Today is Friday, March 8th, the 67th day of the year.There are 298 days until the end of the year.
On this day:
In 1896, the Volunteers of America was founded in New York City.
In 1913, the Internal Revenue Service began to levy and collect income taxes.
In 1972, the Goodyear blimp flew for the first time.
In 1973, Grateful Dead co-founder Ron "Pigpen" McKernan died at the age of 27.
In 1992, former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin died of heart failure.
In 1994, Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain was released from a Rome hospital, four days after lapsing into a drug induced coma.
In 1996, Dr. Jack Kevorkian was acquitted of assisted suicide for helping two suffering patients kill themselves.
In 1998, Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Ray Nitschke died at the age of 61.
In 1999, New York Yankees baseball star Joe DiMaggio died at the age of 84.
In 2011, actor and activist Ben Affleck appeared before a Congressional hearing to ask lawmakers to do more to help the Democratic Republic of Congo.Citing the African country's violent conflict, rampant poverty and disease, Affleck called eastern Congo one of the most volatile and deadly regions in the world.
In 2016, record producer George Martin died in his sleep on this day at the age of 90.The Grammy award-winning producer is referred to as the "Fifth Beatle" for his work with "The Beatles."
In 2016, Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson announced his retirement after nine NFL seasons.
In 2018, Former Trump Campaign Manager Paul Manafort pled not guilty in federal court in Virginia.He faced charges related to fraud and tax evasion, brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller as part of his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.