38 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 1502 to 2026.
Standout on February 12
After being informed that its recently purchased coffin of Nedjemankh (pictured) had been looted, the Metropolitan Museum of Art shuttered its ongoing exhibition Nedjemankh and His Gilded Coffin two months early and later returned the artifact to Egypt.
February 12 is the 43rd day of the year. These facts are computed from the calendar, not copied from anywhere.
A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
In the first general election since the July Revolution in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Tarique Rahman, wins a landslide victory upon returning to power after almost 19 years. A referendum held alongside was also approved by the majority of voters.
After being informed that its recently purchased coffin of Nedjemankh (pictured) had been looted, the Metropolitan Museum of Art shuttered its ongoing exhibition Nedjemankh and His Gilded Coffin two months early and later returned the artifact to Egypt.
The country known as the Republic of Macedonia renames itself the Republic of North Macedonia in accordance with the Prespa agreement, settling a long-standing naming dispute with Greece.
Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill sign an Ecumenical Declaration in the first such meeting between leaders of the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches since their split in 1054.
In the first meeting between the leaders of the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow signed the Havana Declaration at José Martí International Airport in Cuba.
Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashes into a house in Clarence Center, New York while on approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport, killing all 49 on board and one on the ground.
Just before landing at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashes into a house in Clarence Center, New York, killing the house's occupant and all 49 people on board the aircraft.
The city of San Francisco begins issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in response to a directive from Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Protesters in La Paz and the Bolivian government brokered a deal to end two days of rioting against a proposed salary tax.
An Iran Airtour Tupolev Tu-154 crashes in the mountains outside Khorramabad, Iran while descending for a landing at Khorramabad Airport, killing 119.
The trial of Slobodan Milošević, the former President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, begins at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands. He dies four years later before its conclusion.
NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft touches down in the "saddle" region of 433 Eros, becoming the first spacecraft to land on an asteroid.
The NASA space probe NEAR Shoemaker touched down on Eros, becoming the first spacecraft to land on an asteroid.
United States President Bill Clinton is acquitted by the United States Senate in his impeachment trial.
Four thieves break into the National Gallery of Norway and steal Edvard Munch's iconic painting The Scream.
Edvard Munch's painting The Scream (pictured) was stolen from the National Gallery of Norway.
Two-year-old James Bulger was led away from New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, England, and murdered by two 10-year-old boys, who became the youngest convicted murderers in modern English history.
The current Constitution of Mongolia comes into effect.
Carmen Lawrence becomes the first female Premier in Australian history when she becomes Premier of Western Australia.
Cold War: The 1988 Black Sea bumping incident: The U.S. missile cruiser USS Yorktown (CG-48) is intentionally rammed by the Soviet frigate Bezzavetnyy in the Soviet territorial waters, while Yorktown claims innocent passage.
While claiming the right of innocent passage through Soviet territorial waters in the Black Sea, the American cruiser USS Yorktown and destroyer USS Caron were bumped by Soviet warships.
One hundred women protest in Lahore, Pakistan against military dictator Zia-ul-Haq's proposed Law of Evidence. The women were tear-gassed, baton-charged and thrown into lock-up. The women were successful in repealing the law.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970, is exiled from the Soviet Union.
Vietnam War: The Phong Nhị and Phong Nhất massacre occurs, allegedly by South Korean troops.
Following the deaths of two employees on the job, black sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee, began a strike that lasted more than two months.
Rabbi Morris Adler is fatally shot by a disgruntled congregant at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, Michigan, United States.
Malcolm X visits Smethwick near Birmingham following the racially-charged 1964 United Kingdom general election.
Construction begins on the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.
A devistating tornado outbreak across Mississippi and Alabama kills 45 people and injures 427 others.
The Imperial Japanese Army initiated the Battle of Pasir Panjang in Kent Ridge Park in Singapore.
USS Macon, one of the largest helium-filled airships ever created, crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.
George Gershwin's composition Rhapsody in Blue premiered at Aeolian Hall in New York.
Mexican football club Toluca FC was founded by a group of local businessmen and sports enthusiasts.
The ferry SS Penguin struck a rock in Wellington Harbour and sank, killing 75 people in New Zealand's worst maritime disaster of the 20th century.
Ère des attentats: In one of the first acts of modern terrorism, Émile Henry threw a bomb into Café Terminus in Paris, France, killing one person and injuring 17 more.
The precursor of Michigan State University in East Lansing was founded as the United States' first agricultural college.
A papal conclave convened to select a new pope after the death of Pope Alexander VIII.
Queen Isabella I issued an edict outlawing Islam in the Crown of Castile, forcing virtually all her Muslim subjects to convert to Christianity.
A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
A notable person who died on this day.
Christie Blatchford, Canadian newspaper columnist, journalist and broadcaster (born 1951)
Pedro Morales, Puerto Rican professional wrestler and commentator (born 1942)
Anna Marguerite McCann, first female American underwater archaeologist (born 1933)
Dominique D'Onofrio, Italian-Belgian footballer and coach (born 1953)
Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, Malaysian cleric and politician, 12th Menteri Besar of Kelantan (born 1931)
Sattam bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabian prince (born 1941)
A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
Christian feast day: February 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Christian feast day: Benedict of Aniane
Georgia Day (Georgia (U.S. state))
Christian feast day: Martyrs of Abitinae
Lincoln's Birthday (United States)
Christian feast day: Meletius of Antioch
Christian feast day: Julian the Hospitaller
Red Hand Day (United Nations)
Earliest: Isabella I of Castile (1502). Most recent: 2026 Bangladeshi general election (2026).
February 12 is the 43rd day of the year, with 322 days left after it.
February 12 falls under Aquarius (January 20 – February 18), a air sign ruled by Uranus (traditionally Saturn). The birthstone for the month is Amethyst.
We record 86 entries for February 12: 38 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 1502 to 2026.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (2001) is among the notable births on February 12. The births section lists the rest.
The day is filled the first time anyone opens it and then re-checked for new entries about every 90 days. Computed facts such as the weekday and the anniversaries update every year.
One short email a day from this calendar. Kept for this site only.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.