February 6 in History

• 1820

  February 6, 1820:

  The first batch of former African-American slaves departs from New York to what would become known as Liberia.

• 1840

  February 6, 1840:

  New Zealand’s Maori tribes sign the Treaty of Waitangi, which the British claimed would protect their (Maori) rights.

• 1919

  February 6, 1919:

  The Weimar Republic is formed through the meeting of a German constitutional assembly.

• 1952

  February 6, 1952:

  Queen Elizabeth II ascends the United Kingdom throne after the death of her dad, King George VI.

• 1958

  February 6, 1958: Eight Manchester United players die when a British European Airways flight they were travelling on crashes.

• 1965

  February 6, 1965:

  The song, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” by the Righteous Brothers reaches the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

• 1993

  February 6, 1993:

  Tennis player Arthur Ashe who may have contracted HIV/AIDS through a blood transfusion is killed by pneumonia brought on by the disease.

• 1995

  February 6, 1995:

  Singer-songwriter Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys band fame marries model Melinda Ledbetter.

• 2014

  February 6, 2014:

  “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” airs for the final time.

• 2018

  February 6, 2018:

  Elon Musk’s SpaceX company test-flies its Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time.