📅 February 3

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What happened on February 3? Below are the notable events chosen by Wikipedia’s editors for this date, followed by celebrated births, deaths and the observances recognised around the world.

Events

• 2023 — A freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, releasing hazardous materials into the surrounding area.

  East Palestine, Ohio, train derailmentEast Palestine, OhioDangerous goods

• 2014 — Russia's first school shooting took place when a student opened fire at School No. 263 in Moscow, resulting in the deaths of a teacher and a police officer.

  School shooting2014 Moscow school shootingSchool No. 263 (Moscow)

• 2010 — An edition of L'Homme qui marche I, a bronze sculpture by Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti, was sold for £65 million, setting the record for the most expensive sculpture sold at auction.

  L'Homme qui marche IAlberto GiacomettiList of most expensive sculptures

• 2006 — Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen: 23 convicts, including several militants associated with al-Qaeda, escaped from a prison administered by the Political Security Organization in Sanaa, Yemen.

  Al-Qaeda insurgency in YemenAl-Qaeda2006 Sanaa prison escape

• 1998 — Despite a large international movement advocating the commutation of her sentence to life imprisonment, Karla Faye Tucker became the first woman to be executed in the United States since 1984.

  Commutation (law)Karla Faye Tucker

• 1995 — In mission STS-63, astronaut Eileen Collins (pictured) became the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle.

  STS-63Eileen CollinsSpace Shuttle

• 1986 — Steve Jobs purchased Pixar from Lucasfilm and launched it as an independent computer-animation studio.

  Steve JobsPixarLucasfilm

• 1972 — The deadliest blizzard in history began in Iran and continued for a week leaving more than 4,000 people dead.

  1972 Iran blizzard

• 1959 — American rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson died in a plane crash (wreckage pictured) shortly after takeoff from Mason City Municipal Airport in Iowa.

  Rock and rollBuddy HollyRitchie Valens

• 1953 — Hundreds of native creoles known as Forros were massacred on São Tomé Island by the colonial administration and Portuguese landowners.

  Creole peoplesBatepá massacreSão Tomé (island)

• 1941 — World War II: Free French and British forces began the Battle of Keren to capture the strategic town of Keren in Italian East Africa.

  World War IIFree FranceBattle of Keren

• 1933 — Adolf Hitler announced that the conquest of Lebensraum in Eastern Europe, and its "ruthless Germanisation", were the geopolitical objectives of Reich foreign policy.

  Adolf HitlerLebensraumGermanisation

• 1930 — The Communist Party of Indochina, the Communist Party of Annam and the Communist League of Indochina merged to form the Communist Party of Vietnam.

  Communist Party of IndochinaCommunist Party of AnnamCommunist League of Indochina

• 1870 — Reconstruction era: The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, formally prohibiting race-based disenfranchisement in the United States.

  Reconstruction eraFifteenth Amendment to the United States ConstitutionBlack suffrage in the United States

• 1862 — Moldavia and Wallachia formally united, creating the Romanian United Principalities.

  MoldaviaWallachiaUnited Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia

• 1852 — The Argentine Confederation was defeated in the Platine War by an alliance consisting of Brazil, Uruguay and the Argentine provinces of Entre Ríos and Corrientes.

  Argentine ConfederationPlatine WarEntre Ríos Province

• 1813 — Argentine War of Independence: José de San Martín and the Mounted Grenadiers Regiment defeated Spanish royalist forces in the Battle of San Lorenzo (depicted).

  Argentine War of IndependenceJosé de San MartínMounted Grenadiers Regiment

• 1266 — Mudéjar revolt: King James I of Aragon entered the formerly Muslim-held city of Murcia following its surrender three days earlier.

  Mudéjar revolt of 1264–1266James I of AragonMurcia

• 1047 — Emperor Henry III declared Drogo of Hauteville to be count of all Apulian and Calabrian Normans.

