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1903–Judge Roy Bean dies in Langtry, Val Verde County, Texas, at age 77. He was an eccentric U.S. saloon keeper and Justice of the Peace in Val Verde County, and according to legend, the Judge held court in his saloon along the Rio Grande on a desolate stretch of the Chihuahuan Desert of southwest Texas. His story was told (heavily fictionalized) in the film The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean starring Paul Newman in the title role.



BC 597–Babylonians capture Jerusalem, and replace King Jehoiachin with Zedekiah.

37–Roman Emperor, Tiberius, dies most likely of murder in Tiberius, at age 77.

455–Emperor Valentinian III is assassinated by two Hunnic retainers while training with the bow on the Campus Martius in Rome, Italy.

934–Meng Zhixiang declares himself Emperor and establishes Later Shu as a new state independent of Later Tang.

1185–Baldwin IV of Jerusalem dies of leprosy in Kingdom of Jerusalem, at age 24.

1190–Crusaders begin to massacre the Jews of York, and many will commit suicide rather than submit to Baptism.

1244–Over 200 Cathars are burned after the Fall of Montségur.

1322–The Battle of Boroughbridge take place in the Despenser Wars.

1399–Emperor Xuande of China is born in Beijing, China.

1473–Henry IV, Duke of Saxony, is born Heinrich der Fromme in Dresden, Germany.

1485–Anne Neville, wife of King Richard III, dies of tuberculosis in Westminster, London, England, at age 28.

1521–Ferdinand Magellan reaches the island of Homonhon in the Philippines with a crew of 150. Members of his expedition become the first Spaniards to reach the Philippine archipelago, but they were not the first Europeans. He lands with three small ships: the Concepcion, the Trinidad, and the Victoria. He names the place the Arcigelago de San Lazaro, because it was the feast day of Saint Lazarus of Bethany.

1559–Amar Singh I, Maharana of Mewar, is born in Chittor Fort, Rajasthan.

1621–Samoset, a Mohegan, visits the settlers of Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts.

1660–The Long Parliament of England is dissolved to make way for the new Convention Parliament.

1689–The 23rd Regiment of Foot, or Royal Welch Fusiliers, is founded.

1739–Merchant, George Clymer, signer of the Declaration of Independence, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was one of the first patriots to advocate complete independence from Britain.

1740–Jacob Schweppe, watchmaker and amateur scientist, is born in Hesse (Witzenhausen), Germany. He developed the first commercially successful process for producing carbonated mineral water. He founded the Schweppes Company in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1783.

1750–Astronomer, Caroline (Lucretia) Herschel, is born in Hanover, Electorate of Hanover, Holy Roman Empire. She was the first woman to be awarded a Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1828).

1751–James Madison, fourth U.S. President (1809-1817), is born in Port Conway, Virginia.

1782–Spanish troops capture the British-held island of Roatán.

1792–King Gustav III of Sweden, is shot during a masked ball at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm. The assassin is Jacob Johan Anckarström, who was arrested the following morning, immediately confessing to the murder. The king had not been shot dead, but he would die from the wound on March 29th.

1800–Emperor Ninko of Japan is born.

1797–In the French Revolutionary Wars, an Austrian column is defeated by the French in the Battle of Valvasone.

1800–Emperor Ninko of Japan is born Ayahito in Japan.

1801–Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna of Russia dies from puerperal fever in Buda, Kingdom of Hungary, at age 17.

1802–The Army Corps of Engineers is established to found and operate the United States Military Academy at West Point.

1812–British and Portuguese forces besiege and defeat French garrison during the Peninsular War.

1815–Prince Willem proclaims himself King of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, the first constitutional monarch in the Netherlands.

1818–In the Second Battle of Cancha Rayada, Spanish forces defeat Chileans under José de San Martín.

1827–The first black newspaper in the United States is founded. Freedom's Journal is published on Varick Street in what is now the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. Its editors are John B. Russwurm and Samuel Cornish.

1839–Painter, John Butler Yeats, is born in Lawrencetown, Tullylish, County Down, Ireland. He was the father of poet, William Butler Yeats.

