March 21 in history — What Happened Today in History
Welcome to March 21 in history! Here you can discover what happened on March 21, including the major events, the famous people born on March 21 and the notable deaths on March 21, with the newest story starting in 2022.
On this page, March 21 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about March 21 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on March 21 in History 40
- 2022
China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 crashes in Guangxi, China, killing 132 people.
- 2019
The 2019 Xiangshui chemical plant explosion occurs, killing at least 47 people and injuring 640 others.
- 2006
The social media site Twitter (now officially named X) is founded.
- 2000
Pope John Paul II makes his first ever pontifical visit to Israel.
- 1999
Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones become the first to circumnavigate the Earth in a hot air balloon.
- 1994
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change enters into force.
- 1990
Namibia becomes independent after 75 years of South African rule.
- 1989
Transbrasil Flight 801 crashes into a slum near São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport, killing 25 people.
- 1986
Debi Thomas becomes the first African American to win the World Figure Skating Championships.
- 1985
Canadian paraplegic athlete and humanitarian Rick Hansen begins his circumnavigation of the globe in a wheelchair in the name of spinal cord injury medical research.
- 1983
The first cases of the 1983 West Bank fainting epidemic begin; Israelis and Palestinians accuse each other of poison gas, but the cause is later determined mostly to be psychosomatic.
- 1980
Cold War: American President Jimmy Carter announces a United States boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow to protest the Soviet–Afghan War.
All entries for March 21（+28）
- 1970
The first Earth Day proclamation is issued by Joseph Alioto, Mayor of San Francisco.
- 1970
San Diego Comic-Con, the largest pop and culture festival in the world, hosts its inaugural event.
- 1968
Battle of Karameh in Jordan between the Israel Defense Forces and the combined forces of the Jordanian Armed Forces and PLO.
- 1965
Ranger program: NASA launches Ranger 9, the last in a series of uncrewed lunar space probes.
- 1965
Martin Luther King Jr. leads 3,200 people on the start of the third and finally successful civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
- 1963
Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary closes.
- 1960
Apartheid: Sharpeville massacre, South Africa: Police open fire on a group of black South African demonstrators, killing 69 and wounding 180.
- 1952
Alan Freed presents the Moondog Coronation Ball, the first rock and roll concert, in Cleveland, Ohio.
- 1946
The Los Angeles Rams sign Kenny Washington, making him the first African American player in professional American football since 1933.
- 1945
World War II: British troops liberate Mandalay, Burma.
- 1945
World War II: Operation Carthage: Royal Air Force planes bomb Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. They also accidentally hit a school, killing 125 civilians.
- 1945
World War II: Bulgaria and the Soviet Union successfully complete their defense of the north bank of the Drava River as the Battle of the Transdanubian Hills concludes.
- 1943
Wehrmacht officer Rudolf von Gersdorff plots to assassinate Adolf Hitler by using a suicide bomb, but the plan falls through; von Gersdorff is able to defuse the bomb in time and avoid suspicion.
- 1937
Ponce massacre: Nineteen unarmed civilians in Ponce, Puerto Rico are gunned down by police in a terrorist attack ordered by the US-appointed Governor, Blanton Winship.
- 1935
Shah of Iran Reza Shah Pahlavi formally asks the international community to call Persia by its native name, Iran.
- 1934
The landmark Australian Eastern Mission led by John Latham departs on its three-month tour of East and South-East Asia.
- 1928
Charles Lindbergh is presented with the Medal of Honor for the first solo trans-Atlantic flight.
- 1925
The Butler Act prohibits the teaching of human evolution in Tennessee.
- 1925
Syngman Rhee is removed from office after being impeached as the President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.
- 1925
Ravel's opera L'enfant et les sortilèges, to a libretto by Colette, is premiered at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.
- 1921
The New Economic Policy is implemented by the Bolshevik Party in response to the economic failure as a result of war communism.
- 1919
The Hungarian Soviet Republic is established becoming the first Communist government to be formed in Europe after the October Revolution in Russia.
- 1918
World War I: The first phase of the German spring offensive, Operation Michael, begins.
- 1871
Otto von Bismarck is appointed as the first Chancellor of the German Empire.
- 1871
Journalist Henry Morton Stanley begins his trek to find the missionary and explorer David Livingstone.
