1702⚡ Event
The Daily Courant begins publication
England's first successful daily newspaper, The Daily Courant, begins publication in London.
mediaculture
March 11 – March 17 in History
DayFacts Week 11 · 7 days
This recurring calendar span contains 110 historical entries in the DayFacts collection. The sections below preview entries from these 7 days; use the date links to open each date collection.
Selected Anniversaries
75th Anniversary
Iranian oil industry nationalized
25th Anniversary
Shijiazhuang Bombings
25th Anniversary
Max Duggan
Explore the Date Pages
Historical Events (March 11 – March 17)(20)
1918⚡ Event
First case of 1918 flu pandemic reported
The first confirmed case of the Spanish flu is reported at Fort Riley, Kansas. The pandemic eventually kills 50–100 million people.
medicinewarmilitary
1951⚡ Event
Iranian oil industry nationalized
The Iranian oil industry was nationalized in a movement led by Mohammad Mosaddegh.
politicseconomics
1952⚡ Event
Lord Ismay appointed NATO Secretary General
British diplomat Lord Ismay was appointed the first secretary general of NATO.
politicslaw
1956⚡ Event
My Fair Lady debuts on Broadway
The musical My Fair Lady, based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, debuted at the Mark Hellinger Theatre in New York City.
artsentertainmentliterature
1960⚡ Event
Atlanta University Center sit-ins begin
Students from the Atlanta University Center began occupying lunch counters in Atlanta, Georgia, inspired by similar actions in Greensboro, North Carolina.
politics
1967⚡ Event
Suharto becomes acting president of Indonesia
General Suharto seized power from President Sukarno when the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly sworn him in as acting president of Indonesia.
politics
1971⚡ Event
Turkish coup by memorandum
The Turkish Armed Forces executed a "coup by memorandum", forcing the resignation of Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel.
politicslaw
1973⚡ Event
John McCain Released from POW Camp
U.S. Navy pilot John McCain was released from captivity by North Vietnamese forces. He was among 109 prisoners of war released after five and a half years.
warpolitics
1979⚡ Event
Penmanshiel Tunnel collapse
The Penmanshiel Tunnel in Scotland collapsed during construction, killing two workers and leading to its abandonment.
disastertechnology
1984⚡ Event
Assassination Attempt on Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams, the leader of Sinn Féin, was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt. The attack was carried out by Ulster Freedom Fighters in central Belfast, Northern Ireland.
politicswardisaster
1986⚡ Event
US warships enter Black Sea
American warships Yorktown and Caron entered Soviet territorial waters in the Black Sea, asserting the right of innocent passage. This action led to a collision with Soviet ships.
warpolitics
1988⚡ Event
Halabja Chemical Attack
On March 16, 1988, Iraqi forces attacked the Kurdish town of Halabja with chemical weapons, killing up to 5,000 people during the Iran–Iraq War.
warpoliticsdisaster
1988⚡ Event
Seikan Tunnel opens
The 53.85 km Seikan Tunnel opened, connecting the cities of Hakodate and Aomori in Japan. It was the longest railway tunnel in the world at the time of its opening.
technologyexploration
1988⚡ Event
Battle of Afabet
Eritrean People's Liberation Front troops encircled Ethiopian forces, gaining a decisive victory in the Eritrean War of Independence.
war
1988⚡ Event
China-Vietnam Naval Skirmish
China defeated Vietnam in a naval altercation near the Spratly Islands. China was attempting to establish oceanographic observation posts in the disputed territory.
warpoliticsexploration
1990⚡ Event
Lithuania declares independence from the Soviet Union
Lithuania becomes the first Soviet republic to declare the restoration of its independence.
politicslaw
1996⚡ Event
Dunblane massacre
A mass shooting at a primary school in Dunblane, Scotland, killed 16 children and a teacher. The event led to tighter gun control in the United Kingdom.
law
2001⚡ Event
Shijiazhuang Bombings
A series of bomb blasts in Shijiazhuang, China, on March 16, 2001, resulted in the deaths of 108 people.
disasterlaw
2002⚡ Event
Premiere of Sofia Gubaidulina's Johannes-Ostern
Sofia Gubaidulina's Johannes-Ostern premiered in Hamburg on March 16, 2002, alongside her Johannes-Passion.
musicarts
Births (March 11 – March 17)(15)
1879🎂 Birth
Albert Einstein Born
Albert Einstein, one of the most influential physicists of all time, is born. He developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics.
sciencetechnologyphilosophy
1952🎂 Birth
Douglas Adams born
English author Douglas Adams is born in Cambridge. He is best known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
literatureentertainment
1995🎂 Birth
Claressa Shields
American boxer and mixed martial artist Claressa Shields was born.
sports
1997🎂 Birth
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is an English professional footballer.
sports
1997🎂 Birth
Florian Neuhaus
Florian Neuhaus is a German professional footballer.
sports
1999🎂 Birth
Marvin Bagley III
Marvin Bagley III is an American basketball player.
sports
2001🎂 Birth
Beomgyu
South Korean singer-songwriter and member of the boy band TXT.
musicentertainment
2003🎂 Birth
Andrea Brillantes
Andrea Brillantes is a Filipino actress and model.
entertainment
Deaths (March 11 – March 17)(15)
2006🕊️ Death
Slobodan Milošević dies
Former President of Serbia and Yugoslavia Slobodan Milošević dies in his cell at The Hague during his war crimes trial.
politicswarmilitary
2015🕊️ Death
Willie Barrow
Willie Barrow was an American minister and activist.
religionpolitics
2018🕊️ Death
Mike MacDonald
Mike MacDonald, a Canadian comedian, died on March 17, 2018.
entertainment
2018🕊️ Death
Louise Slaughter
Louise Slaughter was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York.
politics
2019🕊️ Death
Jake Phelps
Jake Phelps was an American skateboarder and editor-in-chief of Thrasher magazine.
sportsentertainment
2019🕊️ Death
Charlie Whiting
Charlie Whiting was a British motorsport director.
sportsentertainment
2020🕊️ Death
Vittorio Gregotti
Vittorio Gregotti, an Italian architect, died on March 15, 2020. He was born in 1927.
arts
2021🕊️ Death
Ray Campi
Ray Campi, an American singer and musician, has died. He was born in 1934.
musicentertainment
2021🕊️ Death
John Magufuli
John Magufuli, the fifth President of Tanzania, died on March 17, 2021.
politics
2022🕊️ Death
Death of William Hurt
William Hurt, an acclaimed American actor, passed away.
entertainmentarts
2022🕊️ Death
Barbara Maier Gustern
Barbara Maier Gustern, an American vocal coach and singer, died on March 15, 2022. She was born in 1935.
musicentertainment
2022🕊️ Death
Rupiah Banda
Rupiah Banda, former President of Zambia, has died. He was born in 1937.
politics
2024🕊️ Death
Death of Philippe de Gaulle
Philippe de Gaulle, a French admiral and son of Charles de Gaulle, died.
politicswar