March 24 in history — What Happened Today in History
March 24 in history is full of turning points. This page walks you through what happened on March 24 in history, who was born on March 24 and who passed away on March 24, so nothing about this day slips past you.
On this page, March 24 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about March 24 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on March 24 in History 40
- 2026
OpenAI announces that their flagship Sora app and API are shutting down.
- 2024
The 2024 Senegalese presidential election is held following anti-government protests.
- 2023
An EF4 tornado strikes the towns of Rolling Fork and Silver City, Mississippi, causing mass destruction.
- 2018
Syrian civil war: The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and Syrian National Army (SNA) take full control of Afrin District, marking the end of the Afrin offensive.
- 2018
Students across the United States stage the March for Our Lives demanding gun control in response to the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.
- 2015
Germanwings Flight 9525 crashes in the French Alps in an apparent pilot mass murder-suicide, killing all 150 people on board.
- 2008
Bhutan officially becomes a democracy, with its first ever general election.
- 1999
Kosovo War: NATO begins attacks on Yugoslavia without United Nations Security Council (UNSC) approval, marking the first time NATO has attacked a sovereign country.
- 1999
A lorry carrying margarine and flour catches fire inside the Mont Blanc Tunnel, creating an inferno that kills 39 people.
- 1998
Mitchell Johnson and Andrew Golden, aged 11 and 13 respectively, open fire upon teachers and students at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas; five people are killed and ten are wounded.
- 1998
A tornado sweeps through Dantan in India, killing 250 people and injuring 3,000 others.
- 1998
Dr. Rüdiger Marmulla performs the first computer-assisted Bone Segment Navigation at the University of Regensburg, Germany.
All entries for March 24（+28）
- 1992
Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on STS-45.
- 1990
Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War ends with the last ship of Indian Peace Keeping Force leaving Sri Lanka.
- 1989
In Prince William Sound in Alaska, the Exxon Valdez spills 240,000 barrels (38,000 m3) of crude oil after running aground.
- 1986
The Loscoe gas explosion leads to new UK laws on landfill gas migration and gas protection on landfill sites.
- 1982
Bangladeshi President Abdus Sattar is deposed in a bloodless coup led by Army Chief Lieutenant general Hussain Muhammad Ershad, who suspends the Constitution and imposes martial law.
- 1980
El Salvadorian Archbishop Óscar Romero is assassinated while celebrating Mass in San Salvador.
- 1977
Morarji Desai becomes the prime minister of India, the first prime minister not to belong to Indian National Congress.
- 1976
In Argentina, the armed forces overthrow the constitutional government of President Isabel Perón and start a seven-year dictatorial period self-styled the National Reorganization Process.
- 1972
Direct rule is imposed on Northern Ireland by the Government of the United Kingdom under Edward Heath.
- 1949
Hanns Albin Rauter, a chief SS and Police Leader in the Netherlands, is convicted and executed for crimes against humanity.
- 1946
A British Cabinet Mission arrives in India to discuss and plan for the transfer of power from the British Raj to Indian leadership.
- 1944
German troops massacre 335 Italian civilians in Rome.
- 1944
World War II: In an event later dramatized in the movie The Great Escape, 76 Allied prisoners of war begin breaking out of the German camp Stalag Luft III.
- 1939
The 1939 Liechtenstein putsch takes place; approximately 40 members of the VBDL starting from Nendeln march towards Vaduz with the intention of overthrowing the government and provoking Liechtenstein's annexation into Germany.
- 1934
The Tydings–McDuffie Act is passed by the United States Congress, allowing the Philippines to become a self-governing commonwealth.
- 1927
Nanking Incident: Foreign warships bombard Nanjing, China, in defence of the foreign citizens within the city.
- 1922
The McMahon killings take place in Belfast. Six Catholic civilians are shot dead, two others wounded and a female family member assaulted. Police were suspected as being responsible, but no one was prosecuted.
- 1921
The 1921 Women's Olympiad begins in Monte Carlo, becoming the first international women's sports event.
- 1900
Mayor of New York City Robert Anderson Van Wyck breaks ground for a new underground "Rapid Transit Railroad" that would link Manhattan and Brooklyn.
- 1900
Carnegie Steel Company is formed in New Jersey; its capitalization of $160 million is the largest to date.
- 1882
Robert Koch announces the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis.
- 1878
The British frigate HMS Eurydice sinks, killing more than 300.
- 1870
A Chilean prospecting party led by José Díaz Gana discovers the silver ores of Caracoles in the Bolivian portion of Atacama Desert, leading to the last of the Chilean silver rushes and a diplomatic dispute over its taxation between Chile and Bolivia.
