This Day in History, February 8th

Kate Chopin

Noteworthy Birthdays:

Kate Chopin 
(February 8, 1850-August 22, 1904), American novelist, author of short stories (1, 2)

Elizabeth Bishop 
(February 8, 1911- October 6, 1979) American Pulitzer Prize recipient for poetry, writer of short stories (1, 2)

Lisa Perez Jackson 
(February 8, 1962-), the first African-American to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (1, 2, 3)

Mary, Queen of Scots

Noteworthy Deaths:

Mary, Queen of Scots (December 8, 1542-February 8, 1587), queen regnant of Scotland, queen consort of France (1; for additional sources, see Noteworthy Events entry below)

Noteworthy Events:

1587: Found guilty of scheming to assassinate her cousin Queen Elizabeth I of England, Mary, Queen of Scots was executed by beheading. Her last words were, “In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum” (“Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit”). (1, 2)

The beheading of Mary, Queen of Scots

1925: The 1st all-female U.S. state supreme court is appointed by Texas Governor Pat Neff. The 3 women- Hortense Sparks Ward, Hattie Leah Henenberg, and Ruth Virginia Brazzil-were selected to hear the appeal of a case concerning the Woodmen of the World (WOW), an all-male fraternal organization. (1, 2) 

1952: After her father King George VI's unexpected passing on February 6th, Elizabeth II was officially proclaimed Queen and Head of the Commonwealth and Defender of the Faith (1, 2).

1988: Debi Thomas wins the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Denver, Co. That same year, became the first black-American woman to earn a medal during the Winter Olympics. She received the bronze. (1, 2,3)

2011: U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) was critically injured as she met with constituents in Tucson. Though his assassination attempt was unsuccessful, shooter Jared Lee Loughner nevertheless killed 6 people and wounded 12 others. (1, 2)