UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
17 March 1996 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 17 March 1996 was a Sunday.
- Billboard Hot 100 No. 1
- The Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 was “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men.
- Top Film of 1996
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1996 was Independence Day.
- Bestselling Novel of 1996
- “The Runaway Jury” by John Grisham was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1996.
- Top-Rated TV Show
- “ER” (NBC) was No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1996–97 season.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 17 March is Pisces.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 17 March 1996 fell in the Year of the Rat.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for March is Aquamarine.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 17 March 1996 was Waning Crescent.
On this day: 17 March
- 1973 The Pulitzer Prize–winning photograph Burst of Joy is taken, depicting a former prisoner of war being reunited with his family, which came to symbolize the end of United States involvement in the Vietnam War.
- 1988 Eritrean War of Independence: The Nadew Command, an Ethiopian army corps in Eritrea, is attacked on three sides by military units of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front in the opening action of the Battle of Afabet.
- 1992 A referendum to end apartheid in South Africa is passed 68.7% to 31.2%.
- 2003 Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, Robin Cook, resigns from the British Cabinet in disagreement with government plans for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
- 2016 Rojava conflict: At a conference in Rmelan, the Movement for a Democratic Society declares the establishment of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria.
Famous people born on March 17
- Rob Lowe, American actor (born 1964)
- Pattie Boyd, English model, author, and photographer (born 1944)
- Grimes, Canadian musician, singer-songwriter, producer, and visual artist (born 1988)
- Claressa Shields, American boxer and mixed martial artist (born 1995)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.
Events of 1996 in the United States
A selection from Wikipedia's '1996 in the United States'. Not a complete list.
- April 6 – Major League Soccer begins its inaugural season with a match between the San Jose Clash and D.C. United in San Jose, California.
- April 29 – The Broadway hit musical Rent opens at the Nederlander Theatre.
- June 21 – Walt Disney Pictures' 34th feature film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, considered to be one of the studio's darkest animated films, is released to positive reviews and commercial success.
Life in the US in 1996
President
Bill Clinton
Gas (per gallon)
$1.22
Loaf of Bread
$0.97
Average House
$140,000
Weekly Wage
$490
Or
Browse by Year
Famous Faces Born in the 1990s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Zendaya1 September 1996Actress & singerView their day →Sydney Sweeney12 September 1997ActressView their day →Charlie Kirk14 October 1993Political activistView their day →Shailene Woodley15 November 1991ActressView their day →Miley Cyrus23 November 1992Singer & actressView their day →Enes Kanter Freedom20 May 1992Basketball playerView their day →Kate Upton10 June 1992Model & actressView their day →Phoebe Bridgers17 August 1994MusicianView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
About The Day You Were Born
Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.
About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →