On This Day — March 20

🕰️ Notable Events on March 20

• 2015 — A Solar eclipse, equinox, and a Supermoon all occur on the same day. Wikipedia ↗
• 2014 — Four suspected Taliban members attack the luxurious Kabul Serena Hotel, killing at least nine people. Wikipedia ↗
• 2012 — At least 52 people are killed and more than 250 injured in a wave of terror attacks across ten cities in Iraq. Wikipedia ↗
• 2006 — Over 150 Chadian soldiers are killed in eastern Chad by members of the rebel UFDC. The rebel movement sought to overthrow Chadian president Idriss Déby. Wikipedia ↗
• 2003 — Invasion of Iraq: In the early hours of the morning, the United States and three other countries (the UK, Australia and Poland) begin military operations in Iraq. Wikipedia ↗
• 2000 — Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, a former Black Panther once known as H. Rap Brown, is captured after murdering Georgia sheriff's deputy Ricky Kinchen and critically wounding Deputy Aldranon English. Wikipedia ↗
• 1999 — Legoland California, the first Legoland outside of Europe, opens in Carlsbad, California. Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — The Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo carries out a sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, killing 12 and wounding over 1,300 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — The Troubles: A Provisional IRA bomb kills two children in Warrington, England. It leads to mass protests in both Britain and Ireland. Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Ferdinand Marcos's widow, Imelda Marcos, goes on trial for bribery, embezzlement, and racketeering. Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Eritrean War of Independence: Having defeated the Nadew Command, the Eritrean People's Liberation Front enters the town of Afabet, victoriously concluding the Battle of Afabet. Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — The Food and Drug Administration approves the anti-AIDS drug, AZT. Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Libby Riddles becomes the first woman to win the 1,135-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Canadian paraplegic athlete and humanitarian Rick Hansen begins his circumnavigation of the globe in a wheelchair in the name of spinal cord injury medical research. Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — The Troubles: The first Provisional IRA car bombing in Belfast kills seven people and injures 148 others in Northern Ireland. Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — The precursor of the European Space Agency, ESRO (European Space Research Organisation) is established per an agreement signed on June 14, 1962. Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Tunisia gains independence from France. Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — The United States Senate ratifies a peace treaty with Japan. Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Fujiyoshida, a city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, in the center of the Japanese main island of Honshū is founded. Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — With a Musicians Union ban lifted, the first telecasts of classical music in the United States, under Eugene Ormandy and Arturo Toscanini, are given on CBS and NBC. Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — World War II: General Douglas MacArthur, at Terowie, South Australia, makes his famous speech regarding the fall of the Philippines, in which he says: "I came out of Bataan and I shall return". Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Giuseppe Zangara is executed in Florida's electric chair for fatally shooting Anton Cermak in an assassination attempt against President-Elect Franklin D. Roosevelt. Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler ordered the creation of Dachau concentration camp as Chief of Police of Munich and appointed Theodor Eicke as the camp commandant. Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — The Arts Club of Chicago hosts the opening of Pablo Picasso's first United States showing, entitled Original Drawings by Pablo Picasso, becoming an early proponent of modern art in the United States. Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — The USS Langley is commissioned as the first United States Navy aircraft carrier. Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — The Upper Silesia plebiscite was a plebiscite mandated by the Versailles Treaty to determine a section of the border between Weimar Germany and Poland. Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Albert Einstein publishes his general theory of relativity. Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Sung Chiao-jen, a founder of the Chinese Nationalist Party, is wounded in an assassination attempt and dies 2 days later. Wikipedia ↗
• 1888 — The premiere of the very first Romani language operetta is staged in Moscow, Russia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1883 — The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property is signed. Wikipedia ↗
• 1861 — An earthquake completely destroys Mendoza, Argentina. Wikipedia ↗
• 1854 — The Republican Party of the United States is organized in Ripon, Wisconsin. Wikipedia ↗
• 1852 — Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin is published. Wikipedia ↗
• 1848 — Revolutions of 1848 in the German states: King Ludwig I of Bavaria abdicates. Wikipedia ↗
• 1815 — After escaping from Elba, Napoleon enters Paris with a regular army of 140,000 and a volunteer force of around 200,000, beginning his "Hundred Days" rule. Wikipedia ↗
• 1760 — The Great Boston Fire of 1760 destroys 349 buildings. Wikipedia ↗
• 1616 — Sir Walter Raleigh is freed from the Tower of London after 13 years of imprisonment. Wikipedia ↗
• 1602 — The Dutch East India Company is established. Wikipedia ↗
• 1600 — The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. Wikipedia ↗
• 1206 — Michael IV Autoreianos is appointed Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Wikipedia ↗
• 673 — Emperor Tenmu of Japan assumes the Chrysanthemum Throne at the Palace of Kiyomihara in Asuka. Wikipedia ↗
• 235 — Maximinus Thrax is proclaimed emperor. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on March 20

