What happened on February 18

What happened on February 18:

The 49th day of the year with 316 to follow

In 1564, painter, sculptor and architect Michelangelo died in Rome at the age of 88.

In 1841, the first continuous filibuster in the United States Senate began. It lasted until March eleventh.

In 1856, The American Party, also known as the "Know-Nothing Party," nominated its first presidential candidate, former President Millard Fillmore. But, he carried only Maryland and the party soon vanished.

In 1861, Jefferson Davis was sworn in as provisional president of the Confederate States of America.

In 1865, after a long siege, Union naval forces captured Charleston, S.C.

in 1885, Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was published in the United States for the first time.

In 1908, U.S. postage stamps were sold for the first time.

In 1930, Elm Farm Ollie became the first cow to fly in an airplane.

In 1930, the planet Pluto was discovered by Claude Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.

In 1953, the "3-D" film "Bwana Devil" debuted in New York City. It marked the first time "3-D" was demonstrated.

In 1953, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz signed an eight-million dollar contract to continue the "I Love Lucy" show. The deal was the richest contract in television at the time.

In 1956, "The Great Pretender" by The Platters peaked at number one on the pop singles chart.

In 1967, physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer died at the age of 62. As head of the Manhattan Project, he played a major role in the development of the atomic bomb.

In 1970, five of the Chicago Seven defendants were found guilty of crossing state lines to incite a riot at the 1968 Democratic national convention, but were acquitted of conspiracy charges.

In 1972, calling it "cruel and unusual punishment," the California Supreme Court struck down the state's death penalty.

In 1974, the New York heavy metal group Kiss released its self-titled debut album.

In 1985, after 18 weeks of testimony, Gen. William Westmoreland dropped a $120 million libel suit against CBS.

In 1987, the color of the Girl Scout uniform was changed from green to blue.

In 1988, Anthony M. Kennedy was sworn in as the 104th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1989, Mike Myers and Dana Carvey performed the "Wayne's World" skit on "Saturday Night Live" for the first time.

In 1991, one person was killed and 40 more injured when the IRA bombed two railroad stations in central London.

In 1992, in the New Hampshire primary, Pat Buchanan cut deeply into President Bush's margin of victory on the Republican side; Paul Tsongas was the Democratic winner.

In 1993, a ferry carrying more than 800 people capsized off Haiti's western coast, killing at least 150 people and leaving several hundred more missing and presumed drowned.

Also in 1993, a plane used by missionaries with 13 people aboard was commandeered at gunpoint in Haiti and flown to Miami, where the alleged hijacker surrendered.

And in 1993, euthanasia advocate "Dr. Death" Jack Kevorkian assisted in the suicides of two cancer patients, just three days after he helped a suburban Detroit man take his own life.

In 1994, U.S. skater Dan Jansen ended his Olympic drought with a win in the men's 1,000-meter speed-skating event at the 17th Olympic Winter Games in Norway.

In 1995, Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Evers, was elected chairwoman of the NAACP.

In 1996, a second IRA bomb exploded, on a bus in London -- killing one and injuring nine.

In 1995, Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evans was elected chairwoman of the NAACP.

In 1998, legendary Chicago Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray died at the age of 77.

In 2001, seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt died at the age of 49. Earnhardt was killed after his race car crashed in the last lap of the Daytona 500.

In 2001, 25-year veteran of the FBI, Robert Hanssen, was arrested at a park near his suburban Washington home and charged with spying for the Russians.

Those born on this date:

Stained glass artist Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1848

1940 Republican presidential candidate Wendell Wilkie in 1892

classical guitarist Andres Segovia in 1893

Italian automaker Enzo Ferrari in 1898

Actor Jack Palance in 1920

Actress Barbara Hale in 1921

Actor George Kennedy in 1927

Author and magazine editor Helen Gurley Brown in 1922

Novelist Toni Morrison in 1931

Filmmaker Milos Forman in 1932

Yoko Ono, widow of John Lennon, in 1933

Actress Cybill Shepherd in 1950

Actor John Travolta in 1954

Game show hostess Vanna White in 1957

Actress Greta Scacchi in 1960

Actor Matt Dillon in 1964

Actress Molly Ringwald in 1968