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On This Day in History — March 27
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Highlights of March 27
- 2023 — Forty people are killed in a fire at a migrant detention facility in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Read more
- 2022 — At the 94th Academy Awards, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage resulting in Smith being expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and banned from its events for ten years. Read more
- 2020 — North Macedonia became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Read more
- 2015 — Himeji Castle, the largest and most visited Japanese castle, re-opened after five years of restoration work. Read more
- 2009 — A failure of the dam holding Situ Gintung, an artificial lake in Tangerang, Indonesia, caused floods that killed at least 100 people. Read more
- 2002 — Second Intifada: A suicide bomber killed around 30 Israeli civilians and injured about 140 others in Netanya, triggering Operation Defensive Shield, a large-scale counter-terrorist military incursion into the West Bank. Read more
- 1999 — NATO bombing of Yugoslavia: A U.S. Air Force F-117 stealth aircraft was shot down by a Yugoslav Army unit. Read more
- 1998 — The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug sildenafil (chemical structure pictured), better known by the trade name Viagra, as the first treatment approved in the United States for erectile dysfunction. Read more
- 1993 — Jiang Zemin succeeded Yang Shangkun to become President of the People's Republic of China. Read more
- 1981 — The Solidarity movement in Poland staged a warning strike, the largest in the history of the Eastern Bloc, in which at least 12 million Poles walked off their jobs for four hours. Read more
- 1980 — Brothers Nelson Bunker Hunt and William Herbert Hunt failed in their attempt to corner the world silver market, causing panic in commodity and futures exchanges. Read more
- 1976 — The Washington Metro (rolling stock pictured), the second-busiest rapid transit system in the U.S., opened to commuters. Read more
- 1975 — Construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, an oil pipeline spanning the length of Alaska, began. Read more
- 1958 — Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, assumed the office of premier. Read more
- 1945 — World War II: The United States Army Air Forces began Operation Starvation, laying naval mines in many of Japan's vital water routes and ports to disrupt enemy shipping. Read more
- 1941 — World War II: A group of Serbian-nationalist officers of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force carried out a coup d'état after Yugoslavia joined the Axis powers. Read more
- 1899 — Philippine–American War: American forces defeated troops commanded by Philippine president Emilio Aguinaldo at the Battle of Marilao River. Read more
- 1884 — Outraged by a jury's decision to convict a man of manslaughter instead of murder, a mob in Cincinnati, Ohio, began three days of rioting. Read more
- 1850 — San Diego, the first European settlement in present-day California, was incorporated as a city. Read more
- 1836 — At least 425 Texian prisoners of war were executed in the Goliad massacre, under orders from Mexican president Antonio López de Santa Anna. Read more
- 1638 — The first of four destructive earthquakes struck southern Italy, destroying an estimated 10,000 homes. Read more
- 1625 — Charles I became King of England, Scotland and Ireland. Read more
Events
- 2023 — Seven people, including the perpetrator, are killed in a mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. Read more
- 2023 — Forty people are killed in a fire at a migrant detention facility in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Read more
- 2020 — North Macedonia becomes the 30th member of NATO. Read more
- 2016 — A suicide blast in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, Lahore claims over 70 lives and leaves almost 300 others injured. The target of the bombing are Christians celebrating Easter. Read more
- 2015 — Al-Shabab militants attack and temporarily occupy a Mogadishu hotel leaving at least 20 people dead. Read more
- 2014 — Philippines signs a peace accord with the largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, ending decades of conflict. Read more
- 2009 — The dam forming Situ Gintung, an artificial lake in Indonesia, fails, killing at least 99 people. Read more
- 2004 — HMS Scylla, a decommissioned Leander-class frigate, is sunk as an artificial reef off Cornwall, the first of its kind in Europe. Read more
- 2002 — Passover massacre: A Palestinian suicide bomber kills 29 people at a Passover seder in Netanya, Israel. Read more
- 2002 — Nanterre massacre: In Nanterre, France, a gunman opens fire at the end of a town council meeting, resulting in the deaths of eight councilors; 19 other people are injured. Read more
- 2000 — A Phillips Petroleum plant explosion in Pasadena, Texas kills one person and injures 71 others. Read more
- 1999 — Kosovo War: An American Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk is shot down by a Yugoslav Army SAM, the first and only Nighthawk to be lost in combat. Read more
- 1998 — The Food and Drug Administration approves Viagra for use as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, the first pill to be approved for this condition in the United States. Read more
- 1993 — Jiang Zemin is appointed President of China. Read more
- 1993 — Italian former minister and Christian Democracy leader Giulio Andreotti is accused of mafia allegiance by the tribunal of Palermo. Read more
- 1990 — The United States begins broadcasting anti-Castro propaganda to Cuba on TV Martí. Read more
- 1986 — A car bomb explodes outside Russell Street Police HQ in Melbourne, Australia, killing one police officer and injuring 21 people. Read more
- 1981 — The Solidarity movement in Poland stages a warning strike, in which at least 12 million Poles walk off their jobs for four hours. Read more
- 1980 — The Norwegian oil platform Alexander L. Kielland collapses in the North Sea, killing 123 of its crew of 212. Read more
- 1977 — Tenerife airport disaster: Two Boeing 747 airliners collide on a foggy runway on Tenerife in the Canary Islands, killing 583 (all 248 on KLM and 335 on Pan Am). Sixty-one survived on the Pan Am flight. This is the deadliest aviation accident in history. Read more
- 1976 — The first section of the Washington Metro opens to the public. Read more
- 1975 — Construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System begins. Read more
- 1964 — The Good Friday earthquake, the most powerful earthquake recorded in North American history at a magnitude of 9.2 strikes Southcentral Alaska, killing 125 people and inflicting massive damage to the city of Anchorage. Read more
- 1958 — Nikita Khrushchev becomes Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union. Read more
- 1945 — World War II: Operation Starvation, the aerial mining of Japan's ports and waterways begins. Argentina declares war on the Axis Powers. Read more
- 1943 — World War II: Battle of the Komandorski Islands: In the Aleutian Islands the battle begins when United States Navy forces intercept Japanese attempting to reinforce a garrison at Kiska. Read more
- 1942 — The Holocaust: Nazi Germany and Vichy France begin the deportation of 65,000 Jews from Drancy internment camp to German extermination camps. Read more
- 1941 — World War II: Yugoslav Air Force officers topple the pro-Axis government in a bloodless coup. Read more
- 1938 — Second Sino-Japanese War: The Battle of Taierzhuang begins, resulting several weeks later in the war's first major Chinese victory over Japan. Read more
- 1933 — Japanese invasion of Manchuria: Japan leaves the League of Nations after it approves the Lytton Report that ruled in favour of China. Read more
- 1918 — The National Council of Bessarabia proclaims union with the Kingdom of Romania. Read more
- 1915 — Typhoid Mary, the first healthy carrier of disease ever identified in the United States, is put in quarantine for the second time, where she would remain for the rest of her life. Read more
- 1912 — First Lady Helen Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, plant two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the origin of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Read more
- 1901 — Philippine–American War: Emilio Aguinaldo, leader of the First Philippine Republic, is captured by the Americans. Read more
- 1899 — Emilio Aguinaldo leads Filipino forces for the only time during the Philippine–American War at the Battle of Marilao River. Read more
- 1886 — Geronimo, Apache warrior, surrenders to the U.S. Army, ending the main phase of the Apache Wars. Read more