• 1995 — Jack Bird, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Sloane Stephens, American tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Mattia Destro, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Michał Kucharczyk, Polish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Ethan Lowe, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Blake Ferguson, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Marcos Rojo, Argentine footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Xavier Dolan, Canadian actor and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Tamim Iqbal, Bangladeshi Cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Daniel Maa Boumsong, Cameroonian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Pedro Ken, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Sergei Kostitsyn, Belarusian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Dean Geyer, South African-Australian singer-songwriter and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Julián Magallanes, Argentinian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Morgan Amalfitano, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Ronnie Brewer, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Nicolas Lombaerts, Belgian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Vikram Banerjee, English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Christy Carlson Romano, American actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Fernando Torres, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Terrence Duffin, Zimbabwean cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Tomasz Kuszczak, Polish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — José Moreira, Portuguese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Ian Murray, Scottish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Carl Webb, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Jamal Crawford, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Robertas Javtokas, Lithuanian basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Shinnosuke Abe, Japanese baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Keven Mealamu, New Zealand rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Brent Sherwin, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Chester Bennington, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Nicky Boje, South African cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Natalya Khrushcheleva, Russian runner Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Chilly Gonzales, Canadian-German singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Alex Kapranos, English-Scottish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Greg Searle, English rower Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Marco Sejna, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Cristel Vahtra, Estonian skier Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Manny Alexander, Dominican baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Touré, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Edoardo Ballerini, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Michael Rapaport, American actor, podcast host, and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Yvette Cooper, English economist and politician, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Fabien Galthie, French rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Carlos Almeida, Cape Verdean runner Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — A. J. Jacobs, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Paul Merson, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Xavier Beauvois, French actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Mookie Blaylock, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — William Dalrymple, Scottish historian and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Natacha Atlas, Belgian singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Paul Annacone, American tennis player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Kathy Ireland, American model, actress, and furniture designer Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Yelena Romanova, Russian runner (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — David Thewlis, English-French actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Stephen Sommers, American director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Ingrid Arndt-Brauer, German politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Jesper Olsen, Danish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Slim Jim Phantom, American rock drummer Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Sara Wheeler, English author and journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Norm Magnusson, American painter and sculptor Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Norbert Pohlmann, German computer scientist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Yuri Shargin, Russian colonel, engineer, and astronaut Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Dave Beasant, English footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Mary Roach, American author Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Sting (wrestler), American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Holly Hunter, American actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Rickey Jackson, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Joe Reaiche, Australian rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Vanessa Bell Calloway, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — David Foster, Australian woodchopper Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Spike Lee, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Theresa Russell, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Chris Wedge, American animator, producer, screenwriter, and voice actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Catherine Ashton, English politician, Vice-President of the European Commission Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Anne Donahue, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Naoto Takenaka, Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Nina Kiriki Hoffman, American author Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Ian Moss, Australian guitarist and singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Mike Francesa, American radio talk show host and television commentator Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Liana Kanelli, Greek journalist and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Paul Mirabella, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Phil Judd, New Zealand singer-songwriter, guitarist and painter Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Geoff Brabham, Australian race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — David Greenaway, English economist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Jimmie Vaughan, American blues-rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — William Hurt, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Carl Palmer, English drummer, percussionist, and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Marcia Ball, American blues singer-songwriter and pianist Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Richard Dowden, English journalist and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — John