On This Day — November 21

🕰️ Notable Events on November 21

• 2015 — The government of Belgium imposed a security lockdown on Brussels, including the closure of shops, schools, public transportation, due to potential terrorist attacks. Wikipedia ↗
• 2014 — A stampede in Kwekwe, Zimbabwe caused by the police firing tear gas kills at least eleven people and injures 40 others. Wikipedia ↗
• 2013 — The first of to become massive protests start in Ukraine after President Viktor Yanukovych suspended signing the Ukraine-European Union Association Agreement. Wikipedia ↗
• 2012 — At least 28 are wounded after a bomb is thrown onto a bus in Tel Aviv. Wikipedia ↗
• 2009 — A mine explosion in Heilongjiang, China kills 108. Wikipedia ↗
• 2006 — Anti-Syrian Lebanese politician and government minister Pierre Gemayel is assassinated in suburban Beirut. Wikipedia ↗
• 2004 — The second round of the Ukrainian presidential election is held, giving rise to massive protests and controversy over the election's integrity. Wikipedia ↗
• 2004 — Dominica is hit by the most destructive earthquake in its history. The northern half of the island sustains the most damage, especially the town of Portsmouth. In neighboring Guadeloupe, one person is killed. Wikipedia ↗
• 2004 — The Paris Club agrees to write off 80% (up to $100 billion) of Iraq's external debt. Wikipedia ↗
• 2002 — NATO invites Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to become members. Wikipedia ↗
• 1996 — Humberto Vidal explosion: Thirty-three people die when a Humberto Vidal shoe shop explodes. Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — The Dayton Agreement is initialed at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, Ohio, ending three and a half years of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — A major tornado strikes the Houston, Texas area during the afternoon. Over the next two days the largest tornado outbreak ever to occur in the US during November spawns over 100 tornadoes. Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — National Security Council member Oliver North and his secretary start to shred documents allegedly implicating them in the Iran-Contra affair. Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — United States Navy intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard is arrested for spying after being caught giving Israel classified information on Arab nations. He is subsequently sentenced to life in prison. Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — A deadly fire breaks out at the MGM Grand Hotel in Paradise, Nevada (now Bally's Las Vegas). Eighty-seven people are killed and more than 650 are injured in the worst disaster in Nevada history. Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — The United States Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, is attacked by a mob and set on fire, killing four. Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Minister of Internal Affairs Allan Highet announces that the national anthems of New Zealand shall be the traditional anthem "God Save the Queen" and "God Defend New Zealand". Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — The Birmingham pub bombings kill 21 people. The Birmingham Six are sentenced to life in prison for the crime but subsequently acquitted. Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Voters in South Korea overwhelmingly approve a new constitution, giving legitimacy to Park Chung-hee and the Fourth Republic. Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Indian troops, partly aided by Mukti Bahini (Bengali guerrillas), defeat the Pakistan army in the Battle of Garibpur. Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Vietnam War: Operation Ivory Coast: A joint United States Air Force and Army team raids the Sơn Tây prisoner-of-war camp in an attempt to free American prisoners of war thought to be held there. Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — U.S. President Richard Nixon and Japanese Premier Eisaku Satō agree on the return of Okinawa to Japanese control in 1972. The U.S. retains rights to bases on the island, but these are to be nuclear-free. Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — The first permanent ARPANET link is established between UCLA and SRI. Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Vietnam War: American General William Westmoreland tells news reporters: "I am absolutely certain that whereas in 1965 the enemy was winning, today he is certainly losing." Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opens to traffic. At the time it is the world's longest bridge span. Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Second Vatican Council: The third session of the Roman Catholic Church's ecumenical council closes. Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — The Chinese People's Liberation Army declares a unilateral ceasefire in the Sino-Indian War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — The "La Ronde" opens in Honolulu, first revolving restaurant in the United States. Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — American disc jockey Alan Freed, who had popularized the term "rock and roll" and music of that style, is fired from WABC-AM radio over allegations he had participated in the payola scandal. Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — The Natural History Museum, London announces that the "Piltdown Man" skull, initially believed to be one of the most important fossilized hominid skulls ever found, is a hoax. Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Two Canadian National Railway trains collide in northeastern British Columbia in the Canoe River train crash; the death toll is 21, with 17 of them Canadian troops bound for Korea. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — The United Auto Workers strike 92 General Motors plants in 50 cities to back up worker demands for a 30-percent raise. Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — The completion of the Alaska Highway (also known as the Alcan Highway) is celebrated (however, the highway is not usable by general vehicles until 1943). Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Columbine Mine massacre: Striking coal miners are allegedly attacked with machine guns by a detachment of state police dressed in civilian clothes. Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Rebecca Latimer Felton of Georgia takes the oath of office, becoming the first female United States Senator. Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Irish War of Independence: In Dublin, 31 people are killed in what became known as "Bloody Sunday". Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — The Flag of Estonia, previously used by pro-independence activists, is formally adopted as the national flag of the Republic of Estonia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — A pogrom takes place in Lwów (now Lviv); over three days, at least 50 Jews and 270 Ukrainian Christians are killed by Poles. Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Mines from SM U-73 sink the HMHS Britannic, the largest ship lost in the First World War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — Sailors on board Brazil's warships including the Minas Geraes, São Paulo, and Bahia, violently rebel in what is now known as the Revolta da Chibata (Revolt of the Lash). Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — Albert Einstein's paper that leads to the mass-energy equivalence formula, E = mc², is published in the journal Annalen der Physik. Wikipedia ↗
