A quick look at Today in History, check out some Celebrity Birthdays, and find out what Days of the Year to celebrate.
What Happened on March 27 in History?
Important events on this day include the creation of the U.S. Navy, the devastating 1964 Alaska earthquake, and the FDA approval of Viagra.
MARCH 27 – TODAY IN HISTORY:
1794 – Congress authorized the creation of the U.S. Navy and the building of six frigates.
1836 – The first Mormon temple was dedicated in Kirtland, OH.
1841 – The first steam fire engine was tested in New York, NY.
1860 – M.L. Byrn patented the corkscrew.
1866 – President Andrew Johnson vetoed the civil rights bill, which later became the 14th amendment. His veto was overridden by Congress and the bill passed into law on April 9th.
1884 – The first long-distance telephone call was made from Boston, MA to New York, NY.
1886 – Geronimo, an Apache warrior, surrendered to the U.S. Army, ending the main phase of the Apache Wars.
1899 – The first international radio transmission between England and France was achieved by the Italian inventor G. Marconi.
1904 – Mary Jarris “Mother” Jones was ordered by Colorado state authorities to leave the state. She was accused of stirring up striking coal miners.
1912 – The first cherry blossom trees — a gift from Japan — were planted in Washington, DC.
1915 – Typhoid Mary, the first healthy carrier of disease ever identified in the U.S., was put in quarantine, where she would remain for the rest of her life.
1917 – The Seattle Metropolitans, of the Pacific Coast League of Canada, defeated the Montreal Canadians and became the first U.S. hockey team to win the Stanley Cup.
1939 – The University of Oregon beat The Ohio State University to win the first NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
1946 – Four-month long strikes at both General Electric and General Motors ended with a wage increase.
1958 – The U.S. announced a plan to explore space near the Moon.
1964 – The most powerful earthquake in U.S. history, at a magnitude of 9.2, hit south central Alaska, killing 125 people and causing massage damage to the city of Anchorage.
1975 – Construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System began.
1976 – The first 4.6 miles of the Washington, DC, Metro subway system opened.
1983 – The TV mini-series “The Thorn Birds” — based on a novel of the same name by Colleen McCullough — premiered on ABC. It would become the second highest rated mini-series at the time, behind “Roots”.
1985 – Billy Dee Williams received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1986 – Sammy Hagar played his first show as lead singer of the band Van Halen.
1987 – The band U2 filmed their video “Where the Streets Have No Name” on a rooftop in Los Angeles, CA.
1988 – The Senate ratified the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
1989 – The U.S. anti-missile satellite failed the first test in space.
1990 – The U.S. began broadcasting TV Marti, an anti-Castro propaganda network, to Cuba.
1998 – The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug Viagra as a treatment for male impotence. It was the first pill to be approved for this condition in the U.S.
1999 – The Melissa computer virus spread through the Internet.
2004 – NASA successfully launched an unpiloted X-43A jet that hit Mach 7 (about 5,000 mph).
2007 – NFL owners voted to make instant replay a permanent officiating tool.
2009 – Marc Holder was confirmed as the first African American Attorney General.
2011 – The Nintendo 3DS was released in North America.
2020 – President Donald Trump signed the CARES Act into law, pumping more than $2.2 trillion in federal air back into the economy due to COVID-19.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON MARCH 27:
Malcolm Goldstein – 90 years old (1936) – Violinist and composer
Jay Kim – 87 years old (1939) – South Korean-American engineer and politician
Austin Pendleton – 86 years old (1940) – Actor, director, and playwright
Walt Mossberg – 79 years old (1947) – Journalist
Susan Neiman – 71 years old (1955) – American-German philosopher and author
Brad Wright – 64 years old (1962) – American-Spanish basketball player
Kevin J. Anderson – 64 years old (1962) – Science fiction writer
Cory Blackwell – 63 years old (1963) – Basketball player
Randall Cunningham – 63 years old (1963) – Football player, coach, and pastor
Quentin Tarantino – 63 years old (1963) – Director, producer, screenwriter and actor
Talisa Soto – 59 years old (1967) – Actress
Pauley Perrette – 57 years old (1969) – Actress
Mariah Carey – 57 years old (1969) – Singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
Brent Fitz – 56 years old (1970) – Canadian-American multi-instrumentalist and recording artist
Elizabeth Mitchell – 56 years old (1970) – Actress
Charlie Haas – 54 years old (1972) – Professional wrestler
Fergie – 51 years old (1975) – Singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress
Danny Fortson – 50 years old (1976) – Basketball player
Sean Ryan – 46 years old (1980) – Football player
Dustin Byfuglien – 41 years old (1985) – Ice hockey player
Buster Posey – 39 years old (1987) – Baseball player
Brenda Song – 38 years old (1988) – Actress
Matt Harvey – 37 years old (1989) – Baseball player
London on da Track – 35 years old (1991) – Record producer
Brandon Nimmo – 33 years old (1993) – Baseball player
Jesser – 27 years old (1999) – YouTuber
Halle Bailey – 26 years old (2000) – Singer-songwriter and actress
DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR MARCH 27:
Today's special observances are temporarily unavailable. Please check back soon.
For additional information check out websites like: www.on-this-day.com, www.born-today.com, www.famousbirthdays.com, www.daysoftheyear.com, and www.nationaldaycalendar.com.