- 1869
The last of Tītokowaru's forces surrender to the New Zealand government, ending his uprising.
- 1860
Sakuradamon Incident: Japanese chief minister (Tairō) Ii Naosuke is assassinated by rōnin samurai outside the Sakurada Gate of Edo Castle.
- 1854
President José Gregorio Monagas abolishes slavery in Venezuela.
- 1832
In Hiram, Ohio, a group of men beat and tar and feather Mormon leader Joseph Smith.
- 1829
The Parliament of the United Kingdom passes the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829, allowing Catholics to serve in Parliament.
Famous Birthdays on March 24 in History 25
- 2004
Gonzalo García, Spanish footballer
- 2001
Clara Burel, French tennis player
- 1999
Katie Swan, English tennis player
- 1998
Christopher Briney, American actor
- 1998
Ethel Cain, American singer-songwriter, record producer, and model
- 1998
Damar Hamlin, American football player
- 1997
Mina, Japanese singer and dancer
- 1996
Myles Turner, American basketball player
- 1995
Enzo Zidane, French-Spanish footballer
- 1993
Daniel Sazonov, Finnish politician
- 1991
Nick Browne, English cricketer
- 1991
Dalila Jakupovic, Slovenian tennis player
All entries for March 24（+13）
- 1990
Aljur Abrenica, Filipino actor
- 1990
Keisha Castle-Hughes, Australian-New Zealand actress
- 1990
Starlin Castro, American baseball player
- 1990
Lacey Evans, American wrestler
- 1990
Alyssa Healy, Australian cricketer
- 1990
JonTron, American YouTuber
- 1989
Zyzz, Russian-Australian bodybuilder and internet personality (died 2011)
- 1988
Aiga Grabuste, Latvian heptathlete
- 1988
Ryan Higgins, Zimbabwean cricketer
- 1988
Matías Martínez, Argentinian footballer
- 1988
Kardo Ploomipuu, Estonian swimmer
- 1988
Matt Todd, New Zealand rugby union player
- 1987
Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladeshi cricketer
Notable Deaths on March 24 in History 25
- 2026
Biruté Galdikas, Canadian primatologist and conservationist (born 1946)
- 2026
Tracy Kidder, American writer (born 1945)
- 2026
Mel Schilling, Australian TV personality and coach (born 1972)
- 2025
Dick Carlson, American journalist and diplomat (born 1941)
- 2024
Lou Whittaker, American mountaineer, mountain guide, and businessman (born 1929)
- 2023
Gordon Moore, American businessman, engineer and co-founder of Intel Corporation (born 1929)
- 2023
Pradeep Sarkar, Indian writer and director (born 1955)
- 2022
Dagny Carlsson, Swedish blogger and influencer (born 1912)
- 2021
Jessica Walter, American actress and voice artist (born 1941)
- 2020
Albert Uderzo, French comic book artist (born 1927)
- 2020
Manu Dibango, Cameroonian musician and songwriter (born 1933)
- 2019
Joseph Pilato, American film and voice actor (born 1949)
All entries for March 24（+13）
- 2018
Lys Assia, Swiss singer and First Winner of the Eurovision Song Contest (born 1924)
- 2018
Rim Banna, Palestinian singer, composer, arranger and activist (born 1966)
- 2016
Johan Cruyff, Dutch footballer (born 1947)
- 2016
Garry Shandling, American comedian, actor, and screenwriter (born 1949)
- 2015
Yehuda Avner, English-Israeli diplomat (born 1928)
- 2015
notable deaths of the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash:
- 2014
Oleksandr Muzychko, Ukrainian activist (born 1962)
- 2014
John Rowe Townsend, English author and scholar (born 1922)
- 2014
David A. Trampier, American illustrator (born 1954)
- 2013
Barbara Anderson, New Zealand author (born 1926)
- 2013
Inge Lønning, Norwegian theologian, academic, and politician (born 1938)
- 2013
Gury Marchuk, Russian physicist, mathematician, and academic (born 1925)
- 2013
Paolo Ponzo, Italian footballer (born 1972)
That is the story of March 24 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on March 24 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on March 24 in history?
The biggest event on March 24 in history is: 2026 — OpenAI announces that their flagship Sora app and API are shutting down.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on March 24?
25 famous people were born on March 24 in history, the best known being 2004 — Gonzalo García, Spanish footballer.
Who died on March 24?
25 notable people died on March 24 in history, including 2026 — Biruté Galdikas, Canadian primatologist and conservationist (born 1946).
Why should I read about March 24 in history?
Exploring March 24 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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