Discover what happened on March 23 in history, along with notable celebrity birthdays and fun Days of the Year to celebrate.
What Happened on March 23 in History?
Important events on this day include Patrick Henry declaring “Give me liberty, or give me death!”, the Wright brothers receiving a patent for their airplane, and Michigan’s first test-tube baby being born.
MARCH 23 – TODAY IN HISTORY:
1775 – American revolutionary Patrick Henry declared, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” in Richmond, VA.
1794 – Josiah G. Pierson patented the rivet machine.
1806 – After traveling through the Louisiana Purchase and reaching the Pacific Ocean, explorers Lewis and Clark turned around and began their return journey to the east.
1836 – Franklin Beele invented the coin press.
1839 – “OK” first appeared in print in The Boston Morning Post as an abbreviation for “oll korrect”.
1840 – The first successful photo of the Moon was taken.
1857 – Elisha Otis installed the first modern passenger elevator in a public building. It was at the E.V. Haughwout Building Department Store at 488 Broadway in New York, NY.
1858 – Eleazer A. Gardner patented the cable streetcar.
1861 – John D. Defrees became the first Superintendent of the United States Government Printing Office.
1880 – John Stevens patented the grain crushing mill. This machine increased flour production by 70%.
1901 – Dame Nellie Melba, revealed the secret of her now famous Melba toast.
1903 – The Wright brothers received a patent for an airplane.
1909 – British Lt. Shackleton found the magnetic South Pole.
1909 – Theodore Roosevelt began an African safari sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and National Geographic Society.
1912 – The Dixie cup was invented.
1921 – Arthur G. Hamilton set a new parachute record when he safely jumped from 24,400 feet.
1922 – The first airplane landed at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.
1950 – The television game show “Beat the Clock” premiered on CBS.
1957 – The U.S. Army sold the last of its homing pigeons.
1965 – America’s first two-person space flight took off from Cape Kennedy. The Gemini 3 carried astronauts Virgil I. Grissom and John W. Young.
1970 – Mafia “Boss” Carlo Gambino was arrested for plotting to steal $3 million.
1972 – An Evel Knievel motorcycle stunt went wrong. A bad landing after a jump over 35 cars left the daredevil with 93 broken bones.
1973 – The last airing of game show “Concentration” took place. The show had been on NBC for 15 years.
1981 – The Supreme Court upheld a law making statutory rape a crime for men but not women.
1981 – CBS Television announced their plans to cut back “Captain Kangaroo” to a 30-minute show each weekday morning.
1982 – The TV show “Joanie loves Chachi”, a spin-off from “Happy Days”, premiered. It only ran for 17 episodes before being cancelled.
1983 – President Ronald Reagan first proposed development of technology to intercept enemy missiles. The proposal became known as the Strategic Defense Initiative and “Star Wars.”
1983 – Dr. Barney Clark died after 112 days with a permanent artificial heart.
1984 – A woman from Hazel Park, MI gave birth to a baby boy. It was Michigan’s first test-tube baby. Doctors had removed four eggs from the woman, they were fertilized with her husband’s sperm, and then one fertile egg was transferred back into the woman for the baby to developed normally.
1987 – The TV soap opera, “The Bold and the Beautiful”, debuted.
1989 – In what scientists consider a close call, a 1,000 foot diameter asteroid missed the Earth by merely 500,000 miles.
1989 – Two electro-chemists, Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischman, announced that they had created nuclear fusion in a test tube at room temperature.
1990 – Former Exxon Valdez Captain Joseph Hazelwood was ordered to help clean up Prince William Sound and pay $50,000 in restitution for the 1989 oil spill.
1991 – During his show at London’s Wembley Stadium, George Michael was joined onstage by Elton John. Their joint performance of Elton’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” was recorded and later became a huge worldwide hit.
1994 – Wayne Gretzky broke Gordie Howe’s National Hockey League (NHL) career record with his 802nd goal.
1998 – The Supreme Court ruled that term limits for state lawmakers were constitutional.
1998 – The German company Bertelsmann AG agreed to purchase the American publisher Random House for $1.4 billion. The merger created the largest English-language book-publishing company in the world.
1998 – The movie “Titanic” won 11 Oscars at the Academy Awards.
2001 – The Russian orbiting Mir space station was disposed of, breaking up in the atmosphere before plunging into the South Pacific Ocean after its 15-years of use.
2004 – Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld appeared before a federal commission investigating the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks.
2010 – President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — better known as “Obamacare” into law.
2015 – James Corden replaced Craig Ferguson as host of “The Late Late Show”. Tom Hanks and Mila Kunis were the English actor’s first guests.
2020 – Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a statewide “Stay At Home” order for all non-essential workers to try to combat the coronavirus, or COVID-19. Individuals were only permitted to leave their home or place of residence under very limited circumstances. The order was to remain in place for at least three weeks.
2020 – The World Health Organization said the COVID-19 pandemic was accelerating, with the first 100,000 cases taking 67 days, the second 100,000 cases taking 11 days, and the third 100,000 cases taking just 4 days.
