Today in history

February 20

1725
10 sleeping Indians scalped by soldiers in what will be New Hampshire for scalp bounty. First recorded instance of scalping.

1839
Dueling is outlawed in the District of Columbia.

1934
Utopian Society in Los Angeles starts chain-letter campaign informing US citizens that “Profit is the root of all evil.”

1942
Norwegian teachers begin successful nonviolent protest against Nazification of schools.

Vidkun Quisling (on right), Germany’s puppet leader in Norway, allowed Germany to invade his country and declared himself Prime Minister. In Norway his name has become synonymous with traitor.

1956
US rejects Soviet proposal to ban nuclear weapons tests & deployment.

1963
In Greenwood, MS, SNCC Voter Registration headquarters & 4 Negro businesses burned.

1984
Faroes Islands’ Parliament declares country a nuclear-free zone.

1997
Nearly 100,000 march in Paris against new anti-immigration bill sponsored by the far right.