Today in history for March 27

Today in history for March 27.

Today is Friday, March 27, 2026. It is the 86th day of the year, with 279 days remaining.

March 27 is a day that defined the boundaries of nations, the heights of aviation, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of nature’s power.

## Major Historical Events

• 1977: The Tenerife Airport Disaster – Two Boeing 747s collided on a foggy runway at Los Rodeos Airport in the Canary Islands, killing 583 people. It remains the deadliest accident in aviation history and led to sweeping changes in international cockpit communication and safety protocols.
• 1964: The Great Alaskan Earthquake – On Good Friday, a 9.2 magnitude earthquake—the most powerful ever recorded in North American history—struck Prince William Sound. The resulting tsunamis and soil liquefaction devastated Anchorage and coastal towns.
• 1836: The Goliad Massacre – During the Texas Revolution, Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna ordered the execution of nearly 400 Texan prisoners of war at Goliad. Along with the Alamo, “Remember Goliad” became a rallying cry for Texan independence.
• 1998: The FDA Approves Viagra – The Food and Drug Administration approved the use of sildenafil citrate, the first oral pill to treat erectile dysfunction, which became one of the fastest-selling drugs in pharmaceutical history.
• 1915: “Typhoid Mary” Quarantined – Mary Mallon, the first person in the U.S. identified as an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever, was placed in forced quarantine on North Brother Island in New York for the rest of her life after infecting dozens of people.

## Notable Births

• Quentin Tarantino (1963) – The Oscar-winning filmmaker behind Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds turns 63 today.
• Mariah Carey (1969) – The legendary singer-songwriter and “Songbird Supreme” known for her five-octave vocal range turns 57 today.
• Wilhelm Röntgen (1845) – The German physicist who discovered X-rays, a breakthrough that won him the first-ever Nobel Prize in Physics.
• Nathan Fillion (1971) – The Canadian-American actor beloved by fans for his roles in Firefly, Castle, and The Rookie.
• Sarah Vaughan (1924) – One of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century, nicknamed “The Divine One.”

## Notable Deaths

• Yuri Gagarin (1968) – The Soviet cosmonaut and the first human in space died tragically in a routine training jet crash at the age of 34.
• James Callaghan (2005) – The only person to have served in all four “Great Offices of State” in the United Kingdom, including Prime Minister (1976–1979).
• M.C. Escher (1972) – The Dutch graphic artist famous for his mathematically inspired woodcuts and “impossible” architectural lithographs.
• Ferdinand Magellan (1521) – Though the expedition eventually completed the first circumnavigation of the Earth, Magellan himself was killed in the Philippines on this date during the Battle of Mactan.

## Today in Oklahoma History

• 1985: High Stakes in Basketball – The Tulsa Golden Hurricane made a deep run in the NIT (National Invitation Tournament), cementing their status as a mid-major powerhouse during the mid-80s era under coach Nolan Richardson.
• 1889: Preparing for the Run – As March drew to a close in 1889, “Sooners” and legal settlers alike were swarming the borders of the Unassigned Lands, preparing for the historic Land Run that would take place just a few weeks later in April.

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