March Factoids

March 1-31

March is Women's History Month

During Women's History Month, women and the role that women have played during the past 200 years in the United States are recognized. It's also encouraged to celebrate the women in our lives. Visit our Women's History  The collection features women from many walks of life!

March is also National Nutrition Month

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics created an annual campaign for the month of March to encourage people to learn more about balanced nutrition and how to make more informed and healthy habits when it comes to food. Visit our Nutrition Collection.

 


March Observances (Day):

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1

Articles of Confederation

March 1, 1781: The Articles of Confederation were formally ratified by Congress. The Articles of Confederation established Congress as the sole governing body of the 13 colonies. It remained in place until the current U.S. Constitution was adopted in 1789. Learn more about the Articles of Confederation here. (Forgotten Founder)

National Horse Protection Day

Also known as World Horse Day, this holiday was founded in 2005 to honor horses and their contributions to our society. The horse is considered an icon of freedom and is meant to be celebrated and protected on this day. View our content on horses.

National Pig Day

This holiday was created to celebrate the coveted farm animal – the pig. Celebrated mostly in the Midwest U.S., it is a day to recognize pigs as the smartest domesticated farm animal. The holiday was founded in 1972 and since then has been celebrated with Porcine Parades at nursing homes, events at zoos and learning opportunities at schools.

Listen to the Three Little Pigs in both English and Gullah by Aunt Pearlie Sue. (Gullah Net) 

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2

National Read Across America Day

People across the country are encouraged to pick a book and also pass books along to foster reading. Visit our Libraries, Literature and Learning Collection

Old Stuff Day

Take this holiday as a sign to do some Spring cleaning – Old Stuff Day is all about getting rid of old clutter, clothes and ideas and starting fresh. It is encouraged to try a new food, a new route to work, a new routine, not just about donating your old wardrobe.

On Knowitall, we have quite a few resources that do a great job at preserving "old stuff" so we can learn about the past.

World Book Day

World Book Day is a holiday celebrate by an organization of the same name that aims to change lives through a passion for books and reading. The holiday encourages people to pick up a book and start reading for pleasure and let themselves get lost in the characters and distant setting. Visit our Libraries, Literature and Learning Collection.

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3

World Wildlife Day

The United Nations declared March 3 as the day to celebrate wildlife. This is also the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in 1973 – to raise awareness for the world’s wildlife and ecosystems. Visit our Environmental Awareness Collection.

National Employee Appreciation Day

March 5 is a day for employers to show their appreciation for their employees in small ways. The holiday was created to fortify the bond and trust between employer and employee. Explore careers and show appreciation for those who perform these jobs!

Visit our Career Explorations Collection. Be sure to view our newest career resources on Let’s Go! Careers.

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4

National Grammar Day

This holiday was founded to encourage people to use proper grammar and vocabulary in their daily speech and writing. To observe this day, you can focus on your speech and on the speech of others from a different background to learn about the versatility of grammar, especially in different dialects of the same language. View our content related to grammar.

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6

Michelangelo

March 6, 1475: Renaissance icon Michelangelo was born in Caprese, Italy. He was a painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and visionary. Some of his most well known works include painting the Sistine Chapel, and his sculpture called David. Another one of his works, Slave Called Atlas, can be viewed here. (Artopia)

"Remember the Alamo!"

March 6, 1836: Fort Alamo fell to Mexican troops led by Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The siege at this famed Texas fort began on February 23, and ended with the death of the last man standing. William Barret Travis, and James Butler Bonham, were two South Carolinians who heroically sacrificed their lives during the battle. (S.C. Hall of Fame)

National Dentist’s Day

This holiday was created to honor dentists and to encourage patients to learn more about how to care for their teeth and dental hygiene. The day also serves as a reminder to those who avoid going to the dentist to make a routine teeth cleaning. View our resources on dentists.

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8

International Women's Day

This holiday honors the achievements of women in the social, economic, cultural and political spheres of life. The holiday also focuses on how to close gender gaps and dissolve the backwards thoughts about gender roles. Visit the Women's History and Women in Leadership collection.