- 1861
Alexander H. Stephens gives the Cornerstone Speech.
- 1844
The Baháʼí calendar begins. This is the first day of the first year of the Baháʼí calendar. It is annually celebrated by members of the Baháʼí Faith as the Baháʼí New Year or Náw-Rúz.
- 1829
The Wellington–Winchilsea duel takes place in London involving the Prime Minister the Duke of Wellington.
Famous Birthdays on March 21 in History 25
- 2007
Ethan Nwaneri, English footballer
- 2003
Abbi Pulling, English racing driver
- 2000
Jace Norman, American actor
- 2000
Yoon San-ha, South Korean singer and actor
- 1998
Miles Bridges, American basketball player
- 1997
Nat Phillips, English footballer
- 1997
Martina Stoessel, Argentine singer and actress
- 1996
Aurora Mikalsen, Norwegian footballer
- 1995
RJ Cyler, American actor
- 1995
Nick Mullens, American football player
- 1995
Mirco Müller, Swiss ice hockey player
- 1994
Jasmin Savoy Brown, American actress
All entries for March 21（+13）
- 1993
Sven Andrighetto, Swiss ice hockey player
- 1993
Jake Bidwell, English footballer
- 1993
Jesse Joronen, Finnish footballer
- 1993
Frankie Montas, Dominican baseball player
- 1992
Lehlogonolo Masalesa, South African footballer
- 1992
Chiney Ogwumike, American basketball player
- 1992
Karolína Plíšková, Czech tennis player
- 1992
Kristýna Plíšková, Czech tennis player
- 1991
Luke Chapman, English footballer
- 1991
Antoine Griezmann, French footballer
- 1990
Mandy Capristo, German singer-songwriter and dancer
- 1990
Ryann Krais, American runner and heptathlete
- 1990
Darius Miller, American basketball player
Notable Deaths on March 21 in History 25
- 2026
Michael Lyster, Irish radio and television broadcaster (born 1954)
- 2026
Rhoda Roberts, Australian arts executive (born 1959)
- 2025
Kitty Dukakis, American author, First Lady of Massachusetts (born 1936)
- 2025
George Foreman, American boxer, actor, and businessman (born 1949)
- 2023
Willis Reed, American basketball player (born 1942)
- 2021
Nawal El Saadawi, Egyptian secularist, feminist (born 1931)
- 2019
Victor Hochhauser CBE, British music promoter (born 1923)
- 2019
Gonzalo Portocarrero, Peruvian sociologist (born 1949)
- 2017
Chuck Barris, American game show host and producer (born 1929)
- 2017
Colin Dexter, English author (born 1930)
- 2017
Martin McGuinness, Irish republican and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland (born 1950)
- 2017
Mike Hall, British cyclist (born 1981)
All entries for March 21（+13）
- 2015
Ishaya Bakut, Nigerian general and politician, Governor of Benue State (born 1947)
- 2015
Chuck Bednarik, American lieutenant and football player (born 1925)
- 2015
James C. Binnicker, American sergeant (born 1938)
- 2015
Hans Erni, Swiss painter, sculptor, and illustrator (born 1909)
- 2015
Jørgen Ingmann, Danish singer and guitarist (born 1925)
- 2015
Alberta Watson, Canadian actress (born 1955)
- 2014
Qoriniasi Bale, Fijian lawyer and politician, 25th Attorney-General of Fiji (born 1929)
- 2014
Bill Boedeker, American football player and soldier (born 1924)
- 2014
Jack Fleck, American golfer (born 1921)
- 2014
Simeon Oduoye, Nigerian police officer and politician (born 1945)
- 2014
James Rebhorn, American actor (born 1948)
- 2014
Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Iraqi patriarch (born 1933)
- 2013
Chinua Achebe, Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic (born 1930)
That is the story of March 21 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on March 21 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on March 21 in history?
The biggest event on March 21 in history is: 2022 — China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 crashes in Guangxi, China, killing 132 people.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on March 21?
25 famous people were born on March 21 in history, the best known being 2007 — Ethan Nwaneri, English footballer.
Who died on March 21?
25 notable people died on March 21 in history, including 2026 — Michael Lyster, Irish radio and television broadcaster (born 1954).
Why should I read about March 21 in history?
Exploring March 21 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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