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On This Day in History — March 3
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Highlights of March 3
- 2012 — Two passenger trains collided near Szczekociny, Poland, resulting in 16 deaths and 58 injuries. Read more
- 1986 — The American heavy metal band Metallica (pictured) released their third studio album, Master of Puppets, considered one of the greatest in the genre's history. Read more
- 1972 — The British rock band Jethro Tull released Thick as a Brick, a parody concept album allegedly adapted from an eight-year-old boy's epic poem. Read more
- 1945 — A Polish Home Army unit massacred at least 150 Ukrainian civilians in Pawłokoma, Poland. Read more
- 1933 — The first Nazi concentration camp was opened in Nohra to reduce overcrowding in prisons from the arrest of German Communists. Read more
- 1913 — Thousands of women marched in Washington, D.C., "in a spirit of protest" against the exclusion of women from American society. Read more
- 1891 — Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming was established as the first national forest in the United States. Read more
- 1875 — Bizet's Carmen premiered at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, with mezzo-soprano Célestine Galli-Marié in the title role (pictured). Read more
- 1875 — The first indoor game of ice hockey was played at the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal by James Creighton and students of McGill University. Read more
- 1820 — The U.S. Congress passed the Missouri Compromise, which balanced the admission of Missouri as a slave state with that of Maine as a free state. Read more
- 1776 — American Revolutionary War: Samuel Nicholas and the Continental Marines successfully landed on New Providence in the Bahamas and began a raid of Nassau, capturing the port the next day. Read more
- 1284 — The Statute of Rhuddlan was enacted, introducing English common law to the Principality of Wales. Read more
Events
- 2013 — A bomb blast in Karachi, Pakistan, kills at least 48 people and injured 200 others in a predominantly Shia Muslim area. Read more
- 2005 — James Roszko murders four Royal Canadian Mounted Police constables during a drug bust at his property in Rochfort Bridge, Alberta, then commits suicide. This is the deadliest peace-time incident for the RCMP since 1885 and the North-West Rebellion. Read more
- 2005 — Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly an airplane non-stop around the world solo without refueling. Read more
- 2005 — Margaret Wilson is elected as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, beginning a period lasting until August 23, 2006, where all the highest political offices (including Elizabeth II as Head of State), were occupied by women, making New Zealand the first country for this to occur. Read more
- 1991 — An amateur video captures the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers. Read more
- 1991 — United Airlines Flight 585 crashes on its final approach to Colorado Springs killing everyone on board. Read more
- 1986 — The Australia Act 1986 commences, causing Australia to become fully independent from the United Kingdom. Read more
- 1985 — A magnitude 8.3 earthquake strikes the Valparaíso Region of Chile, killing 177 and leaving nearly a million people homeless. Read more
- 1980 — The USS Nautilus is decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. Read more
- 1974 — Turkish Airlines Flight 981 crashes at Ermenonville near Paris, France killing all 346 aboard. Read more
- 1972 — Mohawk Airlines Flight 405 crashes as a result of a control malfunction and insufficient training in emergency procedures. Read more
- 1969 — Apollo program: NASA launches Apollo 9 to test the lunar module. Read more
- 1958 — Nuri al-Said becomes Prime Minister of Iraq for the eighth time. Read more
- 1953 — A De Havilland Comet (Canadian Pacific Air Lines) crashes in Karachi, Pakistan, killing 11 people. Read more
- 1945 — World War II: In poor visibility, the RAF mistakenly bombs the Bezuidenhout area of The Hague, Netherlands, killing 511 people. Read more
- 1944 — The Order of Nakhimov and Order of Ushakov are instituted in USSR as the highest naval awards. Read more
- 1944 — A freight train carrying stowaway passengers stalls in a tunnel shortly after departing from Balvano, Basilicata, Italy just after midnight, with 517 dying from carbon monoxide poisoning. Read more
- 1943 — World War II: In London, 173 people are killed in a crush while trying to enter an air-raid shelter at Bethnal Green tube station. Read more
- 1942 — World War II: Ten Japanese warplanes raid Broome, Western Australia, killing more than 100 people. Read more
- 1940 — Five people are killed in an arson attack on the offices of the communist newspaper Flamman in Luleå, Sweden. Read more
- 1939 — In Bombay, Mohandas Gandhi begins a hunger strike in protest at the autocratic rule in British India. Read more
- 1938 — Oil is discovered in Saudi Arabia. Read more
- 1924 — The Ottoman Caliphate is abolished, when the Caliph Abdülmecid II of the Ottoman dynasty is deposed. The last remnant of the old monarchy gives way to the reformed Turkey of Kemal Atatürk. Read more
- 1924 — The Free State of Fiume is annexed by the Kingdom of Italy. Read more
- 1923 — US magazine Time publishes its first issue. Read more
- 1918 — Russia signs the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, agreeing to withdraw from World War I, and conceding German control of the Baltic States, Belarus and Ukraine. It also conceded Turkish control of Ardahan, Kars and Batumi. Read more
- 1913 — Thousands of women march in the Woman Suffrage Procession in Washington, D.C. Read more
- 1891 — Shoshone National Forest is established as the first national forest in the US and world. Read more
- 1878 — The Russo-Turkish War ends with Bulgaria regaining its independence from the Ottoman Empire according to the Treaty of San Stefano. Read more
- 1873 — Censorship in the United States: The U.S. Congress enacts the Comstock Law, making it illegal to send any "obscene literature and articles of immoral use" through the mail. Read more
- 1861 — Alexander II of Russia signs the Emancipation Manifesto, freeing serfs. Read more
- 1859 — The two-day Great Slave Auction, one of the largest such auctions in United States history, concludes. Read more
- 1857 — Second Opium War: France and the United Kingdom declare war on China. Read more
- 1849 — The Territory of Minnesota is created. Read more
- 1845 — Florida is admitted as the 27th U.S. state. Read more
- 1799 — The Russo-Ottoman siege of Corfu ends with the surrender of the French garrison. Read more
- 1795 — The Fédon Rebellion breaks out in Grenada, the rebels seizing Grenville and later Gouyave. Read more
- 1779 — American Revolutionary War: The Continental Army is routed at the Battle of Brier Creek near Savannah, Georgia. Read more
- 1776 — American Revolutionary War: The first amphibious landing of the United States Marine Corps begins the Battle of Nassau. Read more
- 1585 — The Olympic Theatre, designed by Andrea Palladio, is inaugurated in Vicenza. Read more
- 1575 — Mughal Emperor Akbar defeats Sultan of Bengal Daud Khan Karrani's army at the Battle of Tukaroi. Read more
- 880 — Emperor Basil I ratifies the decrees of the Fourth Council of Constantinople, confirming the reinstatement of patriarch Photios I of Constantinople. Read more
- 724 — Empress Genshō abdicates the throne in favor of her nephew Shōmu who becomes emperor of Japan. Read more
- 473 — Gundobad (nephew of Ricimer) nominates Glycerius as emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Read more
Born on March 3
- 2001 — Jvke, American singer-songwriter Read more
- 2000 — Jevon Holland, Canadian-American football player Read more
- 1999 — Corey Kispert, American basketball player Read more
- 1998 — Jayson Tatum, American basketball player Read more
- 1997 — Camila Cabello, Cuban-American singer-songwriter and actress Read more
- 1997 — David Neres, Brazilian footballer Read more
- 1996 — Cameron Johnson, American basketball player Read more
- 1996 — Andile Phehlukwayo, South African cricketer Read more
- 1995 — Bryan Cristante, Italian footballer Read more
- 1995 — Maine Mendoza, Filipina actress Read more
- 1994 — Dilson Herrera, Colombian baseball player Read more
- 1994 — Umika Kawashima, Japanese singer and actress Read more
- 1993 — Gabriela Cé, Brazilian tennis player Read more
- 1993 — Josef Dostál, Czech kayaker Read more
- 1993 — Antonio Rüdiger, German footballer Read more
- 1993 — Michael Thomas, American football player Read more
- 1991 — Park Cho-rong, South Korean singer-songwriter and actress Read more
- 1991 — Anri Sakaguchi, Japanese actress Read more
- 1990 — Vlado Janković, Greek-Serbian basketball player Read more
- 1989 — Erwin Mulder, Dutch footballer Read more
- 1988 — Teodora Mirčić, Serbian tennis player Read more
- 1988 — Michael Morrison, English footballer Read more
- 1988 — Jan-Arie van der Heijden, Dutch footballer Read more
- 1988 — Max Waller, English cricketer Read more
- 1987 — Shraddha Kapoor, Indian actress, singer, and designer Read more
- 1987 — Jesús Padilla, Mexican footballer Read more
- 1987 — Andrei Zubarev, Russian ice hockey player Read more
- 1986 — Jed Collins, American football player Read more
- 1986 — Stacie Orrico, American singer-songwriter Read more
- 1986 — Mehmet Topal, Turkish footballer Read more
