March
March 1st - 1781 The Articles of Confederation were established
- 1780 Pennsylvania becomes the first U.S. state to abolish slavery. March 2nd - Dr. Seuss's Birthday (Famous children's book author and illustrator) - International Day of Remembrance (victims of slavery and transatlantic slave trade) March 3rd - 1931 Star Spangled Banner adopted as National Anthem of the United States - 1939 Mohandas Gandhi begins to fast in protest of the autocratic rule in India March 4th - Samuel Billison became the 1st Native American to receive a Ph. D. in education. 4th - 1965 Nun Sisters from Franciscan Order of Nuns shows films about poverty in North America March 5th - 1965 The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a ban on racial segregation in schools. - Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers quarterback announced his retirement March 6th - 1857 Dredd Scott's case (Decision of the Supreme Court denied that blacks were citizens of the United States and denied the power of Congress to restrict slavery in any federal territory) - 1961 Sunbury, PA Police required that women wear skirts that were 4 inches below the knee March 7th - Stephen Hopkins birthday. He was the state’s colonial governor and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence (1707 - 1785) - 1965 There was a Civil Rights March in Alabama from Salem to Montgomery March 8th - International Women’s Day - Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) March 9th - Ash Wednesday - 1945 Anne Frank passed away. Diary was then published (shared her perspective during Hitler’s reign) March 10th - 1972 Senate approved that the voting aged be lowered to 18 - 1880 The Salvation Army was founded in the United States March 11th - 1959 The First Broadway play by a Black woman opened called “Raisin in the Sun” - 1953 First army doctor was commissioned March 12th - 1964 Malcolm X announced his split from Elijah Muhammad’s Nation of Islam - 1994 The Church of England ordained 32 Women as its first female priests. In protest, 700 male members and thousands of church members left the church and joined the Roman Catholic Church which does not allow women priests. March 13th - 2006 Construction on the 9-11 Memorial began - 1852 “Uncle Sam” first appears as a symbol of the United States in a cartoon in the New York Lantern March 14th - 1821 African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was founded in New York - 1883 - 1910 Lucy Hobbs birthday (The first female dentist was born in New York state. She received her degree from Ohio College of Dental Surgery and was a women’s rights advocate) March 15th - 1827 "Freedom Journal" first African American newspaper was published - 1947 John Lee became the first Black commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy) March 16th - 1970 The New English Bible was published - 1963 The movie, “To Kill A Mockingbird”, was patented March 17th - St. Patrick’s Day - 1910 Camp Fire Girls was founded (First American International non-sectarian organization for girls) March 18th - 2008 President Barrack Obama talked about American's racial divide. - Bonnie Blair's Birthday (Five-time gold medal winter Olympian speed skater) March 19th - 1990 First world ice hockey tournament was held for women in Ottawa. - 1995 Michael Jordan went back to playing for the Chicago Bulls March 20th - Bill Martin Jr.'s Birthday (Children’s book author) - Lois Lowry's birthday! (famous author) March 21st - International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination - 1986 Debi Thomas became the first African American to win the World Figure Skating Championship March 22nd - World Day of Water - 1972 The Equal Rights Amendment March 23rd - 1994 Wayne Gretzky sets NHL record with 802 goals scored - Bette Nesmith Graham’s birthday (inventor of liquid paper correction fluid) March 24th - 2006 Pope Benedict XVI adds 15 men to the College of Cardinals, in the first consistory of his Pontificate - Matilda Joslyn Gage’s birthday (helped found the National Woman Suffrage Association) March 25th - Debi Thomas becomes first African-American to win medal at Winter Olympics - International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery March 26th - Sandra Day O’Conner’s birthday (first female judge on the Supreme Court) - 1943 Elise S. Otto became the first woman to receive an air medal. March 27th - 1968 Japanese Trade and Cultural Center was dedicated in San Francisco - Sarah Vaughan’s birthday (Jazz singer and pianist) March 28th - 1982 First NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship - 1799 New York abolished slavery March 29th - “Woman of the Year” Opened in 1981 at Palace Theatre in New York City - 1951 23rd Amendment Ratified March 30th - The 15th Amendment Outlawing the denial of the right to vote, was ratified - “This Land is Your Land” was copyrighted by Woody Guthrie March 31st - 1870 Thomas P. Mundy was the first African American to vote in the United States - Jack Johnson became the first African American to win the heavyweight boxing title |