On This Day — March 2

🕰️ Notable Events on March 2

• 2017 — The elements Moscovium, Tennessine, and Oganesson were officially added to the periodic table at a conference in Moscow, Russia Wikipedia ↗
• 2012 — A tornado outbreak occurred over a large section of the Southern United States and into the Ohio Valley region, resulting in 40 tornado-related fatalities Wikipedia ↗
• 2004 — War in Iraq: Al-Qaeda carries out the Ashoura Massacre in Iraq, killing 170 and wounding over 500. Wikipedia ↗
• 2002 — U.S. invasion of Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda begins, (ending on March 19 after killing 500 Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters, with 11 Western troop fatalities). Wikipedia ↗
• 1998 — Data sent from the Galileo spacecraft indicates that Jupiter's moon Europa has a liquid ocean under a thick crust of ice. Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — Researchers at Fermilab announce the discovery of the top quark. Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, San Marino, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan join the United Nations. Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Battle at Rumaila oil field brings an end to the 1991 Gulf War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Nelson Mandela is elected deputy President of the African National Congress. Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Twelve European Community nations agree to ban the production of all chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) by the end of the century. Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Compact discs and players are released for the first time in the United States and other markets. They had previously been available only in Japan. Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Czech Vladimír Remek becomes the first non-Russian or non-American to go into space, when he is launched aboard Soyuz 28. Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Libya becomes the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya as the General People's Congress adopted the "Declaration on the Establishment of the Authority of the People". Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — The Pioneer 10 space probe is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida with a mission to explore the outer planets. Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Rhodesia declares itself a republic, breaking its last links with the British crown. Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — In Toulouse, France, the first test flight of the Anglo-French Concorde is conducted. Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Baggeridge Colliery closes marking the end of over 300 years of coal mining in the Black Country.[1] Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — The US and Republic of Vietnam Air Force begin Operation Rolling Thunder, a sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam. Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — In Burma, the army led by General Ne Win seizes power in a coup d'état. Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Wilt Chamberlain sets the single-game scoring record in the National Basketball Association by scoring 100 points. Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — John F. Kennedy announces the creation of the Peace Corps in a nationally televised broadcast. Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Morocco gains its independence from France. Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Norodom Sihanouk, king of Cambodia, abdicates the throne in favor of his father, Norodom Suramarit. Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Captain James Gallagher lands his B-50 Superfortress Lucky Lady II in Fort Worth, Texas after completing the first non-stop around-the-world airplane flight in 94 hours and one minute. Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Ho Chi Minh is elected the President of North Vietnam. Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — World War II: Battle of the Bismarck Sea: United States and Australian forces sink Japanese convoy ships. Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — World War II: First German military units enter Bulgaria after it joins the Axis Pact. Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli is elected Pope and takes the name Pius XII. Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — The Steel Workers Organizing Committee signs a collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Steel, leading to unionization of the United States steel industry. Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — The film King Kong opens at New York's Radio City Music Hall. Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — The first Communist International meets in Moscow. Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — The enactment of the Jones-Shafroth Act grants Puerto Ricans United States citizenship. Wikipedia ↗
