March 20th in History

Michael Dobson | March 20

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