March 23 History, Facts and Trivia

March 23 History Highlights

1857 – Elisha Otis’s first elevator is installed at 488 Broadway New York City.
1868 – The University of California was founded in Oakland, California.
1919 – In Milan, Italy, Benito Mussolini founded his Fascist political movement.
1933 – The Reichstag passed the Enabling Act of 1933, making Adolf Hitler dictator of Germany.
If you were born on March 23rd,
You were likely conceived the week of… June 30th (prior year)

World Meteorological Day

In 1873, The International Meteorological association was formed to exchange information about weather across national borders and changed its name in March 1950. World Meteorological Day takes place every year on March 23 and commemorates the coming into force on March 23, 1950, of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization. It showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to the safety and wellbeing of society and is celebrated with activities around the world.

March 23 is…

Chip and Dip Day
Puppy Day
Near Miss Day
World Meteorology Day

March 23 Birthday Quotes

“Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.”
– Keri Russell

“Success has less to do with what we can get ourselves to do and more to do with keeping ourselves from doing what we shouldn’t.”
– Kenneth Cole

“Be afraid of nothing.”
– Joan Crawford

“Just because they say it’s impossible doesn’t mean you can’t do it.”
– Roger Bannister

“Science does not have a moral dimension. It is like a knife. If you give it to a surgeon or a murderer, each will use it differently.”
– Wernher von Braun

March 23 Birthdays

1699 – John Bartram, American botanist and explorer (died in 1777)
1862 – Nathaniel ‘Texas Jack’ Reed, American criminal (died in 1950)
1904 – Joan Crawford, American film actress (died in 1977)
1912 – Wernher von Braun, German-American physicist and engineer (died in 1977)
1929 – Roger Bannister, English runner and academic (died in 2018)
1949 – Ric Ocasek, American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer (died in 2019)
1954 – Kenneth Cole, American fashion designer, founded Kenneth Cole Productions
1957 – Amanda Plummer, American actress
1971 – Yasmeen Ghauri, Canadian model
1976 – Michelle Monaghan, American actress
1976 – Keri Russell, American actress
1989 – Ayesha Curry, Canadian-American chef, author and television personality

March 23 History

893 (Earthquake) Iran

1775 – Patrick Henry delivered his ‘Give me liberty, or give me death!’ speech at St. John’s Episcopal Church, in Richmond, Virginia.

1839 – The initials ‘O.K.’ were first published in The Boston Morning Post. Meant as an abbreviation for ‘oll correct,’ a popular slang misspelling of ‘all correct’ at the time.

1840 – John William Draper took the first successful photo of the Moon. Actually, a daguerreotype, a precursor of the photograph.

1857 – Elisha Otis’s first elevator was installed at 488 Broadway New York City.

1913 (Tornado) Omaha, Nebraska

1956 – Pakistan became the first Islamic republic in the world.

1963 – #1 Hit March 23, 1963 – March 29, 1963: Ruby & the Romantics – Our Day Will Come

1974 – #1 Hit March 23, 1974 – March 29, 1974: Cher – Dark Lady

March 23, 1977 Birthday (fictional) Neal Cassidy, Once Upon a Time, TV

1982 – Joanie Loves Chachi premiered on ABC

1983 – President Ronald Reagan introduced the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) now called “Star Wars” to the American discussion.

1983 – Dr. Barney C. Clark, the first recipient of a permanent artificial heart, died at the University of Utah’s Medical Center after 112 days with the device.

March 24, 1984 (fiction) The Breakfast Club met for detention, The Breakfast Club, Film

1991 – #1 Hit March 23, 1991 – March 29, 1991: Timmy T – One More Try

1996 – #1 Hit March 23, 1996 – May 3, 1996: Celine Dion – Because You Loved Me

1998 – James Cameron’s Titanic won 11 Academy Awards.

2000 – Broadway Show – Aida (Musical) March 23, 2000

2001 – The Russian space station, Mir, ended 15 years in orbit by burning up entering Earth’s atmosphere, mostly burning up in the atmosphere, and splashing into the Pacific Ocean.

2014 – Broadway Show – Les Misrables (Musical) March 23, 2014

Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts

“After fifteen minutes I wanted to marry her, and after half an hour I completely gave up the idea of stealing her purse.” – Virgil Starkwell #moviequotes

A group of Cranes is called a Sedge or Seige.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Billingsworth Cobblepots) should read out all the funniest variations on his name the internet has produced in the same style as the ‘Celebrities Read Mean Tweets’ videos.

The Capital of Norway is Oslo

Biggest film of 1963: Cleopatra (Drama) earned ~ $57,000,000

“I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical.” – Arthur C. Clarke

The more children’s books I read the worse I feel for the letter X. It reminds me of someone with only one nice outfit. “Oh, X is xylophone. Weren’t you xylophone last week too? Well, it’s still nice I guess. And you tried your best.”

We’ve got about 2 billion years to find a new planet to inhabit. #readonline

Green Bell Peppers are unripe versions of Red Peppers.

TV Quotes… “Hey now!” (Hank Kingsley) on “The Larry Sanders Show”.

During an 11-year period from about 1964 to 1975, the office of Vice President of the United States was vacant for a total of 617 days (more than 15% of the time).

Useless Pronunciation: P as in pterodactyl

“Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By.'” – Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) #moviequotes

The first soda was made in Michigan – Vernor’s Ginger Ale, in 1866.

The last place you look for something is always where you find it. #science