2021 – A container ship ran aground and obstructs the Suez Canal. It was stuck for six days
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON MARCH 23:
Mark Rydell – 97 years old (1929) – Actor, director and producer
Robert Gallo – 89 years old (1937) – Physician and academic
David Grisman – 81 years old (1945) – Mandolin player and composer
Elizabeth Ann Scarborough – 79 years old (1947) – Author
Ron Jaworski – 75 years old (1951) – Football player and sportscaster
Kim Stanley Robinson – 74 years old (1952) – Author
Rex Tillerson – 74 years old (1952) – Businessman, engineer and diplomat; 69th United States Secretary of State
Chaka Khan – 73 years old (1953) – Singer-songwriter
Geno Auriemma – 72 years old (1954) – Italian-American basketball player and coach
Kenneth Cole – 72 years old (1954) – Fashion designer, founded Kenneth Cole Productions
Amanda Plummer – 69 years old (1957) – Actress
Catherine Keener – 67 years old (1959) – Actress
Hope Davis – 62 years old (1964) – Actress
Richard Grieco – 61 years old (1965) – Actor, artist, and model
Gary Whitehead – 61 years old (1965) – Poet and painter
Lorenzo Daniel – 60 years old (1966) – Sprinter
Marin Hinkle – 60 years old (1966) – Actress
Randall Park – 52 years old (1974) – Actor, director and screenwriter
Michelle Monaghan – 50 years old (1976) – Actress
Keri Russell – 50 years old (1976) – Actress
Perez Hilton – 48 years old (1978) – Blogger
Nicholle Tom – 48 years old (1978) – Actress
Mark Buehrle – 47 years old (1979) – Baseball player
Erin Crocker – 45 years old (1981) – Race car driver
Brett Young – 45 years old (1981) – Singer-songwriter
Brandon Marshall – 42 years old (1984) – Football player
Maurice Jones-Drew – 41 years old (1985) – Football player
Bethanie Mattek-Sands – 41 years old (1985) – Tennis player
Brett Eldredge – 40 years old (1986) – Singer-songwriter and musician
Dellin Betances – 38 years old (1988) – Baseball player
Ayesha Curry – 37 years old (1989) – Canadian-American chef, author and television personality
Gordon Hayward – 36 years old (1990) – Basketball player
Kyrie Irving – 34 years old (1992) – Australian-American basketball player
Quinn Cook – 33 years old (1993) – Basketball player
Bridger Zadina – 32 years old (1994) – Actor
Victoria Pedretti – 31 years old (1995) – Actress
DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR MARCH 23:
- National Puppy Day: These furry friends wiggle their tails, give slobbery kisses, and play fetch until they drop. Who could resist?
- World Meteorological Day: Unraveling the mysteries of weather's patterns, and predicting its whims — a thrilling exploration of our natural world.
- World Bear Day: Advocating for the preservation of wild habitats to protect these magnificent creatures and the delicate balance of nature they represent.
- Atheist Day: The perspective that finds wonder in a universe without deities, a belief in the power of human reason and curiosity.
- National Melba Toast Day: Imagine a day dedicated to celebrating a snack as simple and delightful as Melba toast. That's exactly what happens on National Melba Toast Day, observed every year on March 23rd. This special day isn't just about enjoying a crispy, thin slice of toast; it's a nod to the fascinating story...
- OK Day: OK Day celebrates the small yet powerful word "OK," which has become a universal expression of agreement and understanding. This simple term crosses language barriers, finding a place in conversations worldwide. Its versatility allows it to function as a noun, verb, adjective, adverb, or interjection, making it a unique and...
- Cuddly Kitten Day: There’s something magical about the soft nudge of a kitten’s nose or the flick of a curious tail. Cuddly Kitten Day celebrates these tiny balls of fluff that bring joy with every paw step. Their playful leaps, gentle purring, and wide-eyed wonder can lift even the dullest mood. For a...
- National Tamale Day: National Tamale Day invites everyone to savor tamales, a traditional Latin American dish made from corn dough filled with meats, cheeses, or vegetables, all wrapped in corn husks and steamed to perfection. At once practical and celebratory, the tamale is built for sharing. It is tidy enough to carry, hearty enough...
- National Near Miss Day: It's amazing how our planet dodges a bullet (or meteor!) sometimes. The close calls of asteroids and meteors show us the incredible power of nature.
- National Chip and Dip Day: Combining crispy bites with a variety of flavorful dips, this dynamic duo creates a satisfying snack experience that's perfect for sharing.
- National Chia Day: Tiny seeds packed with omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and protein — great in smoothies, yogurt, or oatmeal for an easy boost of nutrients.
- Ravenclaw Pride Day: Always curious, they seek wisdom in every nook and cranny, reminding us that intelligence and wit can be magical too.
- March Madness: Get your game face on for March Madness! This high-energy tournament is a slam dunk of excitement, passion, and heart-pumping action. So grab your team colors, gear up for the showdown, and let the madness begin!
- Make Mine Chocolate: "Make Mine Chocolate" is a lively campaign urging people to think twice before giving live rabbits as Easter gifts. The campaign encourages people to opt for chocolate bunnies instead. This approach helps spread the message of responsible pet ownership while offering a sweet alternative that won't end up in shelters...
- Week of Solidarity with Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination: The Week of Solidarity with Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination brings communities together in support of a world free from racial hatred and inequality. This UN-led initiative highlights the voices and stories of those affected by racism worldwide, shining a light on the struggles and resilience of diverse...
- European-wide Action Week Against Racism: European-wide Action Week Against Racism connects communities across borders to take a clear stand against hate. It’s not just a campaign—it’s a shared effort. Schools, community groups, and everyday citizens take part. They speak out in their own way, using clear messages and public spaces to reject racism. The focus stays...
- National Cleaning Week: Sprucing up the living space can be quite the chore, but the end result is a refreshed and orderly home to be proud of.
- UNESCO-ITI World Theater Week: UNESCO-ITI World Theater Week celebrates the magic of live performance across cultures. It highlights voices that rise from every stage. Artists, storytellers, and directors come together to share something real. These stories spark laughter, stir emotion, and open new ways of seeing the world. From packed auditoriums to outdoor street corners...
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