TIME CAPSULE

* Feb. 15, 1898: Remember the Maine

On this date, the U.S. battleship Maine blew up, killing more than 250 crew members. The ship had been stationed near Cuba to protect Americans during the island’s struggle for independence. Spain was blamed for the attack and the slogan “Remember the Maine” ignited the Spanish-American War. But today, many historians believe the explosion was accidental.

* Feb. 16, 1937: Nylon News

Nylon was on its way to becoming the miracle fiber of the century.

DuPont chemist Wallace H. Carothers took out a patent for the substance, and women’s hosiery hasn’t been the same since. The tough, elastic material forms the basis for many of today’s products, including carpets, guitar strings, clothing, parachutes, tires, fishing line and stitches.

* Feb. 17, 1963: Happy Birthday Michael! Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, was born on this date in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Chicago Bulls player, who recently announced his retirement from basketball, led the Bulls to six NBA championships and won 10 scoring titles for himself. Jordan will be 36 years old.

* Feb. 18, 1995: Movie of the Week

“The Brady Bunch Movie” was tops at the box office during this Presidents Day weekend. The movie was based on a popular TV series of the ‘70s in which an idyllic American “blended” family gingerly tackled the problems of daily life.

* Feb. 19, 1945: Marines Land

American Marines landed on the tiny island of Iwo Jima on this date 54 years ago. Iwo Jima was one of several islands that Allies needed to occupy as part of the plan to defeat Japan during World War II. The island was secured a month later. Sadly, about 25,000 Marines were killed or wounded in the effort.

* Feb. 20, 1943: Mountain Out of a Molehill

On this day, something happened in a cornfield in central western Mexico. A crack in the ground started to spew fire and smoke, and a mound of earth began to form. Within a week, the mound grew to 450 feet!

It became a 1,200-foot volcano named Paricutin, after one of the villages it destroyed. The volcano continued erupting until 1952, eventually covering a 10-square-mile area with lava.

* Feb. 21, 1972: Nixon in China

President Nixon began an eight-day visit to China.

He was the first U.S. president to visit the country since it was taken over by Chinese Communists in 1949. Nixon met with Chinese Premier Cho En-Lai. The two leaders agreed to explore cultural and trade relations between the two countries.

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Sources: Los Angeles Times Archives (https://www.latimes.com/archives); Library of Congress (https://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem); the History Channel Online (https://www.historychannel.com); 1999 World Book Family Reference Suite.