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On This Day · The 90th day of the year

March 31

A look at March 31 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Johann Sebastian Bach and Joseph Haydn, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

♈ZodiacAries ◈BirthstoneAquamarine ❀Birth flowerDaffodil
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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 1995

    Selena

    Selena is murdered by her fan club president Yolanda Saldívar at a Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas.

    American singer-songwriter (1971–1995)
  2. 1995

    TAROM Flight 371

    TAROM Flight 371, an Airbus A310-300, crashes near Balotesti, Romania, killing all 60 people on board.

    1995 aviation accident in
  3. 1992

    USS Missouri (BB-63)

    The USS Missouri, the last active United States Navy battleship, is decommissioned in Long Beach, California.

    Iowa-class battleship of the
  4. 1986

    Mexicana de Aviación Flight 940

    Mexicana de Aviación Flight 940 crashes into the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range near the Mexican town of Maravatío, killing 167.

    1986 aviation accident in
  5. 1942

    World War II

    World War II: Japanese forces invade Christmas Island, then a British possession.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  6. 1921

    Royal Australian Air Force

    The Royal Australian Air Force is formed.

    Air warfare and space
  7. 1899

    Philippine–American War

    Philippine–American War: Malolos, capital of the First Philippine Republic, is captured by American forces.

    Armed Philippine-American conflict (1899–1902)
  8. 1761

    1761 Lisbon earthquake

    The 1761 Lisbon earthquake strikes off the Iberian Peninsula with an estimated magnitude of 8.5, six years after another quake destroyed the city.

    Earthquake and tsunami in
  9. 1521

    Ferdinand Magellan

    Ferdinand Magellan and fifty of his men came ashore to present-day Limasawa to participate in the first Catholic mass in the Philippines.

    Portuguese explorer (1480–1521)
  10. 1492

    Ferdinand II of Aragon

    Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile sign the Edict of Expulsion of the Jews from Spain, ordering all Jews in their kingdoms to either convert to Christianity or leave the country.

    King of Aragon from
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Famous birthday twins

Born on March 31

Johann Sebastian Bach

b. 1685

German composer

Joseph Haydn

b. 1732

Austrian pianist and composer

René Descartes

b. 1596

French mathematician and philosopher

Al Gore

b. 1948

American soldier and politician, 45th Vice President of the United States and Nobel Prize laureate

Jérôme Rothen

b. 1978

French footballer

Coenraad Jacob Temminck

b. 1778

Dutch zoologist and ornithologist

Angus Young

b. 1955

Scottish-Australian guitarist and songwriter

Octavio Paz

b. 1914

Mexican poet and diplomat, Nobel Prize laureate

Deaths

  • 2016Imre Kertész, Hungarian author, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 2016Zaha Hadid, Iraqi-born English architect and academic, designed the Bridge Pavilion
  • 1995Selena, American singer-songwriter
  • 1980Jesse Owens, American sprinter and long jumper
  • 1913J. P. Morgan, American banker and financier
  • 1621Philip III of Spain, Spanish king

Holidays & observances

  • —Cesar Chavez Day (California, Washington (state))
  • —Christian feast day Abdas of Susa
  • —Christian feast day Acathius of Melitene (Eastern Orthodox Church)
  • —Christian feast day Anesius and companions
  • —Christian feast day Benjamin
  • —Christian feast day Balbina
  • —Christian feast day John Donne (Anglican Communion, Lutheran)
  • —Christian feast day Natalia Tułasiewicz

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