On This Day for February 3 - Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ratified, Felix Mendelssohn is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. February 03 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Felix Mendelssohn READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1870 Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ratified READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2005: American lawyer and judge Alberto R. Gonzales was sworn in as the attorney general of the United States, becoming the first Hispanic to occupy the post. [ Take our quiz about American history and politics.] 1995: American astronaut Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot a space shuttle, the Discovery. [Take our space exploration quiz.] 1975: Egyptian singer Umm Kulthūm , who was one of the most famous Arab singers and public personalities of the 20th century, died in Cairo. [Test your knowledge of musicians.] 1960: The Italian dramedy La dolce vita, which was directed by Federico Fellini, had its world premiere, and it became widely hailed as one of the most important films in cinema. [ Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about film.] 1959: American rock 'n' roll singer Buddy Holly was killed in a plane crash at age 22. [Test your knowledge of rock and roll.] 1924: Former U.S. president Woodrow Wilson died in Washington, D.C. [Take our quiz about U.S. presidential nicknames.] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1894 Norman Rockwell American illustrator 1956 Nathan Lane American actor 1874 Gertrude Stein American writer 1809 Felix Mendelssohn German musician and composer 1821 Elizabeth Blackwell British American physician 1904 Pretty Boy Floyd American gangster SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2021 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help