March 13 in history — What Happened Today in History
Curious what March 13 in history holds? From 2020 back through the centuries, our timeline gathers everything that happened on March 13 — events, birthdays and deaths on one cozy page.
On this page, March 13 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 13 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on March 13 in History 40
- 2020
President Donald Trump declares the COVID-19 pandemic to be a national emergency in the United States.
- 2020
Breonna Taylor is killed by police officers who were forcibly entering her home in Louisville, Kentucky; her death sparked extensive protests against racism and police brutality.
- 2020
Katerina Sakellaropoulou is sworn in as the first female President of Greece amid strict COVID-19 measures.
- 2019
The Suzano school shooting kills 10 people.
- 2016
The Ankara bombing kills at least 37 people.
- 2016
Three gunmen attack two hotels in the Ivory Coast town of Grand-Bassam, killing at least 19 people.
- 2015
Serbian Army Mi-17 helicopter crashes near Belgrade airport while transporting a 5-day-old baby with respiratory problems to hospital, killing all 7 on board.
- 2013
The 2013 papal conclave elects Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio taking the name Pope Francis as the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church.
- 2012
The Sierre coach crash kills 28 people, including 22 children.
- 2003
An article in Nature identifies the Ciampate del Diavolo as 350,000-year-old hominid footprints.
- 1997
The Missionaries of Charity choose Sister Nirmala to succeed Mother Teresa as their leader.
- 1996
The Dunblane massacre leads to the death of sixteen primary school children and one teacher in Dunblane, Scotland.
All entries for March 13（+28）
- 1993
The 1993 Storm of the Century affects the eastern United States, dropping feet of snow in many areas.
- 1992
The Mw 6.6 Erzincan earthquake strikes eastern Turkey with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe).
- 1989
Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-29 carrying the TDRS-4 satellite.
- 1988
The Seikan Tunnel, the longest tunnel in the world with an undersea segment, opens between Aomori and Hakodate, Japan.
- 1979
The New Jewel Movement, headed by Maurice Bishop, ousts the Prime Minister of Grenada, Eric Gairy, in a coup d'état.
- 1974
Sierra Pacific Airlines Flight 802 crashes into the White Mountains near Bishop, California, killing 36.
- 1969
Apollo 9 returns safely to Earth after testing the Lunar Module.
- 1964
Kitty Genovese is murdered in New York City, prompting research into the bystander effect due to the false story that neighbors witnessed the killing and did nothing to help her.
- 1957
Cuban student revolutionaries storm the presidential palace in Havana in a failed attempt on the life of President Fulgencio Batista.
- 1954
The Battle of Điện Biên Phủ begins with an artillery barrage by Viet Minh forces under Võ Nguyên Giáp; Viet Minh victory led to the end of the First Indochina War and French withdrawal from Vietnam.
- 1943
The Holocaust: German forces liquidate the Jewish ghetto in Kraków.
- 1940
The Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union officially ends after the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty.
- 1930
The news of the discovery of Pluto is announced by Lowell Observatory.
- 1920
The Kapp Putsch briefly ousts the Weimar Republic government from Berlin.
- 1900
British forces occupy Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, during the Second Boer War.
- 1888
The eruption of Ritter Island triggers tsunamis that kill up to 3,000 people on nearby islands.
- 1884
The Siege of Khartoum begins. It lasts until January 26, 1885.
- 1862
The Act Prohibiting the Return of Slaves is passed by the United States Congress, effectively annulling the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and setting the stage for the Emancipation Proclamation.
- 1848
The German revolutions of 1848–1849 begin in Vienna.
- 1845
Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto receives its première performance in Leipzig with Ferdinand David as soloist.
- 1825
Pope Leo XII publishes the apostolic constitution Quo Graviora in which he renewed the prohibition on Catholics joining freemasonry.
- 1815
Participants at the Congress of Vienna declare Napoleon an outlaw following his escape from Elba.
- 1811
A French and Italian fleet is defeated by a British squadron off the island of Vis in the Adriatic during the Napoleonic Wars.
- 1809
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden is deposed in the Coup of 1809.
- 1781
William Herschel discovers Uranus.
- 1741
The Battle of Cartagena de Indias (part of the War of Jenkins' Ear) begins.
