Movie stars Denzel Washington and Halle Berry won Academy Awards. Reuters.
Many notable events occurred today, 24 March and all these historical incidents have played a significant role in shaping our history. Let’s take a look a back at the significant events that occurred today. Over 75 Allied prisoners tried to escape from a POW camp in Sagan, Germany on 24 March 1944. Archbishop ?scar Romero was assassinated while celebrating mass in San Salvador in El Salvador on 24 March 1980. An oil tanker Exxon Valdez spilled about 41 million litres of oil into Prince William Sound in Alaska on this day in 1989. Movie stars Denzel Washington and Halle Berry won Academy Awards on this day in 2002. Bhutan conducted elections for the National Assembly on this day in 2008.
Let’s have a look at the important events that occurred today in detail:
1944 – Over 75 Allied prisoners tried to escape from a POW camp in Sagan, Germany
Over 75 Allied prisoners tried to escape from a prisoner of war (POW) camp in Sagan, Germany on this day in 1944. But most of them were eventually recaptured. This incident inspired the “The Great Escape” (1963) that starred Steve McQueen.
1980 – Archbishop ?scar Romero was assassinated
Archbishop ?scar Romero was assassinated while celebrating mass in San Salvador in El Salvador on 24 March 1980. Romero was a vocal critic of the violence during civil conflict of El Salvador. Romero had been canonized in 2018.
1989 – Exxon Valdez Alaskan oil spill
An oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on 24 March 1989, spilling about 41 million litres of oil into Prince William Sound in Alaska. This led to the largest oil spill in the history of United States up to that time.
2002 – Movie stars Denzel Washington and Halle Berry won Academy Awards
Halle Berry and Denzel Washington became the first African American performers who won the lead acting Oscars in the same year on this day in 2002. After this, Berry became the first woman of colour ever to receive the award for Best Actress. The actress had won the award for “Monster’s Ball (2001)”. She was the third woman of colour ever to receive the Academy Award in any acting category.
The first person/woman of colour who won the prestigious award was Hattie McDaniel for “Gone with the Wind” (1940). The second woman to do so was Whoopi Goldberg who won for “Ghost” (1991). Washington had received the Academy Award for Best Actor for “Training Day” (2001). He had previously received the Academy Award for supporting role for the movie “Glory” (1990).
2008 – Bhutan conducted elections for the National Assembly
Bhutan conducted elections for the National Assembly on 24 March 2008, completing its transition into a democracy. A number of successful initiatives like a considerable increase in school enrolment and youth literacy reinforced the development of democratic institutions and also the economic growth in the nation.
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