- 1884 — A mob in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States attacks members of a jury which had returned a verdict of manslaughter in what was seen as a clear case of murder; over the next few days the mob would riot and burn down the courthouse. Read more
- 1871 — The first international rugby football match, when Scotland defeats England in Edinburgh at Raeburn Place. Read more
- 1866 — President of the United States of America Andrew Johnson vetoes the Civil Rights Act of 1866. His veto is overridden by Congress and the bill passes into law on April 9. Read more
- 1836 — Texas Revolution: On the orders of General Antonio López de Santa Anna, the Mexican Army massacres 342 Texian Army POWs at Goliad, Texas. Read more
- 1814 — War of 1812: In central Alabama, U.S. forces under General Andrew Jackson defeat the Creek at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Read more
- 1809 — Peninsular War: A combined Franco-Polish force defeats the Spanish in the Battle of Ciudad Real. Read more
- 1794 — The United States Government establishes a permanent navy and authorizes the building of six frigates. Read more
- 1782 — The Second Rockingham ministry assumes office in Great Britain and begins negotiations to end the American War of Independence. Read more
- 1638 — The first of four destructive Calabrian earthquakes strikes southern Italy. Measuring magnitude 6.8 and assigned a Mercalli intensity of XI, it kills 10,000–30,000 people. Read more
- 1625 — Charles I becomes King of England, Scotland and Ireland as well as claiming the title King of France. Read more
- 1513 — Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León reaches the northern end of The Bahamas on his first voyage to Florida. Read more
- 1329 — Pope John XXII issues his In Agro Dominico condemning some writings of Meister Eckhart as heretical. Read more
- 1309 — Pope Clement V imposes excommunication and interdiction on Venice, and a general prohibition of all commercial intercourse with Venice, which had seized Ferrara, a papal fiefdom. Read more
Born on March 27
- 2002 — Daria Snigur, Ukrainian tennis player Read more
- 2001 — Natanael Cano, Mexican rapper and singer Read more
- 2000 — Halle Bailey, American singer-songwriter and actress Read more
- 2000 — Sophie Nélisse, Canadian actress Read more
- 1999 — Jesser, American YouTuber Read more
- 1999 — Alex O'Connor, English media personality Read more
- 1998 — Giannis Bouzoukis, Greek footballer Read more
- 1997 — Lisa, Thai rapper and dancer Read more
- 1995 — Bill Tuiloma, New Zealand footballer Read more
- 1993 — Brandon Nimmo, American baseball player Read more
- 1992 — Marc Muniesa, Spanish footballer Read more
- 1991 — London on da Track, American record producer Read more
- 1990 — Erdin Demir, Swedish-Turkish footballer Read more
- 1990 — Ben Hunt, Australian rugby league player Read more
- 1990 — Nicolas Nkoulou, Cameroonian footballer Read more
- 1990 — Luca Zuffi, Swiss footballer Read more
- 1990 — Kimbra, New Zealand musician Read more
- 1990 — Brodha V, Indian rapper and music producer Read more
- 1989 — Matt Harvey, American baseball player Read more
- 1989 — Camilla Lees, New Zealand netball player Read more
- 1988 — Jessie J, English singer-songwriter Read more
- 1988 — Atsuto Uchida, Japanese footballer Read more
- 1988 — Brenda Song, American actress Read more
- 1988 — Mauro Goicoechea, Uruguayan footballer Read more
- 1988 — Holliday Grainger, English actress Read more
- 1987 — Jefferson Bernárdez, Honduran footballer Read more
- 1987 — Samuel Francis, Nigerian-Qatari sprinter Read more
- 1987 — Polina Gagarina, Russian singer-songwriter Read more
- 1987 — Buster Posey, American baseball player Read more
- 1986 — Manuel Neuer, German footballer Read more
- 1985 — Dustin Byfuglien, American ice hockey player Read more
- 1985 — Danny Vukovic, Australian footballer Read more
- 1984 — Adam Ashley-Cooper, Australian rugby player Read more
- 1984 — Ben Franks, Australian-born New Zealand rugby player Read more
- 1984 — Brett Holman, Australian footballer Read more
- 1983 — Yuliya Golubchikova, Russian pole vaulter Read more
- 1983 — Vasily Koshechkin, Russian ice hockey player Read more
- 1983 — Román Martínez, Argentinian footballer Read more
- 1982 — Shawn Beveney, Guyanese footballer Read more
- 1981 — Terry McFlynn, Irish footballer Read more
Died on March 27
