Sweets
This peanut-buttery candy’s popularity in the early ’80s is attributed to the film E.T.
What are Reese’s Pieces? Although the candy was introduced in 1978, it wasn’t popular until a beloved on-screen alien munched on them in 1982.
1995: With this U.S. president in attendance, the presidents of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia signed the Dayton Peace Agreement in Paris.
Who is Bill Clinton? The agreement ended the Bosnian War and established a framework for peace.
Opened in 1988, this Andrew Lloyd Webber musical still holds the record for Broadway’s longest-running show.
What is The Phantom of the Opera? The show ran for nearly 14,000 performances and closed in 2023.
This is the most popular color of rose given on Valentine’s Day.
What is red? Roses account for 83 percent of all flowers sold on Valentine’s Day, and 63 percent of those roses are red.
The Barbie doll was released in this decade.
What are the 1950s? The doll was released in 1959 and was the first mass-produced doll. Her full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.
Known for their wafer candies, this company introduced candy conversation hearts in 1866.
What is Necco? Spangler Candy Company bought the Necco and Sweethearts brands in 2018 and continues to produce the wafers and candy hearts.
1989: The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred.
Who is George H. W. Bush? The spill and subsequent cleanup affected Prince William Sound.
A long-running Broadway favorite is this tale of the (literal) king of the jungle, which opened in 1997.
What is The Lion King? The Broadway show features original songs from the Disney film, written by Sirs Tim Rice and Elton John.
This major bodily organ gets its own month in February.
What is the heart? The American Heart Association has designated February as American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness about heart disease, including prevention and treatment.
Eight squared equals this.
What is 64? A squared number is multiplied by itself. Eight times eight equals 64 and is written 8 X 8 = 64 or 8² = 64. The square root of 64 is eight, the number multiplied by itself.
In the early 1970s, this gelatin product brand popularized no-bake cheesecakes.
What is Jell-O? A 1972 ad featured their no-bake pudding cheesecake as a perfect summer recipe; it became the year’s most popular dessert.
1983: The Strategic Defense Initiative was announced to the American public.
Who is Ronald Reagan? In a public address, he asked scientists to create a defense system against nuclear weapons.
In the 1980s, Joe Papp led the campaign to save these.
What are theaters? The goal was to save theater buildings from demolition, due to slow growth in live theater during the previous two decades.
Fat Tuesday is the culmination of this event.
What is Mardi Gras? Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday in the Christian faith.
Ben Franklin used a kite and a key to experiment with this.
What is electricity? Franklin attached a wire to the top of a silk kite and connected a key to a hemp string, which was attached to a silk string and hung from the kite. Standing in a shed door, he held the silk string. Thankfully, the kite escaped a lightning strike. When he noticed the hemp string standing upright, he moved his hand near the key and felt a spark.
The 1970s and ’80s saw a chocolate craze, including a trend toward this flowing chocolate fountain dessert.
What is chocolate fondue? At the same time, cheese fondue gained popularity.
1977: He presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Dr. Jonas Salk and posthumously to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Who is Jimmy Carter? Carter’s remarks at the time noted Salk’s lifesaving work and King’s humanitarian efforts.
This Broadway musical based on a lengthy book by Victor Hugo opened in 1987.
What is Les Misérables? The first Broadway production of the show, at the Broadway Theatre, ran for 16 years.
Chosen because it includes the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, February is when this annual observance is celebrated.
What is Black History Month? We started observing Black History Month in 1976. It is the outgrowth of Black History Week, established in 1926.
The standard dinner fork and salad fork have this number of tines.
What is four? The salad fork is shorter than the dinner fork and is placed outside the dinner fork.
This retro dessert consisting of layered cake, fruit, and pudding had a resurgence in the 1980s, particularly in Great Britain.
What is a trifle? The old-fashioned dessert was rebranded as a modern, easy-to-assemble confection.
1976: He introduced Black History Month, expanding it from a weeklong observance to a full month.
Who is Gerald Ford? Ford’s presidency also saw energy conservation policies and new controls for commercial chemicals.
In 1972, The Museum of the City of New York hosted a tribute concert celebrating this composer, whose works include Carousel and Oklahoma!
Who is Richard Rodgers? The tribute was held at the Imperial Theatre and featured performances by alumni of Rodgers’ shows, including Tony Randall, Helen Gallagher, and Celeste Holm.
If you are born on this numerical day in February, technically your birthday will happen only every four years.
What is February 29? Leap years occur every four years, and February gains an extra day.
“Sea cow” and “teddy bear of the sea” are nicknames for this marine animal.
What is a manatee? “Sea cow” is the nickname for the animals in the order Sirenia, which includes manatees, dugongs, and the now-extinct Steller’s sea cows. Manatees are the largest marine herbivores and typically weigh between 800 and 1,200 pounds.