- 1697
Nojpetén, capital of the last independent Maya kingdom, falls to Spanish conquistadors, the final step in the Spanish conquest of Guatemala.
- 1639
Harvard College is named after clergyman John Harvard.
Famous Birthdays on March 13 in History 25
- 2004
Coco Gauff, American tennis player
- 2002
Frank Gore Jr., American football player
- 2001
Beomgyu, South Korean singer-songwriter
- 2001
Thomas Dearden, Australian rugby league player
- 1998
Jay-Roy Grot, Dutch footballer
- 1998
Jack Harlow, American rapper, singer-songwriter, and actor
- 1997
Pyper America, American model, actress, and musician
- 1997
Landry Shamet, American basketball player
- 1996
Brayden Point, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1995
Mikaela Shiffrin, American skier
- 1995
Jang Su-jeong, South Korean tennis player
- 1994
Gerard Deulofeu, Spanish footballer
All entries for March 13（+13）
- 1994
Mohammed Siraj, Indian cricketer
- 1993
Tyrone Mings, English footballer
- 1992
Lucy Fry, Australian actress
- 1992
George MacKay, English actor
- 1992
Ozuna, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and rapper
- 1992
L, South Korean actor and singer
- 1991
Daniel Greig, Australian speed skater
- 1991
Tristan Thompson, American basketball player
- 1990
Anicet Abel, Malagasy footballer
- 1990
Marcell Dareus, American football player
- 1989
Holger Badstuber, German footballer
- 1989
Peaches Geldof, English columnist, television personality, and model (died 2014)
- 1989
Sandy León, Venezuelan baseball player
Notable Deaths on March 13 in History 25
- 2025
John Feinstein, American sportswriter and commentator (born 1956)
- 2025
Raúl Grijalva, United States representative from Arizona (born 1948)
- 2025
Sofia Gubaidulina, Russian-German pianist and composer (born 1931)
- 2024
Philippe de Gaulle, French admiral (born 1921)
- 2022
William Hurt, American actor (born 1950)
- 2021
Marvelous Marvin Hagler, American professional boxer (born 1954)
- 2021
Murray Walker, English motorsport commentator and journalist (born 1923)
- 2018
Emily Nasrallah, Lebanese writer and women's rights activist. (born 1931)
- 2017
Amy Krouse Rosenthal, American author (born 1965)
- 2016
Hilary Putnam, American philosopher, mathematician, and computer scientist (born 1926)
- 2015
Al Rosen, American baseball player and manager (born 1924)
- 2014
Reubin Askew, American sergeant, lawyer, and politician, 37th Governor of Florida (born 1928)
All entries for March 13（+13）
- 2014
Edward Haughey, Baron Ballyedmond, Irish businessman and politician (born 1944)
- 2014
Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, Sierra Leonean economist, lawyer, and politician, 3rd President of Sierra Leone (born 1932)
- 2014
Icchokas Meras, Lithuanian-Israeli author and screenwriter (born 1934)
- 2013
Clive Burr, English drummer and songwriter (born 1957)
- 2011
Rick Martin, Canadian-American ice hockey player (born 1951)
- 2010
Jean Ferrat, French singer-songwriter (born 1930)
- 2009
Betsy Blair, American actress (born 1923)
- 2009
Alan W. Livingston, American businessman (born 1917)
- 2007
Arnold Skaaland, American wrestler and manager (born 1925)
- 2006
Robert C. Baker, American businessman, invented the chicken nugget (born 1921)
- 2006
Jimmy Johnstone, Scottish footballer (born 1944)
- 2006
Maureen Stapleton, American actress (born 1925)
- 2006
Peter Tomarken, American television personality, game show host (born 1942)
That is the story of March 13 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on March 13 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 13 in history?
The biggest event on March 13 in history is: 2020 — President Donald Trump declares the COVID-19 pandemic to be a national emergency in the United States.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on March 13?
25 famous people were born on March 13 in history, the best known being 2004 — Coco Gauff, American tennis player.
Who died on March 13?
25 notable people died on March 13 in history, including 2025 — John Feinstein, American sportswriter and commentator (born 1956).
Why should I read about March 13 in history?
Exploring March 13 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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