• 1903 — In New York City the Martha Washington Hotel opens, becoming the first hotel exclusively for women. Wikipedia ↗
• 1901 — United States Steel Corporation is founded as a result of a merger between Carnegie Steel Company and Federal Steel Company which became the first corporation in the world with a market capital over $1 billion. Wikipedia ↗
• 1901 — The U.S. Congress passes the Platt Amendment limiting the autonomy of Cuba, as a condition of the withdrawal of American troops. Wikipedia ↗
• 1896 — Ethiopian victory over the Italian forces in the Battle of Adwa. Wikipedia ↗
• 1882 — Queen Victoria narrowly escapes an assassination attempt by Roderick McLean in Windsor. Wikipedia ↗
• 1877 — U.S. presidential election, 1876: Just two days before inauguration, the U.S. Congress declares Rutherford B. Hayes the winner of the election even though Samuel J. Tilden had won the popular vote on November 7, 1876. Wikipedia ↗
• 1867 — The U.S. Congress passes the first Reconstruction Act. Wikipedia ↗
• 1865 — East Cape War: The Völkner Incident in New Zealand. Wikipedia ↗
• 1859 — The two-day Great Slave Auction, the largest such auction in United States history, begins. Wikipedia ↗
• 1855 — Alexander II becomes Tsar of Russia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1836 — Texas Revolution: Declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico. Wikipedia ↗
• 1825 — Roberto Cofresí, one of the last successful Caribbean pirates, is defeated in combat and captured by authorities. Wikipedia ↗
• 1815 — Signing of the Kandyan Convention treaty by British invaders and the leaders of the Kingdom of Kandy. Wikipedia ↗
• 1811 — Argentine War of Independence: A royalist fleet defeats a small flotilla of revolutionary ships in the Battle of San Nicolás on the River Plate. Wikipedia ↗
• 1808 — The inaugural meeting of the Wernerian Natural History Society, a former Scottish learned society, is held in Edinburgh. Wikipedia ↗
• 1807 — The U.S. Congress passes the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, disallowing the importation of new slaves into the country. Wikipedia ↗
• 1797 — The Bank of England issues the first one-pound and two-pound banknotes. Wikipedia ↗
• 1791 — Long-distance communication speeds up with the unveiling of a semaphore machine in Paris. Wikipedia ↗
• 1776 — American Revolutionary War: Patriot militia units arrest the Royal Governor of Georgia James Wright and attempt to prevent capture of supply ships in the Battle of the Rice Boats. Wikipedia ↗
• 1717 — The Loves of Mars and Venus is the first ballet performed in England. Wikipedia ↗
• 1657 — Great Fire of Meireki: A fire in Edo (now Tokyo), Japan, caused more than 100,000 deaths; it lasted three days Wikipedia ↗
• 1561 — Mendoza, Argentina is founded by Spanish conquistador Pedro del Castillo. Wikipedia ↗
• 1498 — Vasco da Gama's fleet visits the Island of Mozambique. Wikipedia ↗
• 1484 — The College of Arms is formally incorporated by Royal Charter signed by King Richard III of England. Wikipedia ↗
• 1476 — Burgundian Wars: The Old Swiss Confederacy hands Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, a major defeat in the Battle of Grandson in Canton of Neuchâtel. Wikipedia ↗
• 1458 — George of Poděbrady is chosen as the king of Bohemia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1444 — Skanderbeg organizes a group of Albanian nobles to form the League of Lezhë. Wikipedia ↗
• 1127 — Assassination of Charles the Good, Count of Flanders. Wikipedia ↗
• 986 — Louis V becomes King of the Franks. Wikipedia ↗
• 537 — Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoth army under king Vitiges begins the siege of the capital. Belisarius conducts a delaying action outside the Flaminian Gate; he and a detachment of his bucellarii are almost cut off. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on March 2