1859–Physicist, Alexander Stepanovich Popov, is born in Turyinskiye Rudniki settlement of Perm Governorate (present-day Krasnoturyinsk of Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia). He is acclaimed in his homeland and eastern European countries as the inventor of radio. His work was based on the work of other physicists, such as Oliver Lodge, and with the work of radio pioneer, Guglielmo Marconi.

1861–Edward Clark becomes Governor of Texas, replacing Sam Houston, who is evicted from the office for refusing to take an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy.

1861–Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld dies at Frogmore House, Windsor, England, at age 74. She was a German princess and the mother of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

1864–During the American Civil War, Union troops reach Alexandria, Louisiana, for the Red River Campaign.

1865–During the American Civil War, the Battle of Averasborough begins as Confederate forces suffer irreplaceable casualties in the final months of the war.

1870–The first version of the overture fantasy Romeo and Juliet by Tchaikovsky receives its premiere performance.

1881–The Barnum & Bailey Circus makes its debut.

1881–Composer, Modest P. Mussorgsky, dies destitute from alcoholism in Saint Petersburg, Russia, at age 42. Many of his works were inspired by Russian history, Russian folklore, and other nationalist themes. Such works include the opera Boris Godunov, the orchestral tone poem Night on Bald Mountain, and the piano suite Pictures at an Exhibition.

1897–Actor, Conrad Nagel, is born in Keokuk, Iowa. He was a matinee idol of the silent film era and beyond. He appeared in the silent films Little Women, Bella Donna, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Heaven on Earth, Quality Street; and the sound films The Terror, The Idle Rich, The Divorcee, Son of India, Kongo, The Girl from Mandalay, One Million B.C., Stage Struck, and All That Heaven Allows. He was married to actress, Lynn Merrick.

1898–In Melbourne, Australia, the representatives of five colonies adopt a constitution that would become the basis of the Commonwealth of Australia.

1898–English illustrator, Aubrey Beardsley, dies of tuberculosis in Menton, France, at age 25. Beardlsey was best known for his dark, grotesque, and obscene imagery. About a year before his death, Beardsley converted to Roman Catholicism, and begged his publisher to destroy all copies of “Lysistrata” and his “bad drawings... by all that is holy, all obscene drawings.” His requests were ignored, his publisher continued to sell not only reproductions, but forgeries of Beardsley's work.

1900–Sir Arthur Evans purchases the land around the ruins of Knossos, the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete.

1902–Bluesman, Guitar Slim, is born Alec Seward in Charles City County, Virginia. He is best known for the songs Creepin' Blues and Some People Say.

1903–Judge Roy Bean dies in Langtry, Val Verde County, Texas, at age 77. He was an eccentric saloon keeper and Justice of the Peace in Val Verde County, and according to legend, the Judge held court in his saloon along the Rio Grande on a desolate stretch of the Chihuahuan Desert of southwest Texas. His story was told (heavily fictionalized) in the film The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, starring Paul Newman in the title role.

1906–A 7.1 earthquake hits Kagi, Formosa, causing 1,300 deaths.

1906–Comedian, Henny Youngman, is born Henry Yungman in Liverpool, Lancashire, England. He was the master of the “one-liner,” his best known one being "Take my wife... please." A stage performance by Youngman lasted only 15 to 20 minutes, but it contained dozens of jokes in rapid-fire succession.

1908–Director-screenwriter, Robert Rossen, is born in New York, New York. Rossen's films for Warner Brothers generally described the conditions of working people, the portrayal of gangsters and racketeers, and opposition to fascism. His films include Blues in the Night, A Walk in the Sun, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, All the Kings’s Men, The Hustler, and Lilith.

1911–Dr. Josef Mengele, accused Nazi war criminal, is born in Günzburg, Bavaria, Germany. He was a German Schutzstaffel (SS) officer and physician in Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. He was notorious for the selection of victims to be killed in the gas chambers, and for performing unscientific and often deadly human experiments on prisoners. After the war, he fled to South America, where he evaded capture for the rest of his life.