  Henry III, Holy Roman EmperorDrogo of HautevilleCounty of Apulia and Calabria

Births

• 2004 — Rei, Japanese rapper and singer

  Rei (singer)

• 2004 — Scoot Henderson, American basketball player

  Scoot Henderson

• 2001 — Tre Mann, American basketball player

  Tre Mann

• 2001 — Rhys Williams, English footballer

  Rhys Williams (footballer, born 2001)

• 1999 — Kanna Hashimoto, Japanese actress

  Kanna Hashimoto

• 1998 — Tyler Huntley, American football player

  Tyler Huntley

• 1998 — Isaiah Roby, American basketball player

  Isaiah Roby

• 1998 — Aurélien Giraud, French skateboarder

  Aurélien Giraud

• 1995 — Tao Tsuchiya, Japanese actress

  Tao Tsuchiya

• 1994 — Rougned Odor, Venezuelan baseball player

  Rougned Odor

• 1993 — Adam Reach, English footballer

  Adam Reach

• 1992 — Olli Aitola, Finnish ice hockey player

  Olli Aitola

Deaths

• 2025 — Harry Jayawardena, Sri Lankan industrialist (born 1942)

  Harry Jayawardena

• 2025 — Kandiah Balendra, Sri Lankan corporate leader and executive (born 1940)

  Kandiah Balendra

• 2020 — George Steiner, French-American philosopher, author, and critic (born 1929)

  George Steiner

• 2019 — Julie Adams, American actress (born 1926)

  Julie Adams

• 2019 — Kristoff St. John, American actor (born 1966)

  Kristoff St. John

• 2017 — Dritëro Agolli, Albanian poet, writer and politician (born 1931)

  Dritëro Agolli

• 2016 — Joe Alaskey, American actor (born 1952)

  Joe Alaskey

• 2016 — Balram Jakhar, Indian lawyer and politician, 23rd Governor of Madhya Pradesh (born 1923)

  Balram JakharList of governors of Madhya Pradesh

• 2016 — József Kasza, Serbian politician and economist (born 1945)

  József Kasza

• 2015 — Martin Gilbert, English historian, author, and academic (born 1936)

  Martin Gilbert

• 2015 — Mary Healy, American actress and singer (born 1918)

  Mary Healy (entertainer)

• 2015 — Charlie Sifford, American golfer (born 1922)

  Charlie Sifford

Observances & holidays

• Christian feast day: Aaron the Illustrious (Syriac Orthodox Church)

  Martyrology of Rabban SlibaSyriac Orthodox Church

• Christian feast day: Ansgar

  Ansgar

• Christian feast day: Berlinda of Meerbeke

  Berlinda of Meerbeke

• Christian feast day: Blaise

  Saint Blaise

• Christian feast day: Celsa and Nona

  Berlinda of Meerbeke

• Christian feast day: Claudine Thévenet

  Claudine Thévenet

• Christian feast day: Dom Justo Takayama (Philippines and Japan)

  Justo TakayamaPhilippinesJapan

• Christian feast day: Hadelin

  Saint Hadelin

• Christian feast day: Margaret of England

  Saint Margaret of England

• Christian feast day: Werburgh

  Werburgh

• Christian feast day: February 3 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

  February 3 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

• Day of the Virgin of Suyapa (Honduras)

  Public holidays in HondurasHonduras

• Earliest day on which Shrove Tuesday can fall, while March 9 is the latest; celebrated on Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (Christianity)

  Shrove TuesdayAsh Wednesday

• Four Chaplains Day (United States, also considered a Feast Day by the Episcopal Church)

  Four ChaplainsEpiscopal Church (United States)

• Communist Party of Vietnam Foundation Anniversary (Vietnam)

  Public holidays in VietnamVietnam

• Day of Finnish architecture and design, birthday of Alvar Aalto (Finland)

  Flag flying days in FinlandAlvar AaltoFinland

• Heroes' Day (Mozambique)

  Public holidays in Mozambique

• Martyrs' Day (São Tomé and Príncipe)

  Public holidays in São Tomé and Príncipe

• Setsubun (Japan)

  SetsubunJapan

• Veterans' Day (Thailand)

  Public holidays in Thailand

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