On This Date: February 1, 2019

135 years ago- February 1, 1884- The first fascicle of the Oxford English Dictionary is published, creating one of the most celebrated dictionary legacies in the history of the world. The first inklings of the Oxford Dictionary were created when London’s Philological Society met together in 1857. However, the supposed 10-year construction period of the dictionary took over forty years for the society to create its 125th and final fascicle, creating one of the greatest books in the world.

40 years ago- February 1, 1979- The “Ayatollah” Khomeini returned to Iran after a 15-year exile, leading the Iranian Revolution. Several years earlier, Khomeini was the first religious Shiite leader to make treasonous remarks against the then-modernist government under Shah Mohammad Reza. After making statements for an overthrow of the government, Khomeini was exiled by the Shah from Iran. After the extremely extravagant 2,500th anniversary of the founding of Persia (Iran), the Shah was overthrown by his citizens and called for Khomeini to be their new leader. Khomeini remained as the dictator of Iran until his death in 1989, with many mourners by his casket, but several Western countries cheering at the end of an autocracy.