• 1902 — The Philadelphia Football Athletics defeated the Kanaweola Athletic Club of Elmira, New York, 39-0, in the first ever professional American football night game. Wikipedia ↗
• 1894 — Port Arthur, China falls to the Japanese, a decisive victory of the First Sino-Japanese War; Japanese troops are accused of massacring the remaining inhabitants. Wikipedia ↗
• 1877 — Thomas Edison announces his invention of the phonograph, a machine that can record and play sound. Wikipedia ↗
• 1861 — American Civil War: Confederate President Jefferson Davis appoints Judah Benjamin Secretary of War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1832 — Wabash College is founded in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Wikipedia ↗
• 1789 — North Carolina ratifies the United States Constitution and is admitted as the 12th U.S. state. Wikipedia ↗
• 1783 — In Paris, Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes, make the first untethered hot air balloon flight. Wikipedia ↗
• 1676 — The Danish astronomer Ole Rømer presents the first quantitative measurements of the speed of light. Wikipedia ↗
• 1620 — Plymouth Colony settlers sign the Mayflower Compact (November 11, O.S.) Wikipedia ↗
• 1386 — Timur of Samarkand captures and sacks the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, taking King Bagrat V of Georgia captive. Wikipedia ↗
• 1009 — Lý Công Uẩn is enthroned as emperor of Đại Cồ Việt, founding the Lý dynasty. Wikipedia ↗
• 235 — Pope Anterus succeeds Pontian as the nineteenth pope. During the persecutions of emperor Maximinus Thrax he is martyred. Wikipedia ↗
• Judas Maccabeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family, restores the Temple in Jerusalem. This event is commemorated each year by the festival of Hanukkah. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on November 21

• 1992 — Conor Maynard, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Almaz Ayana, Ethiopian sprinter Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Lewis Dunk, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Peni Terepo, New Zealand rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Dani King, English cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Georgie Twigg, English field hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Will Buckley, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Dárvin Chávez, Mexican footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Justin Tucker, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Fabian Delph, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Len Väljas, Canadian skier Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Preston Zimmerman, American soccer player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Stefan Glarner, Swiss footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Eesha Karavade, Indian chess player Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Colleen Ballinger, American comedian, actress, and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Ben Bishop, American ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Kristof Goddaert, Belgian cyclist (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Carly Rae Jepsen, Canadian singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Jesús Navas, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Nicola Silvestri, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Álvaro Bautista, Spanish motorcycle racer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Jena Malone, American actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Jamie Langley, English rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Ioana Ciolacu, Romanian fashion designer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Georgios Kalogiannidis, Greek archer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Wesley Britt, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Ainārs Kovals, Latvian javelin thrower Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Jonny Magallón, Mexican footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Hank Blalock, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Alec Brownstein, American author and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Leonardo González, Costa Rican footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Vincenzo Iaquinta, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Stromile Swift, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Alex Tanguay, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Daniel Bradshaw, Australian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Lucía Jiménez, Spanish actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Yolande James, Canadian lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Jonas Jennings, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Saleem Elahi, Pakistani cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Martin Meichelbeck, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Daniel Whiston, English figure skater Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Michael Wilson, Australian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Rich Johnston, English author and critic Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Rain Phoenix, American actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Michael Strahan, American football player, actor, and talk show host Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Karen Davila, Filipino journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Justin Langer, Australian cricketer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Ken Griffey Jr., American baseball player and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Andrew Caddick, New Zealand-English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Alex James, English singer-songwriter, bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Antonio Tarver, American boxer, sportscaster, and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Ken Block, American race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Tripp Cromer, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Toshihiko Koga, Japanese martial artist Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Troy Aikman, American football player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Evgeny Bareev, Russian chess player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Thanasis Kolitsidakis, Greek footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Björk, Icelandic singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Reggie Lewis, American basketball player (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Shane Douglas, American wrestler and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Charles Dunstone, English businessman, co-founded Carphone Warehouse Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Olden Polynice, Haitian-American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Stefan Sonnenfeld, American businessman, co-founded Company 3 Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Dave Molyneux, Manx motorcycle racer Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Nicollette Sheridan, English actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — João Domingos Pinto, Portuguese footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Mark Bailey, English rugby player, author, and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Brian McNamara, American actor, director, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Brian Ritchie, American bass player and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Sergei