March 4 in history — What Happened Today in History
Curious what March 4 in history holds? From 2020 back through the centuries, our timeline gathers everything that happened on March 4 — events, birthdays and deaths on one cozy page.
On this page, March 4 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 4 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on March 4 in History 40
- 2020
Nik Wallenda becomes the first person to walk over the Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua.
- 2018
Former MI6 spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter are poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury, England, causing a diplomatic uproar that results in mass-expulsions of diplomats from all countries involved.
- 2015
At least 34 miners die in a suspected gas explosion at the Zasyadko coal mine in the rebel-held Donetsk region of Ukraine.
- 2012
A series of explosions is reported at a munitions dump in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo, killing at least 250 people.
- 2009
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issues an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Al-Bashir is the first sitting head of state to be indicted by the ICC since its establishment in 2002.
- 2002
Afghanistan: Seven American Special Operations Forces soldiers and 200 Al-Qaeda Fighters are killed as American forces attempt to infiltrate the Shah-i-Kot Valley on a low-flying helicopter reconnaissance mission.
- 2001
BBC bombing: A massive car bomb explodes in front of the BBC Television Centre in London, seriously injuring one person; the attack was attributed to the Real IRA.
- 1998
Gay rights: Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc.: The Supreme Court of the United States rules that federal laws banning on-the-job sexual harassment also apply when both parties are the same sex.
- 1996
A derailed train in Weyauwega, Wisconsin (USA) causes the emergency evacuation of 2,300 people for 16 days.
- 1994
Space Shuttle program: The Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on STS-62.
- 1990
American basketball player Hank Gathers dies after collapsing during the semifinals of a West Coast Conference tournament game.
- 1990
Lennox Sebe, President for life of the South African Bantustan of Ciskei, is ousted from power in a bloodless military coup led by Brigadier Oupa Gqozo.
All entries for March 4（+28）
- 1986
The Soviet Vega 1 begins returning images of Halley's Comet and the first images of its nucleus.
- 1985
The Food and Drug Administration approves a blood test for HIV infection, used since then for screening all blood donations in the United States.
- 1980
Nationalist leader Robert Mugabe wins a sweeping election victory to become Zimbabwe's first black prime minister.
- 1977
The 1977 Vrancea earthquake in eastern and southern Europe kills more than 1,500, mostly in Bucharest, Romania.
- 1976
The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention is formally dissolved in Northern Ireland, resulting in direct rule of Northern Ireland from London by the British parliament.
- 1970
French submarine Eurydice explodes underwater, resulting in the loss of the entire 57-man crew.
- 1966
A Canadian Pacific Air Lines DC-8-43 explodes on landing at Tokyo International Airport, killing 64 people.
- 1966
In an interview in the London Evening Standard, the Beatles' John Lennon declares that the band is "more popular than Jesus now".
- 1962
A Caledonian Airways Douglas DC-7 crashes shortly after takeoff from Cameroon, killing 111 – the worst crash of a DC-7.
- 1960
The French freighter La Coubre explodes in Havana, Cuba, killing 100.
- 1957
The S&P 500 stock market index is introduced, replacing the S&P 90.
- 1955
An order to protect the endangered Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis) is legalized.
- 1946
The sixth President of Finland, Gustaf Mannerheim, submits his resignation for health reasons.
- 1944
World War II: After the success of Big Week, the USAAF begins a daylight bombing campaign of Berlin.
- 1943
World War II: The Battle of the Bismarck Sea in the south-west Pacific comes to an end.
- 1943
World War II: The Battle of Fardykambos, one of the first major battles between the Greek Resistance and the occupying Royal Italian Army, begins. It ends on 6 March with the surrender of an entire Italian battalion and the liberation of the town of Grevena.
- 1941
World War II: The United Kingdom launches Operation Claymore on the Lofoten Islands, the first large-scale British Commando raid.
- 1933
Franklin D. Roosevelt is inaugurated as the 32nd President of the United States.
- 1933
The United States Senate confirms Frances Perkins as United States Secretary of Labor and she is sworn in the same day, making her the first female member of the United States Cabinet.
- 1933
The Parliament of Austria is suspended because of a quibble over procedure – Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss initiates an authoritarian rule by decree.
- 1918
A case of influenza is recorded at Camp Funston, Kansas, conventionally marking the beginning of the worldwide Spanish flu pandemic.
- 1917
Jeannette Rankin of Montana becomes the first female member of the United States House of Representatives.
- 1913
First Balkan War: The Greek army engages the Turks at Bizani, resulting in victory two days later.
- 1913
The United States Department of Labor is formed.