National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day

Annually on the second Wednesday in March, the contributions to science and the public of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists are celebrated. 

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11

Mary Boykin Chestnut

Mary Boykin Chesnut’s diary is valued as the most accurate picture of what really happened during the era of the Confederacy. Watch a reenactment of Mary's diary entry from March 11, 1861. (Idella Bodie)

Learn more about Mary Chesnut's Civil War, and her Civil War photo albums, thought to be lost. (Walter Edgar's Journal)

The Spanish Influenza Pandemic

March 11, 1918: The 'Spanish Influenza' pandemic first reached the United States, as 107 soldiers became sick with it at Fort Riley, Kansas. The pandemic lasted from 1918 through 1920, resulting in the deaths of between 50 to 100 million people worldwide. (Carolina Stories, History In A Nutshell)

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12

National Plant a Flower Day

National Plant a Flower Day encourages people to plant a flower in honor of the vital role flowers play in our ecosystems, history, religion, traditions and inspiration. 

There’s more to explore by searching on the key word flower!

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14

National Learn About Butterflies Day

On National Learn About Butterflies Day, learn more about one of the most vital insects – the butterfly. These creatures contribute to pollenating our crops which supply us food and energy.

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15

Andrew Jackson

March 15, 1767: Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States, was born in Waxhaw, South Carolina. (History of S.C. Slide Collection)

Battle of Guilford Courthouse

During the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse was fought on March 15, 1781. Although technically a victory for the British, they suffered heavy losses as a result of the battle. (Southern Campaign)

"Beware the Ides of March!"

March 15, 44 BC:  On this date, Roman dictator Gaius Julius Caesar was assassinated. Optimates in the Roman Senate feared that Caesar would overthrow the Republic, and re-establish the monarchy. Caesar's death ushered in the Liberators' Civil War, and Rome's transition from Republic to Empire.  Learn more about Ancient Rome, with History in a Nutshell! 

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18

John C. Calhoun

March 18, 1782: John C. Calhoun was born near Abbeville, SC. Calhoun served as a congressman, senator, secretary of war, secretary of state, and vice president of the United States under President Andrew Jackson. (History of SC Slide Collection)

Take a tour of John C. Calhoun's historic home, Fort Hill! (Let's Go!)

South Carolina Day

According to South Carolina Code of Laws, SECTION 53-3-60, "The public schools shall observe Calhoun's birthday, the eighteenth of March of each year, as South Carolina Day and on that day the school officers and teachers shall conduct such exercises as will conduce to a more general knowledge and appreciation of the history, resources and possibilities of this State. If such day shall fall on Saturday or Sunday the Friday nearest to March eighteenth shall be so observed and if any school shall not be in session on such date, the celebration may be held before the close of the term. The State Superintendent of Education shall suggest such topics or programs, as he may deem appropriate for the celebration of South Carolina Day."  

We invite you to explore Let's Go!, our Explore South Carolina Collection or the Virtual Field Trips & Tours Collection.

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19

National Certified Nurses Day

"Certified Nurses Day occurs every March 19, the birthday of Dr. Margretta "Gretta" Madden Styles, RN, EdD, FAAN, one of the greatest leaders in the field of nursing certification." (source: nursingworld.org). Learn more about a career in nursing by visiting the Nurses collection.

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20

Coretta Scott King

On March 20, 1969 Coretta Scott King marched with black workers from Local 1199-B, the Nursing Home Employees Union in Charleston, SC. (Road Trip)

French Language Day

The event was established by the UN's Department of Public Information in 2010 "to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the Organization". For the French Language, 20 March was chosen as the date since it "coincides with the 40th anniversary of the International Organization of La Francophonie", a group whose members share a common tongue, as well as the humanist values promoted by the French language.

South Carolina educators, please register for an account on KnowItAll.org to gain access to these resources. 

World Storytelling Day

March 20 marks the day to honor the art of oral storytelling and its contribution to our modern understanding of history and important events. The holiday originated in Sweden but has spread to be celebrated globally. People from all over the world are encouraged to connect to one another by telling stories and appreciating it as an art form.

