This Day In History

On March 17, 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt presided over the opening of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The museum, created from the art collection and generosity of financier Andrew Mellon, gave the United States a national gallery comparable to those long established in Europe.

On March 16, 1986, Freedom of Information Day was established to celebrate the public’s right to access government records. The date was chosen to honor the birthday of James Madison, a key author of the Constitution who strongly believed that informed citizens are essential to a functioning democracy.

On March 15, 1820, Maine became the 23rd state in the United States. The decision ended nearly two centuries of rule by Massachusetts and recognized the growing population and independence of the northern district.

On March 14, 1794, Eli Whitney received a patent for his cotton gin nearly five months after submitting his application. The machine would dramatically speed up cotton processing and reshape the economy of the American South.

On March 2, 1972, Pioneer 10 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It became the first spacecraft to travel beyond the outer planets and eventually the first human-made object to head out of the Solar System.

On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia broke apart during reentry, killing all seven astronauts on board. The disaster stunned the nation and forced NASA to confront hard truths about risk, decision-making, and the future of human spaceflight.

On October 11, 1968, NASA launched Apollo 7, the first crewed mission of the Apollo program. The success of Apollo 7 would prove to be a crucial turning point, restoring faith in NASA’s ability to send humans safely to the Moon.

On July 26, 1971, Apollo 15 was launched, bringing the fourth American crew to the Moon’s surface.  Apollo 15 would become the first of three extended missions to the moon, known as K missions.  The mission was more focused on science than previous landings had been.  It also marked the first use of the lunar rover.

On March 18, 1892, Canada’s Lord Stanley of Preston announced he would donate a silver challenge cup to be awarded to the territory’s best hockey team. Today, the Stanley Cup is the oldest trophy in professional sports and the most revered symbol in hockey.

Stephen Grover Cleveland was born in Caldwell, New Jersey, on March 18, 1837. Our 22nd and 24th president, he’s the only US president to serve two non-consecutive terms.

On March 18, 1855, the Niagara Railway Suspension Bridge officially opened. A joint project between the US and Canada, the bridge opened a new transportation route and marked the start of more than a century of friendship between our two nations.

On March 18, 1766, British Parliament repealed the Stamp Act.  Passed a year earlier, the act had placed a direct tax on the colonies for the first time, leading to widespread boycotts.