On February 18, 1970, the jury rendered its verdicts in the trial of the Chicago Seven, charged in connection with violence that had erupted at the 1968 Democratic Convention. The jury acquitted all defendants on conspiracy, while finding five guilty of intent to incite a riot while crossing state lines. Learn more on JURIST about [...]
READ MORE ▸
On February 17, 2008 the Assembly of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. While Serbia denounced the declaration as illegal, the international community has remained divided on this issue. Several nations including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Taiwan, and Turkey have recognized Kosovar independence, but others such as Russia maintain that the declaration violates international [...]
On February 17, 1964, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Wesberry v. Sanders that congressional districts within each state had to be roughly equal in population. Learn more about Congressional redistricting from the Center for Voting and Democracy.
On February 16, 1987, accused Nazi war criminal, John Demjanjuk, went on trial in Jerusalem, Israel. The prosecution claimed that Demjanjuk was a notorious prison guard known as “Ivan the Terrible” at the Treblinka extermination camp during World War II. On this basis, Demjanjuk was convicted by the Israeli court of crimes against humanity. However, [...]
On February 16, 1916, feminist and anarchist Emma Goldman was arrested in New York City for advocating birth control. Learn more about Emma Goldman and her defense of reproductive rights from the University of California, Berkeley.
On February 15, 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed legislation allowing women to be admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Belva Lockwood became the first woman admitted to practice under the new law on March 3, 1879. Learn more about Belva Lockwood.
On February 15, 1906, the British Labour Party was organized. By the 1920’s, Labour had surpassed the Liberal Party to become the primary opposition to the Conservative Party in Great Britain. Today, the government is controlled by Labour, headed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Read the Labour Party Rule Book.
On February 14, 1949, Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, convened for the first time, and Joseph Shprinzak was elected as its first Speaker. Read a history of the First Knesset from the Knesset archives.
On February 14, 1899, Congress approved the use of voting machines in federal elections. Listen to a brief history of voting machines from the University of Houston College of Engineering.
On February 13, 2007, Ma Ying-jeou, the chairman of Taiwan’s opposition party was indicted on embezzlement charges from his time as Mayor of Taipei. That same day, Ma stepped down as leader of the Kuomintang Party and proceeded to announce his candidacy for the Presidency of Taiwan. In the indictment, Ma was accused by the [...]
