FEBRUARY EVENTS

February is American Heart Month,

National Cancer Prevention Month,

and Black History Month

February 1 National Freedom Day  Richard Robert Wright, Sr., who was born a slave in 1855, founded a high school and a university (now known as Savannah State University), the first black-owned bank in a Northern state (Philadelphia’s Citizens and Southern Bank and Trust), and founded The National Freedom Day Association. He died in 1947 one year before both houses of the U.S. Congress passed a bill to make February 1 a holiday to honor the day in 1865 President Lincoln signed the resolution proposing the 13th Amendment and the end of slavery. The amendment was ratified and added to the constitution on December 6, 1865. For much more go to BLACK THEN.

February 2 Army Nurse Corp Established (1901) Although women, mostly sisters, wives and mothers of soldiers tended the ill and cleaned ‘hospital’ areas in the Revolutionary War, the Spanish Wars and the Civil War, the first women in the army were those established as a Nursing Corp on this date in 1901. By 1918 there were 21,460 nurse “officers” with 10,000 serving overseas. In WWII there were 57,000 Army Nurses. For more click here

February 3 Four Chaplains Day On this date in 1943 a U-Boat torpedo hit the USAT Dorchester while making its way to Greenland. As the boat sank, the four chaplains, one Methodist, one Dutch Reform, one Roman Catholic and one Jewish, administered aid and gave away their life jackets as they stayed aboard the sinking ship, leading those left behind in prayer.

February 4 USO Incorporated 1941 Before WWII President Truman sought to unite the various service agencies that worked in diverse ways with the military. The Salvation Army, Young Men’s Christian Association, Young Women’s Christian Association, National Catholic Community Services, National Travelers Aid Association and the National Jewish Welfare Board were combined to become the United Service Organizations, whose mission in general was to: strengthen America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the nation. Click here for more. 

February 12  Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday and International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers also known as Red Hand Day, since 2002 has been observed as a day to appeal to governments to work to end the horror of children being forced to fight as soldiers. Ideas for involvement here

February 13-19 National Salute to Veteran Patients Week For Valentine’s Day week, people are encouraged to remember our Veterans who are inpatients in VA Hospitals or Homes. With COVID 19 restrictions patients are even more cut-off from friends and family. You can participate Here

February 14 Frederick Douglass February 14 is the day we observe the birth of Frederick Douglass, a world renowned activist and abolitionist. He was born into slavery in 1818 or 1817, but he escaped his bonds as a young man. He went on to fight for the abolishment of slavery, equal rights for Black Americans, and served in multiple high ranking federal positions. Click here for more.

February 15 Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday Susan B. Anthony was an important figure in the women’s suffrage and abolitionist movements of the 1800s. She fought for women’s rights, and, thanks to more than 70 years of activism by Anthony and her allies, the Nineteenth Amendment that extended voting rights to women was ratified in 1920. Click here for more.

February 19 Coast Guard Reserve Birthday The Coast Guard auxiliaries were created on June 23, 1939, and were originally comprised of civilians. On February 19, 1941, Congress formally created the Coast Guard Reserve as a branch of the military. Click here for more. 

February 21 Presidents Day The long history of Presidents Day goes all the way back to the 1880s when Americans celebrated the birthday of President George Washington on February 22. In 1968, Presidents Day was created as a part of an effort to move most holidays to Mondays so that they would create long weekends for laborers around the United States. Today’s Presidents Day celebrates both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, who was born on February 12. Click here for more. 

February 23  Iwo Jima Flag Raising (1945) The famous photograph of Marines raising the American Flag at Mount Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima was taken on February 23, 1945 by Joe Rosenthal. The photo won a Pulitzer Prize and became the inspiration for the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. Click here for more. Frankfurt Consulate Veterans Info Day 1:00 p.m.

February 24  Frankfurt Consulate Veterans Info Session on Zoom 1:00 p.m.