MARCH 31, 1940

SUNDAY
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1940
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $8,324,276 IN 2025
Min_Wage_Hourly: $0.30
Median_Home_Price: $4,000.00
Gas_Price_Avg: $0.18
Bread_Price_Avg: $0.09
Movie_Ticket_Avg: $0.30
First_Class_Stamp: $0.03
Milk_Price_Avg: $0.55
Top Movies By March 31, 1940
1 Pinocchio
Learn More
Pinocchio
2 My Little Chickadee
Learn More
My Little Chickadee
3 The Thief of Bagdad
Learn More
The Thief of Bagdad
4 His Girl Friday
Learn More
His Girl Friday
5 The Shop Around the Corner
Learn More
The Shop Around the Corner
6 The Invisible Man Returns
Learn More
The Invisible Man Returns
7 Road to Singapore
Learn More
Road to Singapore
8 The Grapes of Wrath
Learn More
The Grapes of Wrath
9 Virginia City
Learn More
Virginia City
10 A Christmas Carol
Learn More
A Christmas Carol
Northwest Passage
Learn More
Northwest Passage
The Blue Bird
Learn More
The Blue Bird
Gone with the Wind
Learn More
Gone with the Wind
Ninotchka
Learn More
Ninotchka
Of Mice and Men
Learn More
Of Mice and Men
Allegheny Uprising
Learn More
Allegheny Uprising
Remember?
Learn More
Remember?
A Christmas Carol
Learn More
A Christmas Carol
March 31, 1940 Trivia
Multiple choice - Includes a daily bonus question - Sign in to save + leaderboard - View all-time leaderboard
Score: 0 / 0
All-time leaderboard
Your results
The Story of March 31, 1940

On March 31, 1940, political discourse in the United States was marked by a call from Minority Leader Martin for Republicans to clarify their stance on key issues, particularly concerning the New Deal.

🧠 Inventions of 1940

Breakthroughs and everyday innovations from the year.

1 Photocopier (Xerography)
Learn More
Photocopier (Xerography)
2 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Concept
Learn More
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Concept
3 Jet Engine Flight Demonstration
Learn More
Jet Engine Flight Demonstration
4 Synthetic Detergent
Learn More
Synthetic Detergent
5 Mass-Produced Nylon Stockings
Learn More
Mass-Produced Nylon Stockings
6 Proximity Fuse
Learn More
Proximity Fuse
7 Electronic Fire Control System
Learn More
Electronic Fire Control System
8 Polyurethane Foam
Learn More
Polyurethane Foam
9 Early Speech Recognition Machine
Learn More
Early Speech Recognition Machine
10 Automatic Anti-Lock Brakes Concept
Learn More
Automatic Anti-Lock Brakes Concept

