National Gallery Opens: Art Unites a Nation
President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially opens the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., transforming a private collection into a public treasure that democratizes access to masterpieces for every American citizen. This establishment instantly creates a permanent federal home for art, ensuring generations can study works by da Vinci and Rembrandt without needing to travel abroad or pay entry fees.
March 17, 1941
85 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on March 17
Caesar's best general turned against him, and it nearly killed him. Titus Labienus had served under Caesar for eight years in Gaul, knew every one of his tactic…
Marcus Aurelius succumbed to illness in Vindobona, ending the era of the Five Good Emperors. His death elevated his son, Commodus, to sole power, abruptly halti…
He was Rome's first emperor born into the purple — literally raised in the palace — and Marcus Aurelius knew it was a mistake. The philosopher-emperor spent his…
He murdered the emperor, then forced the widow to marry him — all within days. Petronius Maximus bribed enough senators to claim the Western Roman throne in Mar…
Petronius Maximus seized the Western Roman throne with the Senate’s backing just one day after orchestrating the assassination of Valentinian III. His reign las…
Patrick died in Saul on March 17, 461, after four decades of preaching and building churches that transformed Ireland's spiritual landscape. His death sparked a…
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