1912–Mrs. William Howard Taft (the First Lady) plants the first cherry tree in Washington, D.C.

1912–Pat Nixon, 44th First Lady of the United States (1968-1974) and wife of President Richard Nixon, is born Thelma Catherine Ryan in Ely, Nevada. "Pat" was a nickname given to her by her father, referring to her birthdate and Irish ancestry. Upon enrolling in college in 1931, she dropped her first name of Thelma, replacing it with Pat (and occasionally rendering it as Patricia): the name change, however, was not a legal action, merely one of preference.

1915–The Federal Trade Commission begins operation. The U.S. government appointed five commissioners to receive $10,000 each year to regulate commerce and prohibit unlawful trade.

1915–Absinthe is outlawed in France and several other countries. Absinthe is a licorice-anise flavored liqueur that contains wormwood. The high alcohol content, 132 proof, and the presence of the toxic oil thujone (from the wormwood), seems to cause hallucinations, convulsions, and severe mental problems for hard core absinthe drinkers. Henry-Louis Pernod, who manufactured Absinthe, introduced the lower alcohol, wormwood-free liqueur Pernod, to replace Absinthe.

1916–The 7th and 10th U.S. Cavalry regiments, under John J. Pershing, cross the United States-Mexico border to join the hunt for Pancho Villa.

1916–The U.S. and Canada sign a Migratory Bird Treaty.

1916–Actress, Mercedes McCambridge, is born Carlotta Mercedes Agnes McCambridge in Joliet, Illinois. She appeared in the films All the King’s Men, Lightning Strikes Twice, Johnny Guitar, Giant, A Farewell to Arms, Touch of Evil, and Suddenly, Last Summer.

1920–Actor, Leo McKern, is born Reginald McKern in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He appeared in the films The Adventures of Robin Hood, X the Unknown, A Tale of Two Cities, The Mouse That Roared, The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film, Jazz Boat, The Day the Earth Caught Fire, Doctor in Distress, The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders, Help!, Alice in Wonderland, A Man for All Seasons, Ryan’s Daughter, The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother, The Omen, The Blue Lagoon, The French Lieutenant’s Woman, and Ladyhawke.

1921–Fahd of Saudi Arabia is born Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh, Sultanate of Nejd. One of 37 sons of Saudi founder, Ibn Saud, Fahd ascended to the throne on the death of his half-brother, King Khalid, on June 13, 1982.

1924–In accordance with the Treaty of Rome, Fiume becomes annexed as part of Italy.

1925–A 7.1 earthquake in Yunnan, China, causes 5,000 deaths.

1926–Dr. Robert H. Goddard launches the first liquid fueled rocket at Auburn, Massachusetts.

1926–Comedian-actor-director, Jerry Lewis, is born Joseph Levitch in Newark, New Jersey. Aside from his work with the most popular comedy team of all time, Martin & Lewis (with singer-actor Dean Martin), he also had a successful career as an actor and producer. He recorded an album entitled, Jerry Lewis Just Sings, which featured the hit Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody. He is one of the most famous philanthropists of the 20th century through his work with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, serving as host of their 48-hour annual Labor Day Telethon since the early 1960s. He appeared in the films The Stooge, Scared Stiff, The Caddy, Living It Up, Artists and Models, Hollywood or Bust, The Delicate Delinquent, Rock-A-Bye Baby, The Bellboy, Cinderfella, The Ladies Man, The Errand Boy, The Nutty Professor, Who’s Minding the Store?, The Pasty, The Disorderly Orderly, Boeing Boeing, Three on a Couch, Way... Way Out, The Big Mouth, Hardly Working, The King of Comedy, Cracking Up, and Arizona Dream. His son is musician, Gary Lewis, of the pop group Gary Lewis and the Playboys.

1927–Politician, Sir Robert Bond, first Prime Minister of Newfoundland, dies in Whitbourne, Newfoundland, at age 70.

