What happened in February 1991?
The top front-page story of each day in February 1991, 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👗 Valentino Fashion Show – Valentino's models showcased a buoyant collection at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, blending elegance with casual sportswear.
- Feb 2🌍 South Africa Scraps Apartheid – President F. W. de Klerk announced the dismantling of apartheid laws, marking a significant step towards racial equality in South Africa.
- Feb 3🌊 Oil Spill Impact – Scientists suggest the Persian Gulf oil spill may cause less environmental damage than initially feared due to natural processes reducing toxicity.
- Feb 4🎿 Ski Poles Innovation – Scott USA has developed a new method to produce ski poles, making them 25% lighter for the next season.
- Feb 5🌍 Global Thermostat Discovery – Scientists confirm a step in how microscopic ocean plants may influence Earth's temperature.
- Feb 6🚀 Soviet Space Station Plunge – An abandoned Soviet space station is set to plunge to Earth, potentially raining debris over populated areas.
- Feb 7🌋 Salyut 7 Falls – The abandoned Soviet Salyut 7 space station re-entered Earth's atmosphere in a fiery display over Argentina after nine years in orbit.
- Feb 8🌍 Chernobyl Cleanup Charges – Soviet prosecutor general admits failures in Chernobyl cleanup, promising criminal charges against officials for public safety failures.
- Feb 9🔬 New Vaccine Patent – Researchers in Montana obtain a patent for new fatty acid variations that could lead to stronger, safer vaccines.
- Feb 10🗳️ Lithuania Votes Independence – Lithuanian voters overwhelmingly supported independence from Moscow in a republic-wide plebiscite, marking a significant step in their defiance against the Kremlin.
- Feb 11🏌️ Pavin Wins Tournament – Corey Pavin secured his first tournament victory in over two years by winning the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in a sudden-death playoff.
- Feb 12🧬 Cholera Outbreak Expected – A WHO official warns that a cholera outbreak in Peru, which has claimed 51 lives, is likely to spread to neighboring countries.
- Feb 13🌍 Koreas Unify Sports Teams – North and South Korea agreed to form unified teams in two sports, marking a historic collaboration since their division in 1945.
- Feb 14🔬 New Fast Memory Chip – IBM announced the development of the world's fastest high-capacity memory chip, capable of sending eight billion bits of information per second.
- Feb 15🏔️ Avalanche Kills Nine – Nine Dutch skiers died in the French Alps after being buried by an avalanche triggered by earth tremors.
- Feb 16💡 Genetic Material Patent – Dr. Thomas R. Cech, Nobel laureate, receives patent for 'ribozymes', a genetic material with potential to deactivate viruses.
- Feb 17🏛️ Czech Office in Lithuania – Czechoslovakia plans to establish a representation office in Lithuania, marking a significant diplomatic move amid changing political landscapes.
- Feb 18🌍 Soviet Credit Guarantees – The U.S. approved $67 million in credit guarantees for the Soviet Union to purchase soybeans and almonds, part of a broader $1 billion line of credit.
- Feb 19🎤 Taiwan Singer's Impact – A Taiwan pop singer's love songs resonate deeply in mainland China, providing emotional relief amid political pressures.
- Feb 20🔬 New Drug Developments – Scientists are creating custom-made antibodies that could lead to new, more powerful drugs and chemical processes.
- Feb 21✈️ Plane Crash in Chile – A chartered Chilean airliner crashed near Antarctica, killing 19 of the 72 passengers, mostly American tourists.
- Feb 22🌊 Alaska Earthquake Tsunami – A powerful earthquake struck in the Bering Sea off Alaska, generating a small tsunami but causing no reported damage.
- Feb 23🌍 Gorbachev Faces Protests – Mikhail Gorbachev struggles with domestic protests as he attempts to negotiate peace in the Persian Gulf, highlighting his leadership challenges.
- Feb 24🌍 Leningrad Hotel Fire – A fire in a Leningrad hotel killed at least 11 people, including foreigners and firefighters, according to reports from Tass.
- Feb 25🕊️ 40,000 Rally for Yeltsin – Tens of thousands rallied in support of Boris Yeltsin, demanding his protection against political rivals amid rising tensions in Russia.
- Feb 26🌳 Debt for Nature Deal – Mexico agreed to a debt-for-nature exchange, reducing foreign debt by $4 million to preserve tropical rainforests.
- Feb 27🌍 Kuwait Conflict Developments – Allied forces advanced in Kuwait, ignoring Iraq's cease-fire call, as Iraqis reacted to President Hussein's withdrawal order.
- Feb 28🌍 South Africa Readmission – International Olympic Committee officials are prioritizing South Africa's readmission to the Olympics following German unification.
Happy Birthday! 1991 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1991 in real headlines. See the 1991 book →