On this day, March 8

1817 The New York Stock & Exchange Board, which had its beginnings in 1792, was formally organized; it later became known as the New York Stock Exchange.

1925 H. P. Davis, president of Westinghouse, urged broadcasting stations to link themselves together by shortwave for simultaneous broadcasting of programs.

1948 The Supreme Court, in McCollum v. Board of Education, struck down voluntary religious education classes in Champaign, Ill., public schools, saying the program violated separation of church and state.

1968 A plane crash into Lake Michigan took the lives of Edward Litchfield, former chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh; his wife; his mother; and his two sons.

1996 Allegheny County Public Works Director Joseph P. Moses and two co-defendants were found guilty of participating in a kickback conspiracy.

2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 with 239 people on board, vanished during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, setting off a massive and ultimately unsuccessful search.

Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).

— Compiled by Rick Nowlin Today’s birthdays: Jazz musician George Coleman, 86. Actor Sue Ane Langdon, 85. College Football Hall of Famer Pete Dawkins, 83. Songwriter Carole Bayer Sager, 77. Actor-director Micky Dolenz (The Monkees), 76. Singer-musician Randy Meisner, 75. Pop singer Peggy March, 73. Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Rice, 68. Jazz musician Billy Childs, 64. Singer Gary Numan, 63. NBC News anchor Lester Holt, 62. Actor Aidan Quinn, 62. Actor Camryn Manheim, 60. Country-rock singer Shawn Mullins, 53. Neo-soul singer Van Hunt, 51. Actor Andrea Parker, 51. Actor Boris Kodjoe, 48. Actor Freddie Prinze Jr., 45. Actor Laura Main, 44. Actor James Van Der Beek, 44. R&B singer Kameelah Williams (702), 43. Actor Nick Zano, 43. Rock singer Tom Chaplin (Keane), 42. Rock musician Andy Ross (OK Go), 42. Actor Jessica Collins, 38. R&B singer Kristinia DeBarge, 31.

Thought for today: “Contemplation seems to be about the only luxury that costs nothing.”

— Dodie Smith, English playwright (1896-1990)