- 2026 — Henry Lee, Chinese-American forensic scientist (born 1938) Read more
- 2025 — Christina McKelvie, Scottish politician (born 1968) Read more
- 2024 — Daniel Kahneman, Israeli-American author, psychologist and economist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1934) Read more
- 2024 — Joe Lieberman, American politician and lawyer (born 1942) Read more
- 2018 — Bert Nievera, Filipino-American singer (born 1936) Read more
- 2016 — Mother Angelica, American Roman Catholic religious leader and media personality (born 1923) Read more
- 2015 — Johnny Helms, American trumpet player, bandleader, and educator (born 1935) Read more
- 2015 — T. Sailo, Indian soldier and politician, 2nd Chief Minister of Mizoram (born 1922) Read more
- 2014 — Richard N. Frye, American scholar and academic (born 1920) Read more
- 2014 — James R. Schlesinger, American economist and politician, 12th United States Secretary of Defense and first United States Secretary of Energy (born 1929) Read more
- 2013 — Hjalmar Andersen, Norwegian speed skater (born 1923) Read more
- 2013 — Yvonne Brill, Canadian-American scientist and engineer (born 1924) Read more
- 2013 — Fay Kanin, American screenwriter and producer (born 1917) Read more
- 2012 — Adrienne Rich, American poet, essayist and feminist (born 1929) Read more
- 2011 — Clement Arrindell, Nevisian judge and politician, 1st Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis (born 1931) Read more
- 2011 — Farley Granger, American actor (born 1925) Read more
- 2010 — Dick Giordano, American illustrator (born 1932) Read more
- 2009 — Irving R. Levine, American journalist and author (born 1922) Read more
- 2008 — Jean-Marie Balestre, French businessman (born 1921) Read more
- 2007 — Nancy Adams, New Zealand botanist and illustrator (born 1926) Read more
- 2007 — Paul Lauterbur, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1929) Read more
- 2006 — Dan Curtis, American director and producer (born 1928) Read more
- 2006 — Stanisław Lem, Ukrainian-Polish author (born 1921) Read more
- 2006 — Rudolf Vrba, Czech Holocaust survivor and educator (born 1924) Read more
- 2006 — Neil Williams, English cricketer (born 1962) Read more
- 2005 — Wilfred Gordon Bigelow, Canadian soldier and surgeon (born 1913) Read more
- 2004 — Robert Merle, French author (born 1909) Read more
- 2003 — Edwin Carr, New Zealand composer and educator (born 1926) Read more
- 2002 — Milton Berle, American comedian and actor (born 1908) Read more
- 2002 — Dudley Moore, English actor (born 1935) Read more
- 2002 — Billy Wilder, Austrian-born American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1906) Read more
- 2000 — George Allen, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (born 1914) Read more
- 2000 — Ian Dury, English singer-songwriter and actor (born 1942) Read more
- 1999 — Michael Aris, Cuban-English author and academic (born 1946) Read more
- 1998 — David McClelland, American psychologist and academic (born 1917) Read more
- 1997 — Lane Dwinell, American businessman and politician, 69th Governor of New Hampshire (born 1906) Read more
- 1997 — Ella Maillart, Swiss skier, sailor, field hockey player, and photographer (born 1903) Read more
- 1995 — René Allio, French director and screenwriter (born 1924) Read more
- 1994 — Elisabeth Schmid, German archaeologist and osteologist (born 1912) Read more
- 1994 — Lawrence Wetherby, American lawyer and politician, 48th Governor of Kentucky (born 1908) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Easter (Palmarian Church); Christian feast day:
Alexander, a Pannonian soldier, martyred in 3rd century.; Christian feast day:
Amador of Portugal; Christian feast day:
Augusta of Treviso; Christian feast day:
Charles Henry Brent (Episcopal Church (USA)); Christian feast day:
Gelasius, Archbishop of Armagh; Christian feast day:
John of Egypt; Christian feast day:
Panacea De' Muzzi; Christian feast day:
Philetus; Christian feast day:
Romulus of Nîmes, a Benedictine abbot, martyred c. 730.; Christian feast day:
Rupert of Salzburg; Christian feast day:
Zanitas and Lazarus of Persia; Christian feast day:
March 27 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Armed Forces Day (Myanmar); Day of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania (Romania); World Theatre Day (International)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “March 27”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.