956 Yasser Arafat Leads Palestine Liberation Organization: Yasser Arafat assumes leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a pivotal moment in Palestinian political history that would significantly influence Middle Eastern geopolitics.
  • 05 Feb 1956 VII Olympic Winter Games Close in Cortina d'Ampezzo: The Seventh Winter Olympic Games concluded in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, marking the end of a significant international sporting event that showcased winter athletic excellence from around the world.
  • 06 Feb 1956 Racial Discrimination in Higher Education: The University of Alabama refused admission to Autherine Lucy, an African American student, in a clear demonstration of racial segregation and systemic discrimination in American higher education during the pre-Civil Rights era.
  • 07 Feb 1956 Autherine Lucy Expelled from University of Alabama: Autherine Lucy, the first African American student admitted to the University of Alabama, was expelled following intense racial tensions and protests. Her groundbreaking attempt to desegregate the university marked a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting the systemic racism prevalent in higher education during the 1950s.
  • 08 Feb 1956 Treaty of London Establishes Independent Federation of Malaya: The Treaty of London was signed, formally establishing the independent Federation of Malaya. This significant diplomatic event marked an important milestone in the decolonization process of Southeast Asia.
  • 09 Feb 1956 US Military Expansion in South Vietnam: US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles authorizes an additional 350 US military personnel to be deployed to South Vietnam, with the aim of salvaging approximately $1 billion worth of military equipment abandoned by French troops. This decision marks an early stage of increasing US military involvement in Vietnam.
  • 10 Feb 1956 Elvis Presley Records Heartbreak Hotel: Elvis Presley records his iconic song 'Heartbreak Hotel' for RCA Records, a pivotal moment in rock and roll history that would become his first million-selling single and help launch him to international stardom.
  • 11 Feb 1956 British Spies Resurface in Soviet Union: Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean, two British diplomats who had been part of the infamous Cambridge Five spy ring, reappeared in the Soviet Union after being missing for five years. Their defection was a significant Cold War espionage event that highlighted the tensions between the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union.
  • 12 Feb 1956 Fay Crocker Wins LPGA Miami Beach Golf Open: Professional golfer Fay Crocker secured victory at the LPGA Miami Beach Golf Open, marking a significant moment in women's professional golf during the mid-1950s. Her win highlighted the growing prominence of female athletes in competitive sports during this era.
  • 13 Feb 1956 Soviet Art Exhibition Showcases Four Decades of Artistic Evolution: A comprehensive exhibition of Soviet artists' works spanning the period from 1917 to 1956 opens in Moscow, featuring prominent artists like Mikhail Avilov, Aleksandr Gerasimov, and Aleksandr Deineka. The exhibition provides a visual narrative of artistic development during a transformative period in Soviet history, covering the years from the Russian Revolution to the mid-1950s.
  • 14 Feb 1956 Khrushchev's Secret Speech at 20th Communist Party Congress: At the XX Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in Moscow, Premier Nikita Khrushchev delivers a groundbreaking secret speech condemning Joseph Stalin's brutal crimes and human rights violations, marking a significant moment of political de-Stalinization.
  • 15 Feb 1956 Racial Segregation in Baseball Exhibition Game: The Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Athletics canceled an exhibition baseball game in Birmingham, Alabama, due to a local ordinance prohibiting blacks from playing against whites. This incident highlighted the pervasive racial discrimination in sports during the mid-1950s.
  • 16 Feb 1956 Great Britain Abolishes Capital Punishment: On February 16, 1956, Great Britain took a significant step in criminal justice reform by abolishing the death penalty, marking a pivotal moment in the nation's legal and human rights history.
  • 17 Feb 1956 Carol Heiss Wins Ladies Figure Skating Championship: American figure skater Carol Heiss claimed the Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Garmisch, further solidifying her reputation as a leading athlete in the sport during the mid-1950s. This victory was part of her remarkable competitive career that would later include an Olympic gold medal.
  • 18 Feb 1956 Scottish Airlines Malta Air Disaster: A tragic aviation accident occurred on February 18, 1956, when a Scottish Airlines Avro York aircraft experienced a catastrophic engine fire shortly after takeoff from Malta International Airport. During the pilot's attempt to return to the airport, the aircraft stalled and crashed near Zurrieq, resulting in the complete loss of all fifty passengers and crew members on board.
  • 19 Feb 1956 Roderick MacKinnon: Nobel Prize-Winning Biologist: Roderick MacKinnon, an eminent American biologist, was recognized for his groundbreaking research in molecular biology and biochemistry, ultimately receiving the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his significant scientific contributions.
  • 20 Feb 1956 United States Merchant Marine Academy Gains Permanent Status: On February 20, 1956, the United States Merchant Marine Academy was officially established as a permanent Service Academy, solidifying its role in training maritime officers for the United States' commercial and military maritime services.
  • 21 Feb 1956 First Mapping of the Gibson Desert: On February 21, 1956, Australian explorer and surveyor Len Beadell completed the first comprehensive mapping of the Gibson Desert, located in Western Australia. This significant cartographic achievement provided crucial geographical insights into one of Australia's most remote and challenging desert landscapes. Beadell, known for his pioneering work in mapping Australia's interior, used advanced surveying techniques to document the terrain, geological features, and potential routes through this previously uncharted wilderness.
  • 22 Feb 1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott Mass Arrest: In a significant moment of the Civil Rights Movement, 80 participants of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, including prominent leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, voluntarily surrendered to authorities after receiving an ultimatum from white city leaders. This event highlighted the organized resistance against racial segregation and the willingness of activists to face arrest for their cause.
  • 23 Feb 1956 Khrushchev Denounces Stalin: Soviet party leader Nikita Khrushchev delivers a landmark speech criticizing and attacking the legacy of Joseph Stalin, initiating a period of de-Stalinization in the Soviet Union.
  • 24 Feb 1956 Formation of the General Union of Algerian Workers: On February 24, 1956, the General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA) was established in Algeria. This labor organization played a significant role during the Algerian War of Independence, representing workers' rights and contributing to the social and political movements of the time.
  • 25 Feb 1956 Khrushchev's Historic Denunciation of Stalin: At the 20th Soviet Party Conference, Russian party leader Nikita Khrushchev delivered a groundbreaking speech that publicly denounced Josef Stalin, marking a pivotal moment in Soviet history. In his speech 'On the Personality Cult and Its Consequences', Khrushchev critically examined Stalin's leadership, exposing the brutal aspects of his regime and challenging the cult of personality that had surrounded the former Soviet leader.
  • 26 Feb 1956 Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes First Meet: On a significant literary evening in Cambridge, poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes encounter each other at a party, marking the beginning of one of the most famous and tumultuous literary marriages of the 20th century. Their meeting would later inspire numerous works of poetry and biographical studies.
  • 27 Feb 1956 Female Suffrage in Egypt: On February 27, 1956, Egypt made a significant stride in women's rights by granting women the right to vote. This landmark decision was part of the broader post-colonial movement towards democratic reforms and gender equality in the Arab world.
  • 28 Feb 1956 Forrester Patents Computer Core Memory: Jay Forrester at MIT was awarded a patent for his groundbreaking coincident current magnetic core memory. This innovative 'multicoordinate digital information storage device' became the standard memory technology for digital computers, revolutionizing computer data storage until semiconductor RAM replaced it in the mid-1970s.
  • 29 Feb 1956 Eisenhower Announces Second Presidential Campaign: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower publicly declares his intention to run for a second presidential term, setting the stage for a rematch with Adlai E. Stevenson in the November 6th election.