• 2016 — Prince Oscar, duke of Skåne and prince of Sweden Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — Ange-Freddy Plumain, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Jack Stockwell, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Nick Franklin, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Rauno Alliku, Estonian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Malcolm Butler, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Josh McGuire, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Alemão, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Toby Alderweireld, Belgian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — André Bernardes Santos, Portuguese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Marcel Hirscher, Austrian skier Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Shane Vereen, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Chris Woakes, English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Édgar Andrade, Mexican footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — James Arthur, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Laura Kaeppeler, Miss America 2012 Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Matthew Mitcham, Australian diver Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Chris Rainey, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Geert Arend Roorda, Dutch footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Jonas Jerebko, Swedish basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Jonathan D'Aversa, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Reggie Bush, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Suso Santana, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Deuce, American singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Lisandro López, Argentinian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Jay McClement, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Glen Perkins, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Ryan Shannon, American ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Kevin Kurányi, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Henrik Lundqvist, Swedish ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Ben Roethlisberger, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Corey Webster, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Lance Cade, American wrestler (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Bryce Dallas Howard, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Chris Barker, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Rebel Wilson, Australian actress and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Damien Duff, Irish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Jim Troughton, English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Nicky Weaver, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Gabby Eigenmann, Filipino actor and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Lee Hodges, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Tomáš Kaberle, Czech ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Dominique Canty, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Chris Martin, English singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Stephen Parry, English swimmer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Andrew Strauss, South African-English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Daryl Gibson, New Zealand rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Hayley Lewis, Australian swimmer and television host Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Dejan Bodiroga, Serbian basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Trevor Sinclair, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Mauricio Pochettino, Argentinian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Method Man, American rapper, record producer and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — James Purnell, English politician, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Wibi Soerjadi, Dutch pianist and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Daniel Craig, English actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Simon Reevell, English lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Ron Gant, American baseball player and journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Lembit Öpik, Northern Irish politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Laird Hamilton, American surfer and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Mike Von Erich, American wrestler (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Alvin Youngblood Hart, American singer and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Anthony Albanese, Australian politician, 15th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Jon Bon Jovi, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Paul Farrelly, English journalist and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Tom Nordlie, Norwegian footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Brendan O'Connor, Australian politician, Australian Minister for Employment Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Raimo Summanen, Finnish ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Gabriele Tarquini, Italian race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Simone Young, Australian conductor, director, and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Larry Stewart, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Kevin Curren, South African-American tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Ian Woosnam, English-Welsh golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Hossein Dehghan, Iranian general and politician, Iranian Minister of Defense Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Dito Tsintsadze, Georgian film director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Mark Dean, American inventor and computer engineer Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — John Cowsill, American musician, songwriter, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Mark Evans, Australian rock bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Dale Bozzio, American pop-rock singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Jay Osmond, American singer, drummer, actor, and TV/film producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Ken Salazar, American lawyer and politician, 50th United States Secretary of the Interior Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Steve Small, Australian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Ed Johnstone, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Russ Feingold, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Mark Evanier, American author and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Laraine Newman, American actress and comedian Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Karen Carpenter, American singer (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Larry Carlton, American guitarist and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Rory Gallagher, Irish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Jeff Kennett, Australian journalist and politician, 43rd Premier of Victoria Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Nelson Ned, Brazilian singer-songwriter (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Harry Redknapp, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Derek Watkins, English trumpet player and composer (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — George Layton, English actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Peter Straub, American author and poet Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Robert Williams, American painter and cartoonist Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — John Irving, American novelist and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Claude Larose, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Iranian architect and politician, 79th Prime Minister of Iran Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Lou Reed, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Derek Woodley, English footballer (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — John Cornell, Australian actor, director, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — David Satcher, American admiral and physician, 16th Surgeon General of the United States Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Mamnoon Hussain, Pakistani businessman and politician, 12th President of Pakistan Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Jan Howard Finder, American author and academic (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Ricardo Lagos, Chilean economist, lawyer, and politician, 33rd President of Chile Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Lawrence Payton, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Clark Gesner, American author and composer (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Algerian soldier and politician, 5th President of Algeria Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Haroon Ahmed, Pakistani-English engineer and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — John Tusa, Czech-English journalist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Gene Stallings, American football player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Dottie Rambo, American singer-songwriter (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Gun Hägglund, Swedish journalist and translator (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Mikhail Gorbachev, Russian lawyer and politician, President of the Soviet Union, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Tom Wolfe, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — John Cullum, American actor and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Emma Penella, Spanish actress (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Roger Walkowiak, French cyclist and economist (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Bernard Agré, Ivorian cardinal (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Murray Rothbard, American economist and historian (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Cal Abrams, American baseball player (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Renos Apostolidis, Greek philologist, author, and critic (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Basil Hume, English cardinal (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Robert H. Michel, American soldier and politician (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Dave Strack, American basketball player and coach (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, American saxophonist (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Bill Quackenbush, Canadian-American ice hockey player and coach (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Frances Spence, American computer programmer (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Kazimierz Górski, Polish footballer and coach (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Ernst Haas, Austrian-American photographer and journalist (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — Jennifer Jones, American actress (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — Eddie Lawrence, American actor, singer, and playwright (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — Tamara Toumanova, American ballerina and actress (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Desi Arnaz, Cuban-American actor, singer, and producer (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — David Goodis, American author and screenwriter (d. 1967) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Jim Konstanty, American baseball player and coach (d. 1976) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — John Burton, Australian public servant and diplomat, Australian High Commissioner to Ceylon (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Martin Ritt, American actor and film director (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on March 2 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on March 2

🏛️ Public Holidays

Also in: Labour Day (AU) · 삼일절 대체 휴일 (KR)

✡️ Religious Observances

• Jewish: Ta’anit Esther
• Jewish: Erev Purim