On This Day in History - March 19th - Almanac

Today is Tuesday, March 19, the 78th day of 2018 with 287 to follow.

The moon is waxing. Morning stars are Jupiter, Saturn and Venus. Evening stars are Mars and Uranus.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Pisces. They include Plymouth Colony Gov. William Bradford in 1590; signer of the Declaration of Independence Thomas McKean in 1734; Scottish explorer of Africa David Livingstone in 1813; British explorer Richard Burton in 1821; U.S. Marshal Wyatt Earp in 1848; U.S. Army Gen. Joseph Stilwell in 1883; Chief U.S. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren in 1891; comedian Moms Mabley in 1894; Watergate Judge John Sirica in 1904; author Philip Roth in 1933; actor Ursula Andress in 1936 (age 83); actor Glenn Close in 1947 (age 72); film producer Harvey Weinstein in 1952 (age 67); actor Bruce Willis in 1955 (age 64); Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook in 1982 (age 37); actor Garrett Clayton in 1991 (age 28).

On this date in history:

In 1909, financier J.P. Morgan, during a meeting with King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy in Rome, pledged to help wipe out the black hand and similar criminal societies in the United States through education.

In 1916, eight Curtiss JN-3 "Jenny" airplanes with the First Aero Squadron took off from Columbus, N.M., to aid troops that had invaded Mexico in pursuit of the bandit Pancho Villa. It was the first U.S. air combat mission in history.

In 1918, the U.S. Congress passed the Standard Time Act, which authorized the Interstate Commerce Commission to establish standard time zones and daylight saving time.

In 1931, the Nevada Legislature voted to legalize gambling.

In 1953, legendary filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille won the only Academy Award of his career when The Greatest Show on Earth, a big-budget extravaganza about circus life, was acclaimed the Best Picture.

In 1962, singer-songwriter Bob Dylan releases his debut album, Bob Dylan, on Columbia Records.

In 1987, South Carolina televangelist Jim Bakker resigned as head of the PTL Club, saying he was blackmailed after a sexual encounter with a former church secretary.

In 1991, the NFL voted to revoke the plan for Phoenix to host the 1993 Super Bowl because the city did not observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

In 2005, Pakistan successfully tested a nuclear-capable missile with a range of 1,250 miles.

In 2011, former U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher died of cancer at the age of 85.

In 2018, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law the nation's most restrictive abortion law, which outlaws the medical procedure after the 15th week of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest.

A thought for the day: "I make my pictures for people, not for critics." -- Cecil B. DeMille