Monthly Archives: February 2015

Columbia burns; Confederates abandon Fort Sumter, evacuate Charleston 150 years ago today (Feb 17 1865)


Video: 'Sherman's March: Final Revenge 3/5' (Feb. 17, 1865, at 0:00)

(Friday, February 17, 1865; during the Carolinas Campaign, part of the American Civil War) — Columbia, South Carolina, burned today as the Confederates evacuated and Union forces moved in. It’s not clear which side was responsible for setting the blaze, or whether it had been deliberate. Continue reading Columbia burns; Confederates abandon Fort Sumter, evacuate Charleston 150 years ago today (Feb 17 1865)

‘The Alan Brady Show’ episode airs on ‘Mad About You’ 20 years ago this hour (Feb 16 1995)


Video: 'Mad About You - S03E16 - The Alan Brady Show'

(Thursday, February 16, 1995, 8:00 p.m. EST) — Paul deals with the ego of a TV star for his film on tonight’s episode of the NBC-TV sitcom series Mad About You.

This episode was listed as #84 on TV Guide‘s 1997 list of Top 100 Episodes of All Time.

‘Lost in America’ released in U.S. theaters 30 years ago today (Feb 15 1985)


Video: 'Lost in America' (trailer)

(Friday, February 15, 1985)Lost in America, a comedy film about a discontented yuppie couple who quit their jobs to rediscover America on the road, opened today in U.S. theaters (limited), including Cinema 2 in New York City.

Directed by Albert Brooks, the film starred Brooks and Julie Hagerty.

Gross-Rosen concentration camp in Germany liberated 70 years ago today (Feb 14 1945)


Video: 'Anniversity of the Liberation of Gross-Rosen'

(Wednesday, February 14, 1945; part of The Holocaust during World War II) — The Gross-Rosen concentration camp, a Nazi German network of Nazi concentration camps built and operated in the village of Gross-Rosen not far from the border with occupied Poland, was captured today by the Red Army. Continue reading Gross-Rosen concentration camp in Germany liberated 70 years ago today (Feb 14 1945)

Americans join massive bombardment of Dresden, Germany 70 years ago this hour (Feb 14 1945)


Video: 'The World At War Ep21 Nemesis' (Feb. 14, 1945, at 12:17 p.m. CET, at 1:17)

(Wednesday, February 14, 1945, 12:17 p.m. CET; during the Bombing of Dresden, part of strategic bombing during World War II) — American planes began bombing Dresden, Germany, this afternoon, following up on the previous night’s massive bombardment by Royal Air Force bombers. Continue reading Americans join massive bombardment of Dresden, Germany 70 years ago this hour (Feb 14 1945)

Disgruntled custodian sets off fire in north tower of New York’s World Trade Center 40 years ago this hour (Feb 13 1975)


Video: '911: WTC Withstood Several Hours of Fire in 1975'

(Thursday, February 13, 1975, just before midnight EST) — A three-alarm fire deliberately set by a disgruntled custodian broke out tonight in the 11th-floor offices of the B.F. Goodrich Company in the north tower of the World Trade Center, and spread through an inner-service core to the ninth and 14th floors but caused no direct casualties.

Grammy Awards pay posthumous tribute to Ray Charles 10 years ago this hour (Feb 13 2005)


Video: 'Popular 47th Annual Grammy Awards & Grammy Awards videos' (52 videos)

(Sunday, February 13, 2005, 8:00 p.m. EST) — Ray Charles, the blind visionary who revolutionized American music with fusions of soul, rock, jazz and country, broke the mold once more tonight at the 47th annual Grammy Awards, posthumously dominating the telecast with wins in eight categories for his final album Genius Loves Company.

Queen Latifah hosted the televised ceremonies from the Staples Center in Los Angeles (click here for 12 official videos from the event).