February 25
1570
Elizabeth I, queen of England, was excommunicated by Pope Pius V.
1836
Samuel Colt patented the first revolving barrel multishot firearm.
1870
Hiram Revels became the first black United States senator, taking over the term of Jefferson Davis.
1901
J.P. Morgan formed U.S. Steel Corporation, the first billion-dollar corporation in the world.
1948
Communists took control of the government in Czechoslovakia.
1964
Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) became world heavyweight boxing champion for the first time by knocking out Sonny Liston in Miami Beach.
1983
Tennessee Williams, American playwright, died.
1986
President Ferdinand Marcos fled the Philippines; Corazon Aquino took over the office.
1990
Violeta Chamorro was elected president of Nicaragua, a victory for opponents of the Sandinistas.
Birthdays
Pierre Auguste Renoir
1841–1919, French Artist.
Enrico Caruso
tenor (1873)
John Foster Dulles
Secretary of State (1888)
Dame Myra Hess
pianist (1890)
Anthony Burgess
novelist (1917)
Bobby Riggs
tennis player (1918)
George Harrison
musician (1943)