✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 83rd day of the year

March 24

A look at March 24 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Dario Fo and Luigi Einaudi, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

♈ZodiacAries ◈BirthstoneAquamarine ❀Birth flowerDaffodil
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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2018

    United States

    Students across the United States stage the March for Our Lives demanding gun control in response to the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

    Country primarily in North
  2. 2015

    Germanwings Flight 9525

    Germanwings Flight 9525 crashes in the French Alps in an apparent pilot mass murder-suicide, killing all 150 people on board.

    2015 deliberate aircraft crash
  3. 2008

    Bhutan

    Bhutan officially becomes a democracy, with its first ever general election.

    Country in South Asia
  4. 1980

    El Salvador

    El Salvadorian Archbishop Óscar Romero is assassinated while celebrating Mass in San Salvador.

    Country in Central America
  5. 1976

    Argentina

    In Argentina, the armed forces overthrow the constitutional government of President Isabel Perón and start a seven-year dictatorial period self-styled the National Reorganization Process.

    Country in South America
  6. 1944

    World War II

    World War II: In an event later dramatized in the movie The Great Escape, 76 Allied prisoners of war begin breaking out of the German camp Stalag Luft III.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  7. 1934

    Tydings–McDuffie Act

    The Tydings–McDuffie Act is passed by the United States Congress, allowing the Philippines to become a self-governing commonwealth.

    1934 U.S. federal law
  8. 1921

    1921 Women's Olympiad

    The 1921 Women's Olympiad begins in Monte Carlo, becoming the first international women's sports event.

    First international women's sports
  9. 1882

    Robert Koch

    Robert Koch announces the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis.

    German physician and bacteriologist
  10. 1603

    James VI and I

    James VI of Scotland is proclaimed King James I of England and Ireland, upon the death of Elizabeth I.

    King of Scotland from
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Famous birthday twins

Born on March 24

Dario Fo

b. 1926

Italian playwright, actor, director, and composer, Nobel Prize laureate

Luigi Einaudi

b. 1874

Italian economist and politician, 2nd president of the Italian Republic

Adolf Butenandt

b. 1903

German biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate

Josef Stefan

b. 1835

Slovene physicist, mathematician, and poet

Vojislav Koštunica

b. 1944

Serbian academic and politician, 8th prime minister of Serbia

Yanis Varoufakis

b. 1961

Greek economist and politician, Greek Minister of Finance

Walter Baade

b. 1893

German astronomer and author

Martin Walser

b. 1927

German author and playwright

Deaths

  • 2016Johan Cruyff, Dutch footballer
  • 2009Hans Klenk, German racing driver
  • 2007Shripad Narayan Pendse, Indian Marathi novelist [citation needed]
  • 1999Gertrud Scholtz-Klink, German politician
  • 1905Jules Verne, French novelist, poet, and playwright
  • 1603Elizabeth I, of England

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast day: Catherine of Vadstena
  • —Christian feast day: Hildelith of Barking
  • —Christian feast day: Mac Cairthinn of Clogher
  • —Christian feast day: Maria Karłowska
  • —Christian feast day: Óscar Romero (Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Lutheranism)
  • —Christian feast day: Paul Couturier (Church of England)
  • —Christian feast day: Walter Hilton (Church of England)
  • —Christian feast day: March 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

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