de Lancie, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Bobby Orr, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Nikos Papazoglou, Greek singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — John Boswell, American historian, philologist, and academic (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Douglas B. Green, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Malcolm Simmons, English motorcycle racer (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Henry Bartholomay, American soldier and pilot (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Jay Ingram, Canadian television host and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Pat Riley, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Tim Yeo, English politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Health Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — John Cameron, English composer and conductor Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Camille Cosby, American author, producer, and philanthropist Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Alan Harper, English-Irish archbishop Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Gerard Malanga, American poet and photographer Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Douglas Tompkins, American businessman, co-founded The North Face and Esprit Holdings (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Paul Junger Witt, American director and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Pat Corrales, American baseball player and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Kenji Kimihara, Japanese runner Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Stathis Chaitas, Greek footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Mary Ellen Mark, American photographer and journalist (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Giampiero Moretti, Italian race car driver and businessman, founded the Momo company (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Gerald Curran, American lawyer and politician (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Don Edwards, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Walter Jakob Gehring, Swiss biologist and academic (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Brian Mulroney, Canadian lawyer and politician 18th Prime Minister of Canada Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Sergei Novikov, Russian mathematician and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Lois Lowry, American author Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Jerry Reed, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Lee "Scratch" Perry, Jamaican singer, songwriter, music producer, and inventor Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Mark Saville, Baron Saville of Newdigate, English lieutenant, lawyer, and judge Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Ted Bessell, American actor and director (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Bettye Washington Greene, American chemist (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Willie Brown, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 41st Mayor of San Francisco Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — David Malouf, Australian author and playwright Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Lateef Adegbite, Nigerian lawyer and politician (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — George Altman, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Ian Walsh, Australian rugby league player and coach (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Hal Linden, American actor, singer, and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Rein Raamat, Estonian director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — S. Arasaratnam, Sri Lankan historian, author, and academic (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — William Andrew MacKay, Canadian lawyer and judge (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Germán Robles, Spanish-Mexican actor and director (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Jerome Biffle, American long jumper and coach (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — James P. Gordon, American physicist and engineer (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Fred Rogers, American television host and producer (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — John Joubert, South African-English composer and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — John Ehrlichman, American lawyer, 12th White House Counsel (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Con Martin, Irish footballer and manager (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Shaukat Siddiqui, Pakistani journalist, author, and activist (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Larry Elgart, American saxophonist and bandleader Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Ray Goulding, American actor and screenwriter (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Carl Reiner, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Dušan Pirjevec, Slovenian historian and philosopher (d. 1977) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Alfréd Rényi, Hungarian mathematician and theorist (d. 1970) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Pamela Harriman, English-American diplomat, 58th United States Ambassador to France (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Rosemary Timperley, English author and screenwriter (d. 1988) Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — Gerhard Barkhorn, German fighter ace (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Jack Barry, American game show host and producer, co-founded Barry & Enright Productions (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Donald Featherstone, English soldier and author (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Marian McPartland, English-American pianist and composer (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Vera Lynn, English singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Yigael Yadin, Israeli archaeologist, general, and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of Israel (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Pierre Messmer, French lieutenant and politician, Prime Minister of France (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Rudolf Kirchschläger, Austrian judge and politician, 8th President of Austria (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Sviatoslav Richter, Ukrainian pianist and composer (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Sister Rosetta Tharpe, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1973) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Wendell Corey, American actor and politician (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Nikolai Stepulov, Russian-Estonian boxer (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on March 20 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on March 20

🏛️ Public Holidays

Also in: Eid-ul-Fitr (estimated) (PK) · Eid'l Fitr (estimated) (PH) · Hari Raya Idul Fitri (perkiraan) (ID) · Hari Raya Puasa (SG) · Id el Fitr Holiday (NG) · Idd-ul-Fitr (estimated) (KE) · Ramazan Bayramı (TR) · Vernal Equinox Day (JP) · عطلة عيد الفطر (SA) · عيد الفطر (تقديري) (AE)

✡️ Religious Observances

• Islamic: Eid-ul-Fitr