Visit It's Storytime collection for fairytales and children's book read aloud.

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21 

World Poetry Day

UNESCO and the United Nations declared this day a world holiday in 1999 to celebrate the connective art form that is poetry and its ability to creatively grasp feelings and ideas of the complex human mind. The holiday supports linguistic diversity as well as the oral tradition of reciting poetry as an art form.

Visit the Poets and Poetry collection.

National 3-D Day 

Each year, in the third month, on the third week, on the third day, national 3-D day celebrates the ingenuity, art and history of 3-D visuals. 

Try out our 3D VR Interactives on Let’s Go!

National Ag Day

National Ag Day began March 23, 1973 as a way to honor the role agriculture plays in sustaining our society and enriching our economy. The Agriculture Council of America encourages Americans to become more familiar with how food and fiber products are produced, which products are safe and healthy and what kind of careers are out there in agriculture. View our resources for National Ag Day!

International Day of Forests

This holiday is marked by the international efforts to protect and restore forests in hopes of preserving them for the survival of the environment and future generations. Visit SC Life: The Cove Forest

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

The United Nations launched this holiday on the same day that police open fired and killed 69 people that were protesting apartheid in South Africa in 1960. The holiday was made to inspire people to get involved in the fight to end racial discrimination. Visit these collections:

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22

City of Columbia Bicentennial Time Capsule

This city of Columbia bicentennial time capsule was sealed December 31, 1986. It is to be opened March 22, 2036 on Columbia’s 250th birthday.  (Let's Go!)

World Water Day

This holiday is all about valuing water – our life source – and seeing to it that we understand how diversly it is used and appreciated.

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23

Patrick Henry

March 23, 1775: Patrick Henry sparked the American Revolution with a speech before the Virginia Convention, where he said the famous quote "Give me liberty, or give me death!" Learn more about Patrick Henry and other Founding Fathers here. (Scholastic American History Series)

World Meteorological Day

World Meteorological Day celebrates the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization in 1950. It recognizes the extraordinary contributions from meteorologists and meteorological science to public health and safety. View these resources related to meteorology, motion in the environment and weather.[top]

 

25

International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

The United Nations erected this international holiday to remember and commemorate the strife that 15 million men, women and children over 400 years was put through because of the transatlantic slave trade. The holiday encourages people to learn from history and recognize racial discrimination and prejudice today to become more holistic and productive members of the human race. Visit Slavery in South Carolina.

Earth Hour Day

A day held annually encouraging individuals, communities, and businesses to turn off non-essential electric lights, for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., as a symbol of commitment to the planet. View our resources on Environmental Awareness!

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26

African American History Monument

The unveiling of this African American History Monument on March 26, 2001, made South Carolina the first of the fifty states to have a monument dedicated to black history on the grounds of its state capitol. (Let's Go!)

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27

World Theatre Day

The International Theater Institute founded this holiday in 1961 to celebrate the international community of theater performers and producers. Events are created for outstanding figures in international theater to orally express their thoughts and feelings about this community and the impact it’s left on the rest of the world. Check out these resources:

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29

National Vietnam War Veterans Day

A national day recognizing and honoring veterans who served in the US military during the Vietnam War. Check out our Vietnam War Collection!

Manatee Appreciation Day

The manatee faces many survival challenges, with many being man-made. Manatee Appreciation Day was created to honor them and bring awareness to our effect on their livelihoods and habitats. 

To view what a manatee looks like, check out Kennedy Space Center, Part 1 - Wild Canaveral | 27:Fifty where the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is part of Kennedy Space Center.

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31

Take Down Tobacco - Day of Action

Take Down Tobacco is an annual holiday empowers people to stand up to the tobacco industry and reflects on the progress of the initiative over the past 26 years as well as how much farther it can go. E-cigarettes are the newest challenge in the tobacco industry that this initiative aims to lower the risk of its influence for children. View the collection.

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REVISIONS

Revised by Eva Chillaru, 2021 ETV Endowment Intern, June 2021