1932–Astronaut, (Ronnie) Walter Cunningham, is born in Creston, Iowa. In 1968, he was the Lunar Module Pilot on the Apollo 7 mission. He was NASA's third civilian astronaut (after Neil Armstrong and Elliot See), and has also been a fighter pilot, physicist, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist.

1934–The 6th Annual Academy Awards announces its winners. Best Picture: Cavalcade; Best Actor: Charles Laughton for The Private Life of Henry VIII; Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn for Morning Glory; Best Director: Frank Lloyd for Cavalcade. The ceremonies are held at the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, California. The host is Will Rogers.

1934–Ray Walker, of The Jordanaires, is born in Tennessee. The vocal group is best known for singing backup on almost all of the recordings of Elvis Presley.

1935–Aldolf Hitler orders German rearmament, violating the Versailles Treaty.

1936–Warmer-than-normal temperatures rapidly melt snow and ice on the upper Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, leading to a major flood in Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania.

1939–From Prague Castle, Aldolf Hitler proclaims Bohemia and Moravia a German protectorate.

1939–Princess Fawzia of Egypt marries Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran.

1940–James Isbister is the first person killed in a German bombing raid on the U.K. in a raid on Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands, during World War II.

1941–The National Gallery of Art opens in Washington, D.C.

1941–Filmmaker, Bernardo Bertolucci, is born in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. His films include Before the Revolution, Partner, The Conformist, Last Tango in Paris, 1900, The Last Emperor, The Sheltering Sky, Little Buddha, and Stealing Beauty.

1941–TV game show host, Chuck Woolery, is born Charles Herbert Woolery in Ashland, Kentucky. He was the original host of Wheel of Fortune (1975-1981) and the Love Connection (1983-1994). He was married to actress, Jo Ann Pflug.

1942–The first V-2 rocket test launch explodes at lift-off.

1942–Two tornadoes, 24 minutes apart, struck Baldwin, Mississippi, resulting in 65 deaths.

1942–Musician, Jerry Jeff Walker, is born Ronald Clyde Crosby in Oneonta, New York. He is best known for writing the song Mr. Bojangles.

1944–Computer scientist, Andrew S. Tanenbaum, is born in New York, New York. He is best known as the author of MINIX, a free Unix-like operating system used for teaching purposes. Tanenbaum was one of the co-founders and first Dean of the Advanced School for Computing and Imaging (ASCI).

1945–The Battle of Iwo Jima ends, but small pockets of Japanese resistance persist.

1945–Ninety percent of Würzburg, Germany, is destroyed in only 20 minutes by British bombers. Five thousand people are killed.

1946–New Age teacher and author, J.Z. Knight, is born Judith Darlene Hampton in Roswell, New Mexico. She is known for her channeling of a spiritual entity named Ramtha. According to Knight, Ramtha was a Lemurian warrior who fought the Atlanteans over 35,000 years ago. Her teachings have attracted figures from the entertainment world, such as Linda Evans and Shirley MacLaine. She appeared in the 2004 documentary, What the Bleep Do We Know!?, produced by members of the Ramtha School of Enlightenment.

1949–Actor, Erik Estrada, is born Henry Enrique Estrada in New York, New York. He is best known for his co-starring lead role in the action TV series CHiPs. He made his film debut in the 1970 film version of The Cross and the Switchblade. He also appeared in the films Chrome and Hot Leather, The New Centurions, Airport 1975, Midway, Caged Fury, Do or Die, The Naked Truth, and National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1.

1949–The 6th Annual Golden Globe Awards announces its winners. Best Picture: Johnny Belinda and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (tie); Best Actor: Laurence Olivier for Hamlet; Best Actress: Jane Wyman for Johnny Belinda; Best Director: John Huston for The Treasure of the Sierra Madre; Best International Film: The Search.

1950–Actress, Kate Nelligan, is born Patricia Colleen Nelligan in London, Ontario, Canada. She appeared in the films The Romantic Englishwoman, Dracula, Eye of the Needle, Victims, Without a Trace, Eleni, White Room, Frankie and Johnny, The Prince of Tides, How to Make an American Quilt, Up Close & Personal, and The Cider House Rules.

