1. On February 25, 1870, Hiram Revels became the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate. Born in North Carolina, Revels served as a minister, educator, and Union Army chaplain before being appointed to fill a vacant seat representing Mississippi in the Senate during Reconstruction. Although his tenure was relatively brief, Revels played a significant role in advocating for civil rights and racial equality during a tumultuous period in American history.

2. On February 25, 1919, the Missouri state legislature ratified the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which established the prohibition of alcohol across the country. The amendment was initially proposed in 1917, and after it was ratified by the requisite number of states, it went into effect in 1920. Prohibition was eventually repealed in 1933 through the passage of the 21st Amendment.

3. On February 25, 1954, University of Missouri scientist Ernest O. Lawrence was awarded the Enrico Fermi Award for his pioneering work in nuclear physics. Lawrence was a key figure in the development of the cyclotron, a type of particle accelerator that remains an important tool in modern physics research. The Fermi Award is considered one of the highest honors bestowed by the U.S. government in the field of science.

4. On February 25, 1971, James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to assassinating civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Ray, who was originally arrested in London two months after the killing, had previously denied involvement in the crime. He was sentenced to 99 years in prison, but after several unsuccessful attempts to appeal his conviction, he died in custody in 1998.

5. On February 25, 2015, the Missouri Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that struck down a state law imposing a waiting period on women seeking abortions. The law, which required a 72-hour delay between the initial consultation and the procedure, had been challenged by Planned Parenthood and other reproductive rights advocates. The ruling was hailed as a victory by supporters of abortion rights, but it also highlighted the ongoing legal battles over reproductive health care in the U.S.