- 1909
U.S. President William Howard Taft uses what became known as a Saxbe fix, a mechanism to avoid the restriction of the U.S. Constitution's Ineligibility Clause, to appoint Philander C. Knox as U.S. Secretary of State.
- 1908
The Collinwood school fire, Collinwood near Cleveland, Ohio, kills 174 people.
- 1901
William McKinley is inaugurated President of the United States for the second time; Theodore Roosevelt is vice president.
- 1899
Cyclone Mahina sweeps in north of Cooktown, Queensland, with a 12 metres (39 ft) wave that reaches up to 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) inland, killing over 300.
Famous Birthdays on March 4 in History 25
- 2007
Miya Cech, American actress
- 2002
Jacob Hopkins, American actor
- 2002
Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva, Australian rhythmic gymnast
- 2001
Freya Anderson, English freestyle swimmer
- 2001
George Pickens, American football player
- 1999
Brooklyn Beckham, English model and socialite
- 1998
Obi Toppin, American basketball player
- 1997
Matisse Thybulle, Australian-American basketball player
- 1997
Kwon Hyun-bin, South Korean actor and singer
- 1996
Michael Gallup, American football player
- 1996
Antonio Sanabria, Paraguayan footballer
- 1996
Lukas Webb, Australian rules footballer
All entries for March 4（+13）
- 1995
Chlöe Howl, English singer-songwriter
- 1995
Bill Milner, English actor
- 1995
Valeri Nichushkin, Russian ice hockey player
- 1994
Callum Harriott, English footballer
- 1994
Luisito Pié, Dominican taekwondo athlete
- 1994
AJ Tracey, British rapper and record producer
- 1993
Jenna Boyd, American actress
- 1993
Bobbi Kristina Brown, American singer and actress (died 2015)
- 1993
Richard Peniket, English footballer
- 1992
Nick Castellanos, American baseball player
- 1992
Erik Lamela, Argentine footballer
- 1992
Bernd Leno, German footballer
- 1992
Karl Mööl, Estonian footballer
Notable Deaths on March 4 in History 25
- 2025
Roy Ayers, American singer-songwriter, keyboard player, vibraphonist, and producer (born 1940)
- 2025
Joe Nickell, American skeptic and investigator of the paranormal (born 1944)
- 2023
Phil Batt, American soldier and politician, 29th Governor of Idaho (born 1927)
- 2022
Rod Marsh, Australian cricketer and coach (born 1947)
- 2022
Shane Warne, Australian cricketer, coach, and sportscaster (born 1969)
- 2020
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Peruvian politician and diplomat (born 1920)
- 2019
Keith Flint, English singer (The Prodigy) (born 1969)
- 2019
Luke Perry, American actor (born 1966)
- 2018
Davide Astori, Italian soccer player (born 1987)
- 2017
Clayton Yeutter, American politician (born 1930)
- 2016
Bud Collins, American journalist and sportscaster (born 1929)
- 2016
Pat Conroy, American author (born 1945)
All entries for March 4（+13）
- 2016
P. A. Sangma, Indian lawyer and politician, Speaker of the Lok Sabha (born 1947)
- 2016
Zhou Xiaoyan, Chinese soprano and educator (born 1917)
- 2015
Dušan Bilandžić, Croatian historian and politician (born 1924)
- 2015
Ray Hatton, English-American runner, author, and academic (born 1932)
- 2014
Mark Freidkin, Russian author and poet (born 1953)
- 2014
Elaine Kellett-Bowman, English lawyer and politician (born 1923)
- 2014
Jack Kinzler, American engineer (born 1920)
- 2014
Wu Tianming, Chinese director and producer (born 1939)
- 2013
Lillian Cahn, Hungarian-American businesswoman, co-founded Coach, Inc. (born 1923)
- 2013
Mickey Moore, Canadian-American actor and director (born 1914)
- 2013
Toren Smith, Canadian businessman, founded Studio Proteus (born 1960)
- 2012
Paul McBride, Scottish lawyer and politician (born 1965)
- 2012
Don Mincher, American baseball player (born 1938)
That is the story of March 4 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on March 4 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 4 in history?
The biggest event on March 4 in history is: 2020 — Nik Wallenda becomes the first person to walk over the Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on March 4?
25 famous people were born on March 4 in history, the best known being 2007 — Miya Cech, American actress.
Who died on March 4?
25 notable people died on March 4 in history, including 2025 — Roy Ayers, American singer-songwriter, keyboard player, vibraphonist, and producer (born 1940).
Why should I read about March 4 in history?
Exploring March 4 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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