On this day: February 25
Samuel Colt patents his revolver, the first black U.S. senator takes his seat, Muhammad Ali wins his first heavyweight title, and Ferdinand Marcos flees the Philippines, all on this day.
2007: The drama "The Departed," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg and Martin Sheen, and directed by Martin Scorsese, wins Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The movie, a crime thriller film remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs," became the first remake to win the Oscars' top award and also captured Oscars for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing. The win for Scorsese was the first Oscar he received after previously losing out on nominations for "Raging Bull," "The Last Temptation of Christ," "Goodfellas," "Gangs of New York" and "The Aviator."
