February 1st is the anniversary of the secession of Texas [1] from the United States in 1861. A State Convention considering secession opened in Austin on January 28th, 1861 and on February 1st, by a vote of 166 to 8, adopted an Ordinance of Secession from the United States. It’s important to note that not all Texans favored this act. Though the state Governor, Sam Houston [2], was loyal to the union, he refused offers from President Lincoln to keep him in office and was subsequently deposed as governor.
February 1st is also the day that the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated [3] over Texas and Louisiana, killing all seven crew members as it reentered Earth’s atmosphere.