- 1985 — Toby Turner, American Internet personality Read more
- 1984 — Valerio Bernabò, Italian rugby player Read more
- 1984 — Santonio Holmes, American football player Read more
- 1984 — Ivar, American wrestler Read more
- 1984 — Alexander Semin, Russian ice hockey player Read more
- 1983 — Ashley Hansen, Australian footballer Read more
- 1983 — Sarah Poewe, South African swimmer Read more
- 1982 — Jessica Biel, American actress, singer, and producer Read more
- 1982 — Tolu Ogunlesi, Nigerian journalist and writer Read more
- 1982 — Colton Orr, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
Died on March 3
- 2023 — Kenzaburō Ōe, Japanese novelist, 1994 Nobel Prize laureate in Literature (born 1935) Read more
- 2023 — Tom Sizemore, American actor (born 1961) Read more
- 2020 — Charles J. Urstadt, American real estate executive and investor (born 1928) Read more
- 2019 — Peter Hurford OBE, British organist and composer (born 1930) Read more
- 2018 — Roger Bannister, English middle-distance athlete, first man to run a four-minute mile (born 1929) Read more
- 2018 — Mal Bryce, Australian politician (born 1943) Read more
- 2018 — Vanessa Goodwin, Australian politician (born 1969) Read more
- 2018 — David Ogden Stiers, American actor, voice actor and musician (born 1942) Read more
- 2017 — René Préval, Haitian politician (born 1943) Read more
- 2016 — Hayabusa, Japanese wrestler (born 1968) Read more
- 2016 — Berta Cáceres, Honduran environmentalist (born 1973) Read more
- 2016 — Martin Crowe, New Zealand cricketer and sportscaster (born 1962) Read more
- 2016 — Thanat Khoman, Thai politician and diplomat, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand (born 1914) Read more
- 2016 — Sarah Tait, Australian Olympic rower (born 1983) Read more
- 2015 — Ernest Braun, Austrian-English physicist and academic (born 1925) Read more
- 2015 — M. Stanton Evans, American journalist and author (born 1934) Read more
- 2013 — Luis Cubilla, Uruguayan footballer and manager (born 1940) Read more
- 2013 — James Strong, Qantas CEO from 1993 to 2001 (born 1944) Read more
- 2012 — Ralph McQuarrie, American conceptual designer and illustrator (born 1929) Read more
- 2012 — Ronnie Montrose, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer (born 1947) Read more
- 2012 — Alex Webster, American football player and coach (born 1931) Read more
- 2011 — May Cutler, Canadian journalist, author, and politician (born 1923) Read more
- 2010 — Keith Alexander, English footballer and manager (born 1956) Read more
- 2010 — Michael Foot, English journalist and politician, Secretary of State for Employment (born 1913) Read more
- 2009 — Gilbert Parent, Canadian educator and politician, 33rd Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada (born 1935) Read more
- 2008 — Giuseppe Di Stefano, Italian tenor and actor (born 1921) Read more
- 2008 — Norman Smith, English drummer and producer (born 1923) Read more
- 2007 — Osvaldo Cavandoli, Italian cartoonist (born 1920) Read more
- 2006 — Ivor Cutler, Scottish poet and songwriter (born 1923) Read more
- 2006 — Else Fisher, Australian-Swedish dancer, choreographer, and director (born 1918) Read more
- 2006 — William Herskovic, Hungarian-American humanitarian (born 1914) Read more
- 2005 — Max Fisher, American businessman and philanthropist (born 1928) Read more
- 2003 — Horst Buchholz, German actor (born 1933) Read more
- 2003 — Luis Marden, American linguist, photographer, and explorer (born 1913) Read more
- 2003 — Goffredo Petrassi, Italian composer and conductor (born 1904) Read more
- 2002 — G. M. C. Balayogi, Indian lawyer and politician, 12th Speaker of the Lok Sabha (born 1951) Read more
- 2001 — Louis Edmonds, American actor (born 1923) Read more
- 2001 — Maija Isola, Finnish textile designer (born 1927) Read more
- 2001 — Eugene Sledge, American soldier, author, and academic (born 1923) Read more
- 2000 — Toni Ortelli, Italian composer and conductor (born 1904) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Anselm, Duke of Friuli; Christian feast day:
Arthelais; Christian feast day:
Cunigunde of Luxembourg; Christian feast day:
Katharine Drexel; Christian feast day:
John and Charles Wesley (Episcopal Church (USA)); Christian feast day:
Marinus and Asterius of Caesarea; Christian feast day:
Winwaloe; Christian feast day:
March 3 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Hinamatsuri or "Girl's Day" (Japan); Liberation and Freedom Day (Charlottesville, Virginia, USA); Liberation Day (Bulgaria); Martyrs' Day (Malawi); Mother's Day (Georgia); Sportsmen's Day (Egypt); World Hearing Day; World Wildlife Day
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “March 3”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.