The Sounds of

The biggest hits of the year β€” Top 10 Pop & Country chart toppers

HEADLINES ON March 31, 1940

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Martin Calls for Clarity in Republican Policies. Impact: This call for clarity led to an endless loop of political jargon that eventually birthed the phrase 'It's not what you say, it's how you say it.' This notion spiraled into decades of political debates that sound like two squirrels arguing over a nut.. Fact: Politicians have been promising to clarify issues since the dawn of time... or at least since they figured out how to talk in circles..
  • Headline: Celebrating Coronado's Expedition Anniversary. Impact: This renewed interest in global travel sparked an era of frequent flyer miles, leading to the modern-day conundrum of how to pack a suitcase efficiently – a skill still largely unmastered by the average traveler.. Fact: Explorers were the original influencers, except their posts were mostly about sea monsters and uncharted territories, not brunch..
  • Headline: Pennsylvania Jobs and Political Testimonies. Impact: This incident marked the beginning of the never-ending blame game in politics, where every party tries to outdo each other in the art of finger-pointing, leading to the invention of the 'blame pie' in political debates.. Fact: In Pennsylvania, it’s not just the jobs that are at stake, but also the ability to blame someone else for the loss of those jobs..
  • Headline: VICTUALS AND VITAMINS. Impact: The obsession with healthy eating began here, spiraling into a world where kale is worshipped and 'cheat day' has become a sacred ritualβ€”thank you, ancient victuals!. Fact: Victuals is just a fancy way of saying food, and yes, it does sound like a medieval spell gone wrong..
  • Headline: PROGRESS IS CITED IN SLUM REMOVAL; Nathan Straus Reports 33,000 Unfit Home Units Have Been Demolished. Impact: The demolition of slums created a chain reaction that would eventually lead to gentrification, which is like a makeover for neighborhoods, complete with artisanal coffee shops and yoga studios where people do downward dog while discussing their stock portfolios.. Fact: Demolishing homes sounds dramatic, but it’s just urban renewal’s way of saying, 'We need to put a Whole Foods here.'.
  • Headline: YOU WOULD WRITE A PLAY?; A Writer New to the Field Notes a Few of The Dramatist's Problems. Impact: This moment inspired countless writers to grapple with their inner demons, leading to more tragic plays and the eventual rise of the 'sad clown' trope in theater.. Fact: Writing a play is basically just shouting at blank pages until they start to sound like someone else’s problems..
  • Headline: AT THE WHEEL. Impact: This headline hints at the early days of luxury car culture, which would lead to the current obsession with shiny things that go fast and the inevitable traffic jams where people contemplate their life choices.. Fact: Luxury vehicles are just like regular cars, but with a much higher chance of being stuck in traffic while you ponder the meaning of life..
  • Headline: Article 7 -- No Title. Impact: The lack of a title here reflects the confusion of bureaucracy, which would go on to inspire generations of students to skip reading the fine print in legal documents, leading to many 'I didn't read the terms and conditions' moments.. Fact: An untitled article is just a rebellious statement against the tyranny of naming conventionsβ€”because who needs clarity?.
  • Headline: THE FISHERMAN TRIES HIS LUCK; Today the Salt-Water Angler Sets Out, and on Saturday Trout Streams, Stocked by the Government, Will Open Legally. Impact: This fishing expedition set off a chain reaction in the fishing community, leading to a long-lived tradition of competitive angling, where the biggest catch is often more about the story than the actual fish.. Fact: Fishing is the only sport where the losers come home with a taller tale than the winnersβ€”'It was THIS big!'.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1940, here's what it would be worth in 2025.
Rank #1
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1940
$0.06
Value in 2025
$3,433,941

Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1940, it would be worth $3,433,941 today (3433.9x return)

Rank #2
PG
Procter & Gamble
Price in 1940
$0.25
Value in 2025
$586,657

Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1940, it would be worth $586,657 today (586.7x return)

Rank #3
KMB
Kimberly-Clark
Price in 1940
$0.69
Value in 2025
$147,887

Kimberly-Clark - If you invested $1,000 in 1940, it would be worth $147,887 today (147.9x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Batman #1
Batman #1
$2,220,000
Flash Comics #1
Flash Comics #1
$1,500
Green Lantern #1
Green Lantern #1
$150,000
Detective Comics #38
Detective Comics #38
$42,000
All Star Comics #3
All Star Comics #3
$2,500
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Lone Ranger Frontier Town
Lone Ranger Frontier Town
$150.00
Red Ryder BB Gun
Red Ryder BB Gun
$250.00
Sorry!
Sorry!
$30.00
Paper Dolls
Paper Dolls
$35.00
Microscope Kit
Microscope Kit
$200.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Walt Disney Comics and Stories #1 Card
Walt Disney Comics and Stories #1 Card
$800
Superman Gum Cards
Superman Gum Cards
$800
G-Men and Heroes of the Law
G-Men and Heroes of the Law
$11.00
1940 War Gum Cards
1940 War Gum Cards
$1,500
1940 Play Ball Baseball Cards
1940 Play Ball Baseball Cards
$3,000