Historical anniversaries are great for “On This Day in History” features and anniversary tie-ins. They’re popular with readers and viewers, editors and producers love them, they’re easy to research, and you can easily turn them into newspaper and magazine articles, films, TV/radio/theater shows, and more.
Here are 31 newsworthy and notable historical anniversaries coming up in March 2021 (so you have time to write about them!)
We’ve randomly picked one anniversary for each day of the month from The Date-A-Base Book 2021. You’ll find hundreds more in the book. The 2022 edition is also available.
Mar 1, 1941 – 80 years ago
The fictional superhero Captain America made his first appearance, in Captain America Comics #1. (Issue dated March 1941, on sale from December 20th 1940.)
Mar 2, 1991 – 30 years ago
Gulf War – the Battle of Rumaila (Iraq). Controversial U.S. victory. U.S. forces practically annihilated a five-mile column of Iraqi forces who were withdrawing from battle two days after the war. (The U.S. forces were later exonerated as the Iraqis had opened fire on a U.S. patrol that had accidentally wandered into their path.)
Mar 3, 1991 – 30 years ago
American construction worker Rodney King was beaten by officers from the Los Angeles Police Department following a car chase. The beating was captured on amateur video. When the four officers involved were acquitted at the end of a trial in April 1992, it triggered the Los Angeles riots in which 53 people were killed and around $1 billion worth of damage was caused. (In a federal trial held in 1993, two of the officers were convicted and sentenced to 32 months in prison.)
Mar 4, 1921 – 100 years ago
Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, USA was designated a national park. The area, previously known as Hot Springs Reservation, was established in 1832.
Mar 5, 1946 – 75 years ago
Winston Churchill gave his famous “Iron Curtain” speech in Fulton, Missouri, USA. He used the term to describe the separation between Soviet and Western countries.
Mar 6, 1961 – 60 years ago
Death of George Formby, the “ukulele king,” British comedian, singer and actor. Best known for his comic songs including When I’m Cleaning Windows.
Mar 7, 1996 – 25 years ago
The first democratically elected Palestinian Parliament (the Palestinian Legislative Council) was inaugurated.
Mar 8, 1896 – 125 years ago
Volunteers of America was founded. The faith-based charity provides affordable housing and other assistance to people in need in the USA.
Mar 9, 1946 – 75 years ago
Burnden Park football stadium disaster, Bolton, UK. Thirty-three people were killed and hundreds injured in a crush during a match between Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City. The crush was caused by overcrowding, and led to a control on crowd sizes being introduced.
Mar 10, 2006 – 15 years ago
NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft reached Mars and began orbiting it.
Mar 11, 1941 – 80 years ago
World War II: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Lend–Lease Act into law. This allowed the USA to support countries it considered important to its defense (including Britain, France, China, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations) without selling them arms on credit, which would have violated the Neutrality Act.
Mar 12, 1971 – 50 years ago
The science fiction thriller movie The Andromeda Strain was released in the USA. It was based on Michael Crichton’s 1969 novel of the same name.
Mar 13, 1996 – 25 years ago
Dunblane Massacre, Scotland. A gunman killed 16 children and a teacher at a primary school, and wounded several others, before taking his own life.
Mar 14, 1991 – 30 years ago
The convictions of the Birmingham Six were quashed by Britain’s Court of Appeal and they were released from prison after 16 years. They had been convicted of carrying out pub bombings in Birmingham in 1974, but the court ruled their convictions were unsafe and unsatisfactory. They were each awarded compensation of up to £1.2 million ($1.9 million).
Mar 15, 1951 – 70 years ago
Dennis the Menace first appeared in the British children’s comic The Beano. (Issue dated March 17th, it went on sale on the 15th.)
Mar 16, 1521 – 500 years ago
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition became the first Europeans to reach the Philippines. Magellan was killed by natives in April.
Mar 17, 1921 – 100 years ago
Dr. Marie Stopes opened the Mothers’ Clinic in London. It was the first birth control clinic in the UK.
Mar 18 to May 28, 1871 – 150 years ago
The Paris Commune was established in France. The group of radical socialists and revolutionaries governed Paris until their revolt was violently suppressed by French Government forces during “Bloody Week” (21st to 28th May).
Mar 19, 1921 – 100 years ago
The silent movie The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was released in the USA. (Germany: February 26, 1920.) It became the most influential movie of the German Expressionist movement.
Mar 20, 1996 – 25 years ago
The British Government reported that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans was linked to BSE (mad cow disease) and could be transmitted to humans who ate infected beef. On March 25th the European Union banned the export of British beef (until 2006).
Mar 21, 1961 – 60 years ago
British rock band The Beatles gave their first performance at The Cavern Club in Liverpool.
Mar 22, 1621 – 400 years ago
The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony (in present-day Massachusetts, USA) signed the first treaty with Native Americans: the Pilgrim-Wampanoag peace treaty.
Mar 23, 1956 – 65 years ago
Pakistan became the world’s first Islamic Republic.
Mar 24, 1721 – 300 years ago
Johann Sebastian Bach dedicated six of his concertos to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt. They are now commonly known as the Brandenburg Concertos.
Mar 25, 421 – 1600 years ago
The city of Venice, Italy was officially founded when its first church was dedicated at noon.
Mar 26, 1981 – 40 years ago
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) was launched in Britain.
Mar 27, 1871 – 150 years ago
The first international rugby union football match was held in Edinburgh, Scotland. Scotland beat England 1-0.
Mar 28, 1941 – 80 years ago
Death of Virginia Woolf, influential British novelist (To the Lighthouse, Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando, A Room of One’s Own). One of the leading modernist writers of the 20th century. (Suicide, aged 59.)
Mar 29, 1871 – 150 years ago
The Royal Albert Hall in London was officially opened by Queen Victoria.
Mar 30, 1981 – 40 years ago
U.S. President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest and seriously injured in an assassination attempt by John Hinckley, Jr in Washington, D.C.
Mar 31, 1921 – 100 years ago
The Royal Australian Air Force was formed.
More anniversaries:
You’ll find hundreds more anniversaries for this month in The Date-A-Base Book 2021. The 2022 edition is also available if you need to work further ahead. Find out more at ideas4writers.com.