1953–Actress, Isabelle Huppert, is born Isabelle Anne Madeleine Huppert in Paris, France. She has appeared in more than 100 film and television productions since 1971, and is the most nominated actress for the César Award, with 14 nominations. She appeared in the films The Bar at the Crossing, Cesar and Rosalie, Going Places, Madama Baptiste, Rosebud, The Lacemaker, The Bronte Sisters, Loulou, Heaven’s Gate, Passion, The Trout, The Bedroom Window, The Possessed, Story of Women, and The Piano Teacher.

1954–Rock singer, Nancy (Lamoureaux) Wilson, of Heart, is born in San Francisco, California. The group hat hits with Crazy on You, Magic Man, Dreamboat Annie, and Barracuda.

1955–President Eisenhower upholds the use of atomic weapons in case of war.

1955–The Ballad of Davy Crockett goes to #1, sparking the coonskin cap craze for young Baby Boomers.

1957–The 9th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards announces its winners. Best Hour Series: Caesar's Hour; Best Half-Hour Series: The Phil Silvers Show; Best Public Service Series: See It Now; Best Dramatic Actor: Robert Young; Best Dramatic Actress: Loretta Young; Best Comedy Actor: Sid Caesar; Best Comedy Actress: Nanette Fabray. The ceremonies are held at the NBC Studios in Burbank, California. The host is Desi Arnaz.

1957–French chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, is born in Alsace, France. He is owner of seven New York restaurants which have earned 3 Michelin Guide stars. Vongerichten is credited with pioneering America's answer to nouvelle cuisine, and having great influence on New York restaurants, chefs, and diners.

1958–The Ford Motor Company produces its 50 millionth car. It is a Thunderbird.

1959–Plans are released for the first U.S. rock and roll package tour to hit Europe. Performers include Conway Twitty, Duane Eddy, Bobby Darin, Dale Hawkins, The Poni Tails, and guest star Cliff Richard. The event begins April 22nd in London, England.

1959–Rapper, Flavor Flav, is born William Jonathan Drayton, Jr. in Roosevelt, New York. He rose to prominence as a member of the hip-hop group Public Enemy.

1961–The 18th Annual Golden Globe Awards announces its winners. Best Picture: Spartacus; Best Actor: Burt Lancaster for Elmer Gantry; Best Actress: Greer Garson for Sunrise at Campobello; Best Director: Jack Cardiff for Sons and Lovers; Best Comedy: The Apartment; Best Musical: Song Without End.

1961–Jaguar Cars Ltd. introduce the Jaguar XK-E.

1961–Todd McFarlane is born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, McFarlane became a comic book superstar due to his work on Marvel Comics' Spider-Man franchise. He later founded McFarlane Toys.

1962–A Flying Tiger Line Super Constellation disappears in the western Pacific Ocean, with all 107 passengers aboard missing and presumed dead.

1963–A volcano at Mount Agung on Bali erupts, killing 11,000 people.

1963–Peter, Paul & Mary release the single Puff the Magic Dragon. Through the years, controversy has continually surrounded the song. It was banned by several radio stations, whose management thought that the song was about smoking marijuana. The group denied this, simply stating: “It’s about a magic dragon named Puff.”

1966–Gemini 8 is launched with astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott, and is aborted after 6.5 orbits. It was the 12th manned American space flight and the 22nd manned space flight worldwide.

1968–Robert F. Kennedy announces his U.S. Presidential campaign.

1968–The My Lai massacre is carried out under the command of William Calley, Jr. Between 350 and 500 Vietnamese villagers (men, women, and children) are killed by American troops.

1968–General Motors produces its 100 millionth car. It is an Oldsmobile Toronado.

1969–A Viasa McDonnell Douglas DC-9 crashes in Maracaibo, Venezuela, killing 155 people.

1970–Singer, Tammi Terrell, dies of a brain tumor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at age 24. She had eight unsuccessful operations before succumbing to the illness. She was paired with soul singer, Marvin Gaye, and the duo had hits with Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing, and You’re All I Need to Get By.

