Today is Monday, February 23, the 54th day of 2009. There are 311 days left in the year.
1455 _ Johannes Gutenberg prints first book, the Bible (estimated date)
1689 _ Dutch prince William III proclaimed king of England
1804 _ Conspirators against Napoleon, for restoration of Louis XVIII
1836 _ Alamo besieged by Santa Anna; entire garrison eventually killed
1861 _ President-elect Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington D.C., to take office
1886 _ London Times publishes world's first classified ad
1898 _ In France, Emile Zola is imprisoned for writing his ``J'accuse" letter accusing government of anti-Semitism and wrongly jailing Alfred Dreyfus
1919 _ Benito Mussolini founds the Fascist Party of Italy
1945 _ U.S. Marines raise flag on Iwo Jima, famous photo and statue
1978 _ 20th Grammy Awards ``Hotel California," Fleetwood Mac, Debbie Boone win