On This Day — October 21

🕰️ Notable Events on October 21

• 2005 — Images of the dwarf planet Eris are taken and subsequently used in documenting its discovery by the team of Michael E. Brown, Chad Trujillo, and David L. Rabinowitz. Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — North Korea nuclear weapons program: North Korea and the United States sign an Agreed Framework that requires North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons program and agree to inspections. Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — In Seoul, 32 people are killed when the Seongsu Bridge collapses. Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Jaffna hospital massacre is carried out by Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka killing 70 ethnic Tamil patients, doctors and nurses. Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — In Lebanon, pro-Iran kidnappers claim to have abducted American writer Edward Tracy (he is released in August 1991). Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — The metre is defined at the seventeenth General Conference on Weights and Measures as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Andreas Papandreou becomes Prime Minister of Greece, ending an almost 50-year-long system of power dominated by conservative forces. Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Moshe Dayan resigns from the Israeli government because of strong disagreements with Prime Minister Menachem Begin over policy towards the Arabs. Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Australian civilian pilot Frederick Valentich vanishes in a Cessna 182 over the Bass Strait south of Melbourne, after reporting contact with an unidentified aircraft. Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Fred Dryer of the Los Angeles Rams becomes the first player in NFL history to score two safeties in the same game. Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — A gas explosion kills 22 people at a shopping center in Clarkston, East Renfrewshire, near Glasgow, Scotland. Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — A coup d'état in Somalia brings Siad Barre to power and establishes a socialist republic in Somalia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Vietnam War: More than 100,000 war protesters gather in Washington, D.C.. Similar demonstrations occur simultaneously in Japan and Western Europe. Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Aberfan disaster: A colliery spoil tip collapses on the village of Aberfan in Wales, killing 144 people, mostly schoolchildren. Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Comet Ikeya-Seki approaches perihelion, passing 450,000 kilometers (279,617 miles) from the sun. Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — In New York City, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opens to the public. Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs an executive order transferring Wernher von Braun and other German scientists from the United States Army to NASA. Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Mau Mau Uprising: Kenyan rebel leader Dedan Kimathi is captured by the British Army, signalling the ultimate defeat of the rebellion, and essentially ending the British military campaign. Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Korean War: Heavy fighting begins between British and Australian forces from the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade and the North Korean 239th Regiment during the Battle of Yongju. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Women's suffrage: Women are allowed to vote in France for the first time. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: The first kamikaze attack. A Japanese fighter plane carrying a 200-kilogram (440 lb) bomb attacks HMAS Australia off Leyte Island, as the Battle of Leyte Gulf began. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: Nemmersdorf massacre against the German civilians takes place. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: Battle of Aachen: The city of Aachen falls to American forces after three weeks of fighting, making it the first German city to fall to the Allies. Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — The Provisional Government of Free India is formally declared by Subhas Chandra Bose. Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — The first edition of the Ernest Hemingway novel For Whom the Bell Tolls is published. Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — The Sakurakai, a secret society in the Imperial Japanese Army, launches an abortive coup d'état attempt. Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — President Warren G. Harding delivers the first speech by a sitting U.S. President against lynching in the deep South. Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — First Balkan War: Kardzhali is liberated by Bulgarian forces. Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — HMS Niobe arrives in Halifax Harbour to become the first ship of the Royal Canadian Navy. Wikipedia ↗
• 1895 — The Republic of Formosa collapses as Japanese forces invade. Wikipedia ↗
• 1892 — Opening ceremonies for the World's Columbian Exposition are held in Chicago, though because construction was behind schedule, the exposition did not open until May 1, 1893. Wikipedia ↗
• 1888 — Foundation of the Swiss Social Democratic Party. Wikipedia ↗
• 1879 — Thomas Edison applies for a patent for his design for an incandescent light bulb. Wikipedia ↗
• 1867 — The Medicine Lodge Treaty is signed by southern Great Plains Indian leaders. The treaty requires Native American Plains tribes to relocate to a reservation in western Oklahoma. Wikipedia ↗
• 1861 — American Civil War: Battle of Ball's Bluff: Union forces under Colonel Edward Baker are defeated by Confederate troops in the second major battle of the war. Wikipedia ↗
• 1854 — Florence Nightingale and a staff of 38 nurses are sent to the Crimean War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1824 — Joseph Aspdin patents Portland cement. Wikipedia ↗
• 1805 — Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Trafalgar: A British fleet led by Vice Admiral Lord Nelson defeats a combined French and Spanish fleet under Admiral Villeneuve. Wikipedia ↗
• 1797 — In Boston Harbor, the 44-gun United States Navy frigate USS Constitution is launched. Wikipedia ↗
• 1774 — First display of the word "Liberty" on a flag, raised by colonists in Taunton, Massachusetts in defiance of British rule in Colonial America. Wikipedia ↗
• 1600 — Tokugawa Ieyasu defeats the leaders of rival Japanese clans in the Battle of Sekigahara, which marks the beginning of the Tokugawa shogunate. Wikipedia ↗
• 1520 — Ferdinand Magellan discovers a strait now known as Strait of Magellan. Wikipedia ↗
• 1520 — João Álvares Fagundes discovers the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, bestowing them their original name of "Islands of the 11,000 Virgins". Wikipedia ↗
• 1512 — Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg. Wikipedia ↗
• 1392 — Nanboku-chō, Japan: Emperor Go-Kameyama abdicates in favor of rival claimant Go-Komatsu. Wikipedia ↗
• 1209 — Otto IV is crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by Pope Innocent III. Wikipedia ↗
• 1097 — First Crusade: Crusaders led by Godfrey of Bouillon, Bohemund of Taranto, and Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse, begin the Siege of Antioch. Wikipedia ↗
• 1096 — People's Crusade: A Seljuk Turkish army successfully fight off the People's Army of the West. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on October 21

