What happened in February 1974?
The top front-page story of each day in February 1974, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Feb 1🏊 World Records Set – Steve Holland set a world swimming record of 8:15.88 for 800 meters at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand.
- Feb 2🏅 Bays Sets Record – Filbert Bays of Tanzania shattered the world 1,500 meters record at 3:32.2, winning his country's first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
- Feb 3🔬 Skylab Astronauts Fix Wiring – Skylab 3 astronauts corrected a minor wiring issue in the Apollo spacecraft, concluding the longest space flight in history.
- Feb 4🌍 Astronauts Walk in Space – Two Skyjab astronauts took a 'stroll' in space to unload film from telescopes and recover thousands of photos of celestial bodies.
- Feb 5📊 Nixon's Budget Highlights – President Nixon presented his $304.4 billion budget for fiscal year 1975, emphasizing cautious spending amid economic uncertainty.
- Feb 6🌌 Mariner 10 Shows Venus – Mariner 10 sent back images of Venus, revealing it to be enveloped in a well-defined haze.
- Feb 7🛰️ Skylab Altitude Rises – Skylab astronauts maneuvered the space station higher to increase chances for future visits by space pilots.
- Feb 8🌍 U.S. Yields Canal Sovereignty – The U.S. and Panama concluded an agreement to negotiate a new treaty, transferring sovereignty of the Panama Canal to Panama.
- Feb 9🚀 Skylab Astronauts Return – Skylab 3 astronauts returned after 84 days in orbit, marking the longest space flight by humans at that time.
- Feb 10🚀 Skylab Success – The Skylab program's smooth conclusion sparks discussions about establishing a permanently occupied orbital space station.
- Feb 11🌍 Big Energy Deal Signed – France and Iran announced a $5-billion energy agreement, marking a significant deal amid the ongoing oil crisis.
- Feb 12🔬 Yale Sickle Cell Test – Yale University developed a new test for detecting sickle cell anemia in newborns, enhancing early diagnosis for this serious condition.
- Feb 13🚀 Cosmos 632 Launched – The Soviet Union launched Cosmos 632, an unmanned satellite, as part of its experimental Cosmos series, functioning normally.
- Feb 14🏭 Alcan Aluminum Plant – Alcan Aluminum, Ltd. announced plans for an 800,000-ton-a-year alumina plant in Limerick, Ireland, costing $250 million.
- Feb 15🔬 Doctors Use Echocardiography – A new heart-disease diagnosis technique using ultrasound is being applied by physicians to reduce risks associated with traditional methods.
- Feb 16🌍 20 Dead in Floods – At least 20 people have died and 30 are missing in flooding across 10 provinces in northern and central Argentina.
- Feb 17🌍 Flooding in Argentina – At least 35 people died and over 200 are missing due to severe flooding across 11 provinces in Argentina.
- Feb 18🏆 Indoor Mile Record Set – Tony Waldrop shattered the world indoor mile record with a time of 3:55 at the San Diego indoor games.
- Feb 19🏔️ Wehling Retains Title – Ulrich Wehling successfully defended his title in the world Nordic ski championships' combined event in Falun, Sweden.
- Feb 20📸 Polaroid Profits Rise – Polaroid Corporation reported its SX-70 camera and film finally turned a profit last month after $350 million in development costs.
- Feb 21🏗️ Shakespeare Theater Renamed – The American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Conn., is changing its name to the American Shakespeare Theater, expanding its offerings.
- Feb 22📈 Gold Prices Surge – Gold prices soared to record highs in Europe amid ongoing uncertainty in foreign exchange markets, impacting the dollar's value.
- Feb 23🏅 Austrian Women Win Slalom – Annemarie Proell of Austria won the giant slalom at the Austrian Alpine skiing championships, finishing just ahead of teammate Monika Kaserer.
- Feb 24🌍 Epilogue to India Aid – The U.S. and India reached an agreement for $3 billion in American-owned rupees for agricultural development and social welfare projects.
- Feb 25🔬 New Cancer Theory – A new hypothesis explaining cancer's ability to evade the body's defenses was presented at a specialist meeting in Denver.
- Feb 26👩🎤 U.N. Women Forum – Women at the U.N. expressed disappointment over low male attendance at a forum discussing women's roles in population and economic development.
- Feb 27🔬 Clue to Hibernation Control – Researchers found a substance in hibernating animals' blood that triggers off-season hibernation when injected into others of the same species.
- Feb 28🌍 Swedish Monarchy Downgraded – Swedish Parliament approved a new Constitution, making King Carl XVI Gustaf a ceremonial figurehead, reducing the monarchy's powers.
Happy Birthday! 1974 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1974 in real headlines. See the 1974 book →