Today in History

45 BC – The first leap year was recognized by proclamation of Julius Caesar.
1288 – Scotland established this day as one when a woman could propose marriage to a man. In the event that he refused the proposal, he was required to pay a fine.
1692 – Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne and Tituba, an Indian servant were the first people to be accused of witchcraft in Salem Massachusetts.
1913 – A US judge upheld a Wright Brothers‘ airplane patent regarding the use of ailerons in a suit against Glenn Curtiss.
1940 – Hattie McDaniel becomes first black woman to win an Oscar. She won Best Supporting Actress award for her role as Mammy in “Gone with the Wind.” which received a total of eight Oscars (also on February 29th), including best picture.
1944 – US forces caught Japanese troops off-guard and easily took control of the Admiralty Islands in Papua New Guinea.
1944 – Dorothy Vredenburgh accepted an appointment by the Democratic National Committee becoming the first woman secretary of a national political party in the U.S.
1976 – ABC-TV broadcast premiere of 1965’s hit “The Sound of Music.”