On This Day for March 23 - Lewis and Clark's return trip begun, Elizabeth Taylor is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. March 23 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Elizabeth Taylor READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1806 Lewis and Clark's return trip begun READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2001: Although designed for only 5 years of service, the Soviet/Russian space station Mir ended 15 years in orbit when it reentered Earth's atmosphere, falling into the South Pacific Ocean. [ Sort fact from fiction in our space exploration quiz.] 1998: James Cameron's epic drama Titanic (1997) won 11 Academy Awards, tying the record set by Ben-Hur (1959). [Test your knowledge of this blockbuster of titanic proportions.] 1910: Japanese director Kurosawa Akira—who won worldwide acclaim with subtle, brilliantly composed films, such as Rashōmon (1950), that combined Japanese historic themes with a Western sense of action and drama—was born. [ Test your knowledge of cinema.] 1908: American actress Joan Crawford, who made her initial impact as a vivacious Jazz Age flapper but later matured into a star of psychological melodramas, was born. [Sort fact from fiction in our actors quiz.] 1857: American inventor Elisha Otis installed the first commercial elevator, in a department store in New York City. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about inventions and inventors.] 1775: Patrick Henry, a major figure of the American Revolution , delivered the well-known speech featuring the phrase "give me liberty or give me death" at the second Virginia Convention, at St. John's Church, Richmond. [ How much do you know about the American Revolution?] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1910 Kurosawa Akira Japanese film director 1912 Wernher von Braun German-born American engineer 1904 Joan Crawford American actress 1968 Damon Albarn British musician 1973 Jason Kidd American basketball player and coach 1972 Joe Calzaghe Welsh boxer SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2021 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help