February is the month of love, roses, candy and romance, so many say. It is also the month Americans celebrate President’s Day and honor former leaders of these United States. Plus it is the month where if the Groundhog sees his shadow we will have 6 more weeks of winter, my grandpa used to say. There are lots of weird and funny bits and pieces of trivia abounding about the 2nd month in the modern calendar year. Here is a quick overview of funny and strange trivia about February.

It was named after the Roman God Februus, which derives from the Latin word februa meaning purification.

February 1st marks the birth of Hattie Caraway (1878-1950) the first woman elected to the US Senate.

February 6 is the birthday of Herman “Babe” Ruth, President Ronald Reagan and the notorious Aaron Burr.

On February 10th, 1910 The Boy Scouts of America was founded.

On February 22, 1974 Samuel Byrck tried to assassinate President Richard Nixon. And on the same day on 2006, a group of robbers pulled the largest bank robbery in history in Tonbridge, Kent — Great Britain, stealing 92 million dollars in American dollars.

Did you know February was originally the last month of the year, as the Roman calendar only had 10 months?

February has 29 days every 4 years (leap Year it is called) and 28 days each year between. In Scotland it is considered very unlucky to be born in a leap year.

Mardi Gras begins on the first Tuesday of February and the Lenten Fast begins, after the “Fat Tuesday” Feast or Shrove Tuesday as Christians call it.

February 15th is Flag Day in Canada.

February 11th is National Foundation Day in Japan.

February 27th is Independence Day for the Dominican Republic.

February 11th, 1990 Nelson Mandela (age 71 at the time) was freed from a South African prison and would become the President of the country in the first all inclusive election in 1994.

In 1849 on February 14th the famous Civil War photographer took the first photograph of a US President – President James Polk.

“Remember the Maine”, became an American household slogan after the U S Battleship Maine was blown up on February 15th, 1898 in the Harbor of Havana.

Susan B. Anthony, an early women’s rights advocate was born on February 15th, 1820.

On February 20th, 1965 Black American Muslim Activist Malcolm X was killed.

Did you know that the first WWII mainland attack upon the USA occurred on February 23, 1942?  A Japanese submarine shelled an oil refinery close to Santa Barbara, California.