Moments in Time – February 7, 2024

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• On Feb. 19, 1906, American industrialist W.K. Kellogg teamed with Charles C. Bolin to found the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company, now known as the multinational food manufacturer Kellogg’s, after 25 years of working for his brother, John Harvey Kellogg, and buying out his in-debt brother’s business.
• On Feb. 20, 1935, Danish-Norwegian explorer Caroline Mikkelsen became the first woman to set foot on Antarctica, though whether on the mainland or on an island is disputed. A small coastal mountain discovered that day is named for her.
• On Feb. 21, 1947, Edwin H. Land publicly demonstrated his instant camera, called the Land Camera, which could produce a black-and-white photograph in just 60 seconds. Two years later he put 57 Polaroid Land Cameras in Boston’s Jordan Marsh department store before Christmas, and they sold out within the first day after their demonstration.
• On Feb. 22, 1989, Tina Turner won a Grammy award at age 49 for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for her album “Tina Live in Europe,” featuring recordings from her Private Dancer and Break Every Rule tours.
• On Feb. 23, 2011, 77-year-old broadcaster Larry King announced plans to conduct a one-man comedy tour after retiring from his popular talk show on CNN. The new venture was set to begin in April of that year in Connecticut and end in June in Las Vegas.
• On Feb. 24, 1836, showman P.T. Barnum exhibited an African American slave, Joice Heth, with the claim that she was the 161-year-old former nursemaid to George Washington. After her death from natural causes, and a public autopsy by a respected physician who claimed she was no more than 79 or 80, Barnum eventually admitted to the hoax, which was frequently mentioned by his critics and followed him for the remainder of his career.
• On Feb. 25, 1993, the Florida Marlins introduced their 8-foot-tall, 250-pound mascot, Billy the Marlin. Reportedly, the team’s original owner, Wayne Huizenga, chose the name for the fan-friendly fish.

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.