CalEvents:Mar/Mar 3
From Sankofapedia
Notable events for March 3
Date
Event
Significance
March 3, 1820
Missouri Compromise passed by U.S. Congress
On this day, the U.S. Congress passed the Missouri Compromise, which allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state while Maine entered as a free state. This act temporarily resolved tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, but it also highlighted the growing sectional divide in the U.S. over slavery.
March 3, 1865
Freedmen's Bureau established
On this day, the U.S. Congress established the Freedmen’s Bureau to help formerly enslaved African Americans transition to freedom after the Civil War. The bureau provided education, food, housing, and legal assistance, playing a crucial role in Reconstruction.
March 3, 1924
Death of Thomas Sankara, revolutionary leader of Burkina Faso
On this day, Thomas Sankara, the revolutionary leader of Burkina Faso, was born. Sankara’s presidency (1983-1987) was characterized by radical reforms in education, women's rights, and anti-imperialism, and he became an iconic figure in Pan-Africanist and anti-colonial movements.
March 3, 1966
Kwame Nkrumah removed as President of Ghana
On this day, Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana and a leading figure in Pan-Africanism, was officially removed from power in a military coup. His overthrow marked a significant moment in Ghanaian politics and had broader implications for the Pan-African movement.
March 3, 1991
Beating of Rodney King by LAPD caught on camera
On this day, African-American motorist Rodney King was brutally beaten by Los Angeles police officers, and the incident was captured on video. The footage sparked outrage, leading to the 1992 Los Angeles riots and highlighting issues of police brutality and racial injustice in the U.S.
March 3, 2009
International Criminal Court (ICC) issues arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir
On this day, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. This marked the first time a sitting head of state was charged by the ICC, drawing global attention to justice in African conflicts.
March 3, 2016
Protests in South Africa over university tuition fees
On this day, protests erupted across South African universities over rising tuition fees. Part of the #FeesMustFall movement, these protests highlighted socioeconomic disparities in access to higher education and brought attention to systemic inequality in post-apartheid South Africa.