On today’s date March 31, 1958, Chuck Berry’s smash hit “Johnny B. Goode” was released

Image: Berry in 1958 publicity photo by
Pickwick Records, public domain via Wikimedia Commons

On March 31, 1932, Ford introduced their V-8 flathead engine.

Image of Henry Ford inspecting his new ‘V-8’ motor. c. 1932 via Alamy

Franklin D. Roosevelt and Livingston Davis, photographed on March 31, 1913, at Hyde Park, New York, in the aftermath of a storm that toppled trees along the avenue. The two had first crossed paths at Harvard, where their social circles overlapped, forming a bond that endured beyond their college years. This poignant moment of camaraderie is underscored by the later tragedy of Davis’s life, as he reportedly took his own life in 1932.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On today’s date March 31, 1889, the Eiffel Tower was inaugurated in Paris, France.

Did you know that the concept of the famous French tower was borrowed from an American structure, the Latting Observatory that once stood in New York City?

Left: Latting Observatory in 1853
Right: The Eiffel Tower in 1889

Images via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

President Bush speaking to the United States Coast Guard in Philadelphia on March 31, 2003.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

William Daniels was born on March 31, 1927 in Brooklyn, New York.

Happy Birthday Dr. Craig

Image: William Daniels in 1976 by ABC Television, public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

There were two Civil War battles that were fought on the same day (March 31, 1865), in the same county, (Dinwiddie County, Virginia.)

These were the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House & the Battle of White Oak Road.

Here’s a closeup of a map showing George Armstrong Custer’s line holding position against Confederate attacks at the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On March 31, 1951, the US Census Bureau accepted UNIVAC I, the first general-purpose electronic digital computer for administrative and business use. The unit, shown here, was built at Philadelphia’s Eckert-Mauchly laboratory.

Image from US Census Bureau via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.

Sec. Hoover with radio, 3/31/1925

Herbert Hoover, serving as U.S. Secretary of Commerce at the time, is shown operating radio equipment, reflecting his keen interest in technological innovation and communication. During his tenure, he played a key role in shaping the radio industry by introducing regulations to manage the airwaves while supporting its growth as a powerful medium for news and entertainment.

Image via LOC, no known restrictions

Cast members backstage during the original Broadway production of Oklahoma!

On March 31, 1943 Oklahoma! opened at the St. James Theatre on Broadway in New York City.

Image via NYPL Digital Collections, no known restrictions

U.S. Marine Corps General Roy S. Geiger (third from left) and staff during the planning of Okinawa Campaign, March 31, 1945

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On March 31, 1918, Daylight Saving Time went into effect for the first time in The United States.

Image: Senate Sergeant at Arms Charles P. Higgins turns forward the Ohio Clock for the first Daylight Saving Time while other senators look on, 1918 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

American actor Christopher Walken was born on March 31, 1943 in Astoria, Queens, New York.

Image of Christopher Walken in the 1986 film “At Close Range” via Alamy

A publicity photograph of renowned American actress and singer Shirley Jones, taken years before her iconic role on “The Partridge Family”. Shirley Jones, born on March 31, 1934, in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, rose to fame as a star of stage, screen, and television.

Image via NYPL Digital Collections, no known restrictions