United States History On This Day: March 31

March 31, 1776 — Abigail Adams Writes “Remember the Ladies”

Abigail Adams urged John Adams to “remember the ladies” as he helped shape new laws for the emerging nation. Her letter challenged the exclusion of women from political rights and became an early touchstone in American women’s history.

March 31, 1870 — Thomas Mundy Peterson Votes

Thomas Mundy Peterson became the first African American known to vote under the Fifteenth Amendment. His ballot in a local referendum symbolized Reconstruction’s early promise and the expanding, though fragile, landscape of Black citizenship.

March 31, 1917 — U.S. Takes Possession of the Virgin Islands

The United States formally assumed control of the Virgin Islands, purchased from Denmark for $25 million. The transfer strengthened American strategic presence in the Caribbean during World War I and began a new chapter in the islands’ political status.

March 31, 1968 — LBJ Withdraws from the Presidential Race

President Lyndon B. Johnson shocked the nation by announcing he would not seek re‑election. Delivered amid the Vietnam War and domestic unrest, his decision reshaped the 1968 campaign and marked a dramatic turning point in modern presidential politics.

Thomas Mundy Peterson, first African American to cast a vote under the 15th Amendment