Ratnikov, Estonian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Cherry Jones, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Peter Koppes, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Cedric Maxwell, American basketball player, coach, and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Glenn Ridge, Australian radio and television host and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Fiona Pitt-Kethley, English journalist, author, and poet Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Tina Brown, English-American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Mervyn Davies, Baron Davies of Abersoch, Welsh banker and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Janne Kristiansen, Norwegian lawyer and jurist Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Lorna Luft, American actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Hisham Barakat, Egyptian lawyer and judge (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Michel Suleiman, Lebanese general and politician, 16th President of Lebanon Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — George Zimmer, American businessman, founded Men's Wearhouse Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Goldie Hawn, American actress, singer, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Dick Durbin, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Earl Monroe, American basketball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Harold Ramis, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Phil Bredesen, American businessman and politician, 48th Governor of Tennessee Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Jacques Laffite, French race car driver and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, German educator and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Juliet Mills, English-American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — David Porter, American songwriter, musician, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Freddy Beras-Goico, Dominican comedian and television host (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Dr. John, American singer-songwriter and pianist Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Richard Marcinko, American commander and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Natalia Makarova, Russian ballerina, choreographer, and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — R. Budd Dwyer, American educator and politician, 30th Treasurer of Pennsylvania (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Ingrid Pitt, Polish-English actress (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Marlo Thomas, American actress, producer, and activist Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Victor Chang, Chinese-Australian surgeon (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Laurence Luckinbill, American actor, director, and playwright Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Peter Philpott, Australian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Henry Hartsfield, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Etta Zuber Falconer, American educator and mathematician (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Beryl Bainbridge, English author and screenwriter (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, Danish composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Lewis Binford, American archaeologist and academic (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Revaz Dogonadze, Georgian chemist and physicist (d. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Stanley Kalms, Baron Kalms, English businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Malcolm Williamson, Australian pianist and composer (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Marjan Rožanc, Slovenian journalist, author, and playwright (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Marilyn French, American author and academic (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Laurier LaPierre, Canadian historian, journalist, and politician (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Georgia Frontiere, American businesswoman (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — William Wakefield Baum, American cardinal (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Veljko Kadijević, Croatian general and politician, 5th Federal Secretary of People's Defence (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Joseph Campanella, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Milka Planinc, Yugoslav politician, 28th Prime Minister of Yugoslavia (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Christopher Tolkien, English author and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Abe Lemons, American basketball player and coach (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Donald Sheldon, American pilot (d. 1975) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Ralph Meeker, American actor (d. 1988) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Stan Musial, American baseball player and manager (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — Paul Bogart, American director and producer (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Sid Luckman, American football player and soldier (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Norm Smith, Australian footballer and coach (d. 1973) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Nusret Fişek, Turkish physician and politician, Turkish Minister of Health (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Henri Laborit, French physician and philosopher (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — John Boulting, English director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Roy Boulting, English director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Gunnar Kangro, Estonian mathematician, author, and academic (d. 1975) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Eleanor Powell, American actress and dancer (d. 1982) Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — Leo Politi, Italian-American author and illustrator (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — Elizabeth George Speare, American author and educator (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Coleman Hawkins, American saxophonist and clarinet player (d. 1969) Wikipedia ↗
• 1902 — Foster Hewitt, Canadian sportscaster (d. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
• 1902 — Isaac Bashevis Singer, Polish-American novelist and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1902 — Mikhail Suslov, Russian soldier, economist, and politician (d. 1982) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Jobyna Ralston, American actress (d. 1967) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Harekrushna Mahatab, Indian journalist and politician, 1st Chief Minister of Odisha (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1898 — René Magritte, Belgian painter (d. 1967) Wikipedia ↗
• 1897 — Mollie Steimer, Russian-American activist (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1894 — Cecil M. Harden, American politician (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
• 1886 — Harold Nicolson, English author and politician (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗
• 1878 — Gustav Radbruch, German lawyer and politician, German Minister of Justice (d. 1949) Wikipedia ↗
• 1877 — Sigfrid Karg-Elert, German composer and educator (d. 1933) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on November 21 (Calendar.cx)