1971–The 13th Annual Grammy Awards announces its winners. Record of the Year: Art Garfunkel & Paul Simon (producers and artists) for Bridge over Troubled Water; Album of the Year: Art Garfunkel & Paul Simon (producers and artists) for Bridge over Troubled Water; Song of the Year: Paul Simon (songwriter) for Bridge over Troubled Water; Best Vocal Performance, Male: Ray Stevens for Everything Is Beautiful; Best Vocal Performance, Female: Dionne Warwick for I'll Never Fall in Love Again; Best Performance by a Vocal Group: The Carpenters for Close to You; Best Country & Western Performance: Ray Price for For the Good Times; Best Rhythm & Blues Performance: B.B. King for The Thrill Is Gone; Best Instrumental Performance: Henry Mancini for Theme From Z and Other Film Music; Best New Artist: The Carpenters. The ceremonies are held at Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood, California. The host is Andy Williams.

1971–Actor, Alan (Wray) Tudyk, is born in El Paso, Texas. He has appeared in the films Patch Adams, 28 Days, Wonder Boys, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, I, Robot, Knocked Up, 3:10 to Yuma, and 42.

1971–Thomas E. Dewey, U.S. Republican presidential candidate in 1944 and 1948, dies of a heart attack in Miami, Florida, at age 68. He was the 47th Governor of New York (1943-1954).

1974–The Grand Ole Opry moves from downtown Nashville, Tennessee, to its new home at Opryland, the plush 4,400-seat Grand Ole Opry House.

1975–Aaron “T-Bone” Walker dies of pneumonia in Los Angeles, California, at age 64. His expressive guitar solos brought the instrument to the fore of modern blues.

1976–British Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, resigns.

1976–Actor, Nick (Fortunato) Spano, is born in Los Angeles, California. He appeared in the films Tangents, Defying Gravity, Gia, and Body Shots.

1977–Kamal Jumblatt, the main leader of the anti-government forces in the Lebanese Civil War, is assassinated.

1978–The U.S. conducts a nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.

1978–Former Italian Prime Minister, Aldo Moro, is kidnapped and later killed by his captors.

1978–Supertanker Amoco Cadiz splits in two after running aground on the Portsall Rocks, three miles off the coast of Brittany, resulting in an enormous oil spill.

1983–The demolition take place of the Ismaning radio transmitter, the last wooden radio tower in Germany.

1983–TV host, Arthur Godfrey, dies of emphysema in Manhattan, New York, at age 79. At the peak of his success, Godfrey helmed two CBS-TV weekly series and a daily 90-minute mid-morning TV show. He is best known for the primetime variety show, Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts.

1984–William Buckley, CIA station chief in Beirut, Lebanon, is kidnapped by Islamic fundamentalists.

1985–Associated Press newsman, Terry Anderson, is taken hostage in Beirut, Lebanon.

1986–A small and very rare tornado touches down close to Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

1987–Softball size hail causes millions of dollars of damage to automobiles in Del Rio, Texas. And three people are injured when hailstones crash through a shopping mall skylight.

1988–In the Iran-Contra Affair, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North and Vice Admiral John Poindexter are indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

1988–The Kurdish town of Halabjah in Iraq is attacked with a mix of poison gas and nerve agents on the orders of Saddam Hussein, killing 5,000 people and injuring about 10,000 others.

1988–Ulster loyalist militant, Michael Stone, attacks a Provisional IRA funeral in Belfast, Ireland, with pistols and grenades. A PIRA volunteer and two civilians are killed, and more than 60 others are wounded.

1989–A 4,400-year-old mummy is found near the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt.

1991–Seven members of Reba McEntire's tour band are killed in a plane crash.

1991–Bass player, Wolfgang (William) Van Halen, is born in Santa Monica, California. He is the son of rocker, Eddie Van Halen and actress, Valerie Bertinelli.

1994–Ice skater, Tonya Harding, pleads guilty to a felony attack on fellow ice skater, Nancy Kerrigan.

1995–Mississippi formally ratifies the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery. The 13th Amendment was officially ratified in 1865.

