Here are some key events that occurred in February in southeastern Michigan’s history:
February 18, 1857: The Michigan State Capitol building in Lansing was destroyed by fire, which resulted in the loss of many state records and documents.
February 10, 1863: The Battle of Hartsville took place during the Civil War. Union forces, including troops from southeastern Michigan, engaged Confederate forces in Hartsville, Tennessee.
February 2, 1915: The Ford Motor Company announced an eight-hour workday for its employees, which became a model for other industries and helped to establish the modern workweek.
February 4, 1936: The Detroit News Strike began, which was one of the longest and most violent newspaper strikes in U.S. history. It lasted for more than 5 years and involved clashes between strikers and police.
February 2, 1943: The Ford Motor Company’s Willow Run plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan began producing B-24 bombers for the U.S. military during World War II.
February 9, 1950: The Detroit Pistons played their first game in the National Basketball Association (NBA) at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit.
February 8, 1960: The first broadcast of The Paul Harvey News was aired on Detroit radio station WJR. The news show would go on to become a national phenomenon.
February 21, 1965: Civil rights activist Malcolm X gave a speech at Ford Auditorium in Detroit, which was one of his last public appearances before his assassination a few days later.
