Celebrated as Saint Patrick’s Day commemorating the patron saint of Ireland.
EVENTS
- 1756 – St. Patrick’s Day first celebrated in New York.
- 1776 – Early in the American Revolutionary War the British completed their evacuation of Boston following a successful siege conducted by Patriots. The event is still commemorated in Boston as Evacuation Day.
- 1845 – The rubber band is invented.
- 1861 – The Kingdom of Italy is proclaimed.
- 1941 – The National Gallery of Art opens in Washington. D.C.. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt opened the gallery, which today houses one of the world’s finest art collections.
- 1959 – The Dalai Lama flees Tibet for India. Followers and advisers of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, feared for his life after a revolt had erupted in Lhasa against the Chinese.
- 1969 – Golda Meir becomes Prime Minister of Israel.
Golda Meir - 1973 – The photograph known as Burst of joy is taken. Photographer Slava Veder was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the image depicting a former U.S. prisoner of war being reunited with his family.
- 1992 – Apartheid in South Africa comes to an end. In a referendum, 68.7% of white South Africans voted for an abolishment of racial segregation in the country.
BIRTHDAYS
- 1777 – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Roger B. Taney (1777-1864) was born in Calvert County, Maryland
- 1834 – Gottlieb Daimler (German engineer, businessman, co-founded Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft)
- 1883 – Urmuz (Romanian judge, author)
- 1902 – Bobby Jones (Golfer)
- 1919 – Nat King Cole (Singer)
Nat King Cole - 1948 – William Gibson (American/Canadian author)
- 1951 – Kurt Russell (Actor)
- 1955 – Gary Sinise (Actor)
- 1964 – Rob Lowe (Actor)
- 1967 – Billy Corgan (American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer)
- 1972 – Mia Hamm (Soccer Player)
- 1997 – Katie Ledecky (Olympic Swimmer)
DEATHS
- 180 – Marcus Aurelius (Roman emperor)
- 460 – Saint Patrick (Irish missionary, bishop)
Saint Patrick - 1956 – Fred Allen (American comedian, actor, radio host)
- 2005 – George F. Kennan (American historian, diplomat, United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union)
- 2006 – Oleg Cassini (French/American fashion designer)
