Today in History: March 23, “Titanic” wins record-tying 11 Oscars - WTOP News

It is currently the 23rd of March on a Saturday in the year 2024. Today marks the 83rd day of the year and there are still 283 days remaining until the year comes to an end.

The focal point of the day in past times: Today marks a significant event that happened in history:

In 1998, on the twenty-third day of March, the film “Titanic” created history at the Academy Awards by winning 11 Oscars. This included the award for the best picture, best director for James Cameron, and best original song for “My Heart Will Go On.”

Patrick Henry gave a speech to the Virginia Provincial Convention in 1775 where he reportedly proclaimed, "Either grant me freedom, or allow me to perish!"

In 1806, after reaching the Pacific coast, the explorers named Meriwether Lewis and William Clark started their journey back towards the east.

Benito Mussolini established his Fascist political party in Milan, Italy in the year 1919.

Back in 1933, the Enabling Act was passed by the German Reichstag, effectively handing over dictatorial powers to Adolf Hitler.

The initial Japanese-Americans who were placed in confinement by the U.S. Army during World War II came to the Manzanar camp situated in California in 1942.

During 1965, the initial space expedition for two individuals in America happened which involved Gemini 3 lifting off with astronauts Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom and John W. Young on board for a flight duration of almost 5 hours.

Back in 1981, the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision in H.L. v. Matheson that allowed states, with a few exceptions, to mandate that adolescent girls inform their parents when they opt for an abortion.

Back in 1993, researchers made public their discovery of the rebellious gene that triggers Huntington's disease.

Back in 1994, an aircraft called Aeroflot Flight 593, an Airbus A310, met with an unfortunate accident in Siberia and all 75 individuals onboard lost their lives. The investigation revealed that the pilot's adolescent son, who was permitted to sit at the controls, unintentionally disconnected the autopilot, leading to a loss of control.

Back in 2003, an ambush took place in Nasiriyah during the Iraq War. The targets were U.S. Army maintenance convoy, and unfortunately, the attack caused the death of 11 soldiers, among them Pfc. Lori Ann Piestewa. Moreover, six soldiers were also captured, including Pfc. Jessica Lynch, who was later saved from captivity on April 1, 2003.

Back in 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, which he considered to be a major victory. This healthcare reform cost $938 billion.

Back in 2012, President Barack Obama intervened in the heated discussion surrounding the tragic death of Trayvon Martin in Florida. He encouraged Americans to introspect and reflect on their beliefs, saying that if he had a son, he would resemble Trayvon.

Last year, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, issued a command that prohibited the majority of transgender soldiers from serving in the armed forces unless they met certain strict requirements.

During the year 2020, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, expressed his desire to resume the country's commercial activities within weeks rather than months. He believed that keeping everything shut down could increase the number of fatalities more than the actual virus. At the same time, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, put most retail businesses into closure and prohibited large gatherings of people. This was in response to the current pandemic situation affecting Europe.

Last year, a colossal freighter the height of a tall building got stuck and lodged in the Suez Canal, obstructing hundreds of ships from using the canal until after six days when the ship was eventually dislodged.

NATO predicted that between 7,000 to 15,000 Russian troops lost their lives during a four-week battle in Ukraine. The Ukrainian soldiers offered stronger opposition than anticipated which foiled Moscow's plans for a swift and effortless victory.

Today, several people are celebrating their birthdays. Mark Rydell, a famous film director, is turning 95 years old. Rex Tillerson, who served as Secretary of State, is now 72. Chaka Khan, a talented singer, is celebrating her 71st birthday. Amanda Plummer, an actress, is 67. Catherine Keener, also an actress, is turning 65, while Hope Davis, another actor, is celebrating her 60th birthday today. Richard Grieco, who is an actor, is now 59 years old. Marin Hinkle, who has also appeared in several movies, is 58 today. Damon Albarn, the lead singer and musician of Blur, is now 56. Kelly Perine, an actor, is 55 years old today, while Melissa Errico, who is an actor and singer, is 54. John Humphrey, the rock musician from The Nixons, is also celebrating his 54th birthday. Reggie Watts, the bandleader from “The Late Late Show With James Corden,” is now 52. Meanwhile, Randall Park, another actor, is turning 50. Michelle Monaghan, another actor, is now 48, along with Keri Russell, who is also an actress. Anastasia Griffith, an actor, is celebrating her 46th birthday today. Perez Hilton, a gossip columnist-blogger, is also 46 years old today, while Nicholle Tom and Brandon Dirden, both actors, are also turning 46. Lastly, Brett Young, a country singer, is now 43 years old, and NBA point guard Kyrie Irving is turning 32.

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