What happened in March 1971?
The top front-page story of each day in March 1971, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Mar 1🏛️ New Chapel Opens – A new religious center in Houston, featuring 14 Rothko works, is compared to the Sistine Chapel for its beauty and significance.
- Mar 2🌧️ Brazil Storm Toll – Torrential rains in Brazil have caused over 130 deaths, with 400 people reported missing in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
- Mar 3🏛️ 4th-Century Church Found – Greek archaeologists unearthed a basilica built by Emperor Constantine in Jerusalem, marking a significant historical discovery.
- Mar 4🚀 China Orbits Second Satellite – Communist China successfully orbited its second earth satellite, marking a significant achievement in its space program.
- Mar 5🚀 Jupiter Mission Planned – American scientists prepare to launch a spacecraft in 1972 to explore the area beyond Mars, marking a significant step in space exploration.
- Mar 6🌨️ French Riviera Snow – Residents of the French Riviera were surprised to find palm trees covered in snow, with some areas receiving up to four inches.
- Mar 7🥊 Ali-Frazier Fight – The highly anticipated heavyweight championship fight between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali is set to take place, attracting global attention.
- Mar 8🏅 Mrs. Court Victorious – Margaret Court avenged an earlier loss by defeating Evonne Goolagong in the final of the Centennial Open tennis tournament.
- Mar 9🥊 Frazier Wins Championship – Joe Frazier claims the undisputed heavyweight championship, realizing his dream in a historic boxing match.
- Mar 10🌍 Switzerland Hockey Victor – Switzerland maintained its lead in the world ice hockey championships by defeating Yugoslavia, 8-5.
- Mar 11🎨 Dali Painting Auctioned – A Salvador Dali painting was auctioned for $100,000, setting a record at the Parke-Bernet Gallery, highlighting the value of modern art.
- Mar 12🏛️ Post Office Modernization – The U.S. Post Office announced a $1.5 billion plan to construct 56 new facilities and upgrade machinery over the next four years.
- Mar 13🎶 Duke Ellington Honored – Duke Ellington was named a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, marking a historic recognition for popular musicians.
- Mar 14🚀 U.S. Satellite Launched – Explorer 43, a scientific satellite, was launched into orbit to enhance knowledge about the solar system.
- Mar 15🪐 Visit to Jupiter – Pioneer F spacecraft to launch next year aims to explore Jupiter, promising major advancements in solar system understanding.
- Mar 16🚀 – The multimillion-dollar moon buggy designed for Apollo 15 arrived at Cape Kennedy for inspection before launch.
- Mar 17🌍 China Launches Satellite – Communist China announced it successfully orbited its second earth satellite on March 3, detected by U.S. defense.
- Mar 18🎻 Menuhin's Festival Performance – Yehudi Menuhin performed exceptionally well with his Festival Orchestra at Philharmonic Hall, delighting the audience with encores.
- Mar 19📊 Income Shift Study – A Census study reveals significant income redistribution from the rich to the poor, challenging common perceptions of government impact.
- Mar 20🌌 X-Ray Source Discovered – A powerful new source of X-rays was found in deep space, marking a significant scientific discovery announced by the Navy.
- Mar 21🚤 New Rescue Base – Florida launches a new era in boating safety with the arrival of the 82-foot patrol boat, Point Thatcher, and the start of a Coast Guard rescue station.
- Mar 22🎹 Historic Pianoforte Debut – The Canby Singers showcased an 1808 Broadwood fortepiano at Carnegie Hall, an instrument owned by Haydn and Beethoven.
- Mar 23🔬 Life on Mars Possible – Lab tests suggest a primitive form of life on Mars could exist through a chemical process stimulated by sunlight.
- Mar 24🔬 X-Rays From Space – American astronomers discovered a unique, rapidly flaring source of X-rays in a distant constellation, differing from known sources.
- Mar 25✈️ British Ministers Visit – Two British ministers arrive in Washington for crucial talks on the Rolls-Royce RB-211 jet engine dispute with Lockheed executives.
- Mar 26🔬 Soviet Nuclear Breakthrough – The Soviet Union announced a breakthrough in developing a system to convert nuclear energy directly into electricity.
- Mar 27🌍 East Pakistan Rebellion – Open rebellion erupted in East Pakistan, with fighting reported and a proclamation of independence broadcast.
- Mar 28🌊 Powerboat Racing Opens – The 1971 powerboat racing season kicks off next Saturday with races off Miami Beach, featuring two divisions of the American Power Boat Association.
- Mar 29🏓 World Table Tennis Opens – The 31st world table tennis championships began in Nagoya, Japan, with China returning after a six-year absence.
- Mar 30🏛️ Soviet Party Congress Opens – The Soviet Communist Party opened its 24th Congress with 4,949 delegates and representatives from 101 foreign delegations present.
- Mar 31🔬 Biological Arms Ban – Soviet Union's concession at Geneva could lead to an international convention banning biological weapons.
Happy Birthday! 1971 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1971 in real headlines. See the 1971 book →
Born in March? Pick the day
Every birthday in March has its own On This Day in Headlines book: