March 20th in History

On this day in history —
- The world’s first multinational corporation, the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC), known in English as the Dutch East India Company, is chartered (1602)
- Sir Walter Raleigh is freed from the Tower of London — though he would later be imprisoned again (1616)
- Napoleon’s “Hundred Days” begin with his re-entry into Paris (1815)
- The first aircraft carrier, USS Langley, is commissioned (1922)
- Douglas MacArthur says, “I shall return” shortly after his escape from Corregidor (1942)
- Uncle Tom’s Cabin is published (1952)
- An attempted kidnapping of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips is foiled when the Princess replies “Not bloody likely!” after being ordered to get out of the car (1974)
- Ethiopia loses the Battle of Afabet, leading to Eritrean independence (1988)
- The Subway Sarin Incident (地下鉄サリン事件) kills 13 and injures 50 in Tokyo (1995)
- Legoland California opens (1999)
- The invasion of Iraq begins (2003)
It’s the birthday of —
- Mookie Blaylock, basketball player (1967)
- Kathy Ireland, supermodel (1963)
- Holly Hunter, actress (1958)
- Spike Lee, director (1957)
- Louis Sachar, children’s book author (1954)
- William Hurt,, actor (1950)
- John de Lancie, Star Trek villain (1949)
- Bobby Orr, hockey player (1948)
- Pat Riley, basketball coach (1945)
- Brian Mulroney, Canadian prime minister (1939)
- Willie Brown, California politician (1934)
- Jerry Reed, country singer (1937)
- Fred Rogers, children’s television host (1928)
- John Ehrlichman, Watergate figure (1925)
- Carl Reiner, screenwriter and actor (1922)
- Ozzie Nelson, bandleader and TV patriarch (1906)
- B. F. Skinner, psychologist (1904)
- Frederic Wertham, comic book critic (1895)
- Frederick W. Taylor, efficiency expert (1856)
- Henrik Ibsen, playwright (1828)
- Ovid, poet (43 BCE)
Deaths —
- Tony Zale, boxer (1997)
- Louis Grizzard, humorist (1994)
- Chet Huntley, newscaster (1974)
- Marilyn Maxwell, actress (1972)
- Brendan Behan, playwright (1964)
- Ferdinand Foch, World War I generalissimo (1929)
- Henry IV of England, monarch (1413)
Holidays —
- World Sparrow Day (International) — Cover
- Feast of the Supreme Ritual (Thelema)
- Independence Day (Tunisia)
- International Day of the Francophone (United Nations, Franc)
- March Equinox events (vary between the 19th and 21st of March)
- Nowruz (Persian New Year) — same day as the March Equinox