1998–After long speculation, record producer, George Martin, officially retires, and to honor his achievements he throws a party at his AIR Studios in London, England. Echo Records, in the U.K., releases the album George Martin: In My Life.

1999–The RIAA gives the first Diamond Award certification, honoring 10 million records sold, to The Eagles' Greatest Hits 1971-1975.

2001–A series of bomb blasts take place in Shijiazhuang, China, killinf 108 people and injuring 38 others.

2003–Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old American woman involved with the International Solidarity Movement, is killed trying to prevent a Palestinian home from being destroyed by a bulldozer in Rafah.

2005–Israel officially hands over Jericho to Palestinian control.

2005–Singer, Billy Joel, enters rehab for the second time, supposedly for "gastrointestinal distress," but in reality to cure his alcoholism.

2010–The Hollies, ABBA, and Jimmy Cliff, among others, are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2013–A 10 billion euro bailout plan in Cyprus wipes out 10% of the citizens bank deposits.

2013–Actor, Frank Thornton, dies in his sleep of natural causes in Barnes, London, England, at age 92. He is best known for the role of Captain Peacock in the BBC TV series Are You Being Served? He appeared in the films Radio Cab Murder, Victim, Trial and Error, The Wild Affair, Gonks Go Beat, The Big Job, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Carry on Screaming!, The Bed-Sitting Room, The Three Musketeers, and Gosford Park.

2014–Crimea votes in a referendum to secede from the Ukraine to join Russia.

2015–Andy Fraser, of Free and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, dies of cancer and AIDS at his home in Temecula, California, at age 62.

2016–Metrorail, the metropolitan commuter rail system in Washington, D.C., is shut down until 5 a.m. Thursday (March 17th) for an emergency inspection of 600 electrical cables, following two fires over the past 14 months. The system carries nearly one million passengers per day.

2016–President Barack Obama orders new sanctions against North Korea in response to “illicit” nuclear missile tests.

2016–The Republican Party cancels a presidential debate that was scheduled for March 21st, after GOP front-runner, Donald Trump, announced he would not attend. Hours after Trump's announcement, an aide to John Kasich said the Ohio Governor also would not attend if Trump wouldn’t be there. Trump said he only recently learned about the debate and already had a commitment at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual conference on that date.

2016–North Korea sentences American, Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old from Cincinnati, Ohio, studying at the University of Virginia, to 15 years hard labor for removing a political poster from a hotel.

2016–Two female suicide bombers detonate explosives at a mosque during morning prayer on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Nigeria, killing 22 people and injuring 18 others.

2016–Singer, Frank Sinatra, Jr., dies of a heart attack in Daytona Beach, Florida, at age 72.

2017–A letter bomb explodes at the office of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Paris, France, injuring one person.

2017–An eruption at Mount Etna on the Italian island of Sicily, injures at least ten people, including several in a BBC News crew.

2017–Blues singer, James Cotton, dies of pneumonia in Austin, Texas, at age 81. He was a blues harmonica player and songwriter, who performed and recorded with many of the great blues artists of his time. He made his first recordings in Memphis, Tennessee, for Sun Records, under the direction of Sam Phillips.

2018–The Federal Aviation Administration of the United States restricts "doors off" aircraft flights following a helicopter crash that killed five people.

2018–Politician, Louise Slaughter, dies from a concussion she received after a fall in her home in Washington, D.C., at age 88. She served as a Democrat from New York in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 2018. At the time of her death, Slaughter was the oldest Member of the House of Representatives.


PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: Emperor Valentinian III; Jacob Schweppe; Freedom's Journal; a Barnum and Bailey Circus poster; Judge Roy Bean; a poster for The Hustler; Absinthe; Jerry Lewis; Bernardo Bertolucci; Andrew S. Tanenbaum; Kate Nelligan; The Ballad of Davy Crockett; The Poni Tails; Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul & Mary; Tammi Terrell; Thomas E. Dewey; Arthur Godfrey; Oliver North; Tonya Harding on Newsweek magazine; The Hollies; and Frank Sinatra, Jr.

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