Almanac - Tuesday 3/15/22

Harriet E. Wilson, one of the first female African-American novelists, was born today in 1825. Her novel Our Nig, or Sketches from the Life of a Free Black was published anonymously in 1859 in Boston.

Marion Cuthbert, who helped found the National Association of College Women to fight discrimination in higher education, was born today in 1896. She was secretary of the National Board of YWCA and member of NAACP and numerous peace and human rights boards.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second female U.S. Supreme Court Justice, was born today in 1933.

Eva Longoria, a popular actress known for her role in the Desperate Housewives and numerous films, was born today in 1975. Her philanthropic work with PADRES Contra el Cancer has also helped millions of families affected by the illness. Longoria is a huge political activist championing equal pay and diversity in Hollywood among other causes.

1275 – Margaret of England, Duchess of Brabant (d. 1333)

1868 – Grace Chisholm Young, English mathematician (d. 1944)

1887 – Marjorie Merriweather Post, American businesswoman and philanthropist, founded General Foods (d. 1973)

1907 – Zarah Leander, Swedish actress and singer (d. 1981)

1909 – Jaroslava Muchová Syllabová, Czech painter (d. 1986)

1921 – Madelyn Pugh, American television writer and producer (d. 2011)

1933 – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, American lawyer and judge (d. 2020)

1939 – Julie Tullis, English mountaineer (d. 1986)

1941 – Carolyn Hansson, Canadian materials engineer

1943 – Lynda La Plante, English actress, screenwriter, and author

1948 – Kate Bornstein, American author and activist

1953 – Heather Graham Pozzessere, American author

1954 – Isobel Buchanan, Scottish soprano and actress

1958 – Anne Davies, English television presenter and newsreader

1959 – Lisa Holton, American journalist and author

1965 – Robyn Malcolm, New Zealand actress

1967 – Naoko Takeuchi, Japanese manga artist, creator of Sailor Moon

1968 – Kahimi Karie, Japanese singer

1968 – Sabrina Salerno, Italian singer-songwriter, actress, and producer

1969 – Rona Ambrose, Canadian journalist and politician, former Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada

1970 – Christine Anu, Australian singer

1971 – Penny Lancaster, English model and photographer

1971 – Joanne Wise, English long jumper

1973 – Robin Hunicke, American video game designer and producer

1975 – Eva Longoria, American actress and producer

1976 – Katherine Brooks, American director, producer, and screenwriter

1976 – Cara Pifko, Canadian actress

1981 – Veronica Maggio, Swedish singer-songwriter

1982 – Emily Dunn, American actress and dancer

1983 – Golda Marcus, Salvadoran swimmer

1983 – Heiko Niidas, Estonian basketball player

1993 – Alia Bhatt, British actress

Also on this day in history….

44 BC – The assassination of Julius Caesar takes place.

1916 – United States President Woodrow Wilson sends 4,800 United States troops over the U.S.–Mexico border to pursue Pancho Villa.

1917 – Tsar Nicholas II of Russia abdicates the Russian throne, ending the 304-year Romanov dynasty.

1939 – Carpatho-Ukraine declares itself an independent republic, but is annexed by Hungary the next day.

1941 – Philippine Airlines enters service, making the airline the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia operating under its original name.

1965 – President Lyndon B. Johnson, responding to the Selma crisis, tells U.S. Congress "We shall overcome" while advocating the Voting Rights Act.

1978 – Somalia and Ethiopia signed a truce to end the Ethio-Somali War.

1990 – Mikhail Gorbachev is elected as the first President of the Soviet Union.

2019 – Fifty-one people are killed in the Christchurch mosque shootings.

2019 – Beginning of the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests.

2019 – Approximately 1.4 million young people in 123 countries go on strike to protest climate change.

And more birthdays

270 – Saint Nicholas, Greek bishop and saint (d. 343)

1767 – Andrew Jackson, American general, judge, and politician, 7th President of the United States (d. 1845)

1874 – Harold L. Ickes, American journalist and politician, 32nd United States Secretary of the Interior (d. 1952)

1912 – Lightnin' Hopkins, American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1982)

1916 – Harry James, American trumpet player, bandleader, and actor (d. 1983)

1935 – Judd Hirsch, American actor

1935 – Jimmy Swaggart, American pastor and television host

1940 – Phil Lesh, American bassist

1943 – Sly Stone, American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer

1947 – Ry Cooder, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

1959 – Ben Okri, Nigerian poet and author

1962 – Terence Trent D'Arby, American singer-songwriter

1975 – will.i.am, American rapper, producer, and actor