March 7
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Featured Event
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Marcus Aurelius becomes emperor of Rome
On this day in 161 ce, Marcus Aurelius declared himself and his adoptive brother Lucius Verus emperors of Rome, marking the first time two emperors would rule the Roman Empire simultaneously. Although his transition to power was smooth, his time as emperor was marked by wars and revolts, along with personal tragedy—both his wife, Empress Faustina, and co-emperor Lucius died within the first 15 years of his reign. During his rule, Marcus wrote his thoughts in a diary, which was published after his death. The resulting work, Meditations, formed the basis of Stoic philosophy. [Read today’s edition of Today in History > >]
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Featured Biography
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Born this day in 1938, American race car driver Janet Guthrie was the first woman to compete (1977) in the Indianapolis 500, though mechanical problems forced her to retire from the race after 27 laps.
Famous Birthdays
More on March 7
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2010
Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win an Academy Award for best director, for The Hurt Locker (2008). Her tense action films often feature protagonists that struggle with inner conflict. [Test your knowledge of famous firsts for women.]
© 1975 Warner Brothers, Inc. with Hawk Films
1999
Stanley Kubrick—whose iconic films are characterized by a cool, formal visual style, meticulous attention to detail, and a detached, often ironic pessimism—died in England. [Take our quiz about Stanley Kubrick.]
© Timothy A. Clary—AFP/Getty Images
1987
American boxer Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight to acquire the World Boxing Association (WBA) championship belt when he defeated James Smith in 12 rounds. [How much do you know about boxing?]
Peter Pettus/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-DIG-ppmsca-08102)
1965
State troopers used nightsticks and tear gas to attack civil rights activists as they crossed a bridge in Selma, Alabama, during their attempted march to the state capitol in Montgomery. The march, led by Martin Luther King, Jr., directly led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. [View Britannica’s visual timeline of the Selma March.]
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1952
Cricketer Viv Richards, who earned the nickname “Master Blaster” as one of the finest batsmen of his generation, was born in Antigua. [Discover how well you know cricket.]
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1876
Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for the telephone. Just a few days later, he produced intelligible speech through a telephone for the first time. [Learn six fast facts about Alexander Graham Bell.]
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1875
Maurice Ravel, who was noted for his musical craftsmanship and perfection of form and style, was born in Ciboure, France. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about music composers.]
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1872
Piet Mondrian—who was an important leader in the development of modern abstract art —was born in Amersfoort, Netherlands. [Test your knowledge of famous artists, painters, and architects.]
© North Wind Picture Archives
1850
U.S. Senator Daniel Webster spoke out in favor of the Compromise of 1850 (enacted in September), a series of moderate measures that addressed the question of slavery in U.S. territories. [Test your knowledge of American history and politics.]
Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, London
1792
Sir John Herschel, a successor to his father, Sir William Herschel, in the field of stellar and nebular observation and discovery, was born in England.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
1644
Massachusetts established the first bicameral legislature in North America. [Learn about the differences between unicameral and bicameral legislatures.]
© Scott Keeler/Tampa Bay Times—ZUMA Wire/Alamy
1539
An expedition organized by the viceroy of New Spain set out from present-day Mexico City in search of the legendary Seven Cities of Cíbola. Its guide was Estéban de Dorantes, an enslaved Moroccan man who was the first African to travel through large parts of North America.