On this day

February 2, 1990

Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from February 2, 1990

U.S. Is Seeking Special Counsel In H.U.D. Affair

By David Johnston, Special To the New York Times

LEAD: Attorney General Dick Thornburgh said today that he was seeking the appointment of an independent prosecutor to investigate former Housing Secretary Samuel R. Pierce Jr. and other senior housing officials for conspiracy to defraud the Government.

National Desk1135 words
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Children of Flight 52: The Wounds Within

By Sarah Lyall

LEAD: For the four children still being treated at North Shore University Hospital after surviving the crash of Avianca Flight 52 last week, these are days of confusion and pain, of waiting for broken bones to heal and of trying to understand what happened.

Metropolitan Desk967 words
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Music on My Birthday

Billboard 200

The Top 50 albums for the chart week of January 31, 1990, covering February 2, 1990.

  1. 1
    Album cover for Forever Your Girl by Paula Abdul

    Forever Your Girl

    Paula Abdul

    Last week
    2
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    81
  2. 2
    Album cover for Girl You Know It's True by Milli Vanilli

    Girl You Know It's True

    Milli Vanilli

    Last week
    3
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    46
  3. 3
    Album cover for ...But Seriously by Phil Collins

    ...But Seriously

    Phil Collins

    Last week
    1
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    10
  4. 4
    Album cover for Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 by Janet Jackson

    Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814

    Janet Jackson

    Last week
    5
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    18
  5. 5
    Album cover for Storm Front by Billy Joel

    Storm Front

    Billy Joel

    Last week
    4
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    14

Notable Deaths

1990Paul Ariste, Estonian linguist and academic (born 1905)[†]

Paul Ariste was an Estonian linguist renowned for his studies of the Finno-Ugric languages, Yiddish and Baltic Romani language.

1990Joe Erskine, Welsh boxer (born 1934)[†]

Joseph Erskine was a heavyweight boxer from the Butetown district of Cardiff, Wales. He was an Amateur Boxing Association Champion, Inter-Services Champion, and British Army Champion in 1953. He began fighting as a professional in 1954 and was trained by ARCHIE RULE AND Freddie Elvin. He held the British heavyweight title from August 1956 to June 1958. In all, he won 45 of his 54 professional bouts, losing 8, with one drawn. His best wins were against George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, Dick Richardson, Uli Ritter, Jack Bodell, Johnny Williams, Joe Bygraves, and Willie Pastrano.

Historical Events

Apartheid

1990Apartheid: F. W. de Klerk announces the unbanning of the African National Congress and promises to release Nelson Mandela.[†]

Apartheid was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an authoritarian political culture based on baasskap, which ensured that South Africa was dominated politically, socially, and economically by the nation's minority white population. Under this minoritarian system, white citizens held the highest status, followed by Indians, Coloureds and black Africans, in that order. The economic legacy and social effects of apartheid continue to the present day, particularly inequality.

Historical Context for February 2, 1990

In 1990, the world population was approximately 5,327,803,110 people[†]