February 19, 1942: Internment of Japanese Americans begins after President Franklin Roosevelt issues an Executive Order requiring those living on the Pacific coast to report for relocation. Over 110,000 persons therefore shut down their businesses, sold off their property, quit school, and moved inland to the relocation centers.
February 20, 1962: Astronaut John Glenn becomes the first American launched into orbit. Traveling aboard the “Friendship 7” spacecraft, Glenn reached an altitude of 162 miles (260 kilometers) and completed three orbits in a flight lasting just under 5 hours.
February 21, 1972: President Richard Nixon arrives in China for historic meetings with Chairman Mao Tse-tung and Premier Chou En-lai.
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