• 1995 — Cameron Burgess, Scottish-Australian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — Antoinette Guedia Mouafo, Cameroonian swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Bernard Tomic, German-Australian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Tom Eastman, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Geoffry Hairemans, Belgian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Vadaine Oliver, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Harry Pell, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Bengali-Fodé Koita, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Mathieu Peybernes, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Ricky Rubio, Spanish basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Mads Dahm, Norwegian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Luke Murphy, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Jonathan Viera, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Sam Vokes, English-Welsh footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Ricki Olsen, Danish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Daniel Schorn, Austrian cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Justin De Fratus, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Andrey Grechin, Russian swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Almen Abdi, Swiss footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Chibuzor Chilaka, Nigerian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Scott Rendell, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Simone Bracalello, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Dean Collis, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Anna Bogdanova, Russian heptathlete Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Tom Brandstater, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Kenny Cooper, American soccer player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Anouk Leblanc-Boucher, Canadian speed skater Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — José Lobatón, Venezuelan baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Marvin Mitchell, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Kieran Richardson, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Casey Fien, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Zack Greinke, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Gonzalo Klusener, Argentinian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Andy Marte, Dominican baseball player (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Amber Rose, American model Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Chris Sherrington, English-Scottish martial artist Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Shelden Williams, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Matt Dallas, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Jim Henderson, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Antony Kay, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Hari Kondabolu, American comedian, actor, and podcaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Ray Ventrone, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Lee Chong Wei, Malaysian badminton player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — James White, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Tim Wildsmith, American singer-songwriter and pianist Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Martin Castrogiovanni, Argentinian-Italian rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Nemanja Vidić, Serbian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Kim Kardashian, American reality television personality, actress, model, businesswoman and socialite Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Brian Pittman, American bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Khalil Greene, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Gabe Gross, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Joey Harrington, American football player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Henrik Klingenberg, Finnish singer and keyboard player Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Henrik Gustavsson, Swedish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Jeremy Miller, American actor and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Lavinia Miloșovici, Romanian gymnast Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Josh Ritter, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Mélanie Turgeon, Canadian skier Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Toby Hall, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Henrique Hilário, Portuguese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Costel Busuioc, Romanian tenor Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Lera Auerbach, Russian-American pianist and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Charlie Lowell, American pianist and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Matthew Friedberger, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Orlando Thomas, American football player (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Evhen Tsybulenko, Ukrainian scholar and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Hal Duncan, Scottish author and poet Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Damien Martyn, Australian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Nick Oliveri, American singer-songwriter and bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Conor O'Shea, Irish rugby player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Paul Telfer, Scottish footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Thomas Ulsrud, Norwegian curler Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Louis Koo, Hong Kong actor and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Michael Hancock, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Mo Lewis, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Kerstin Andreae, German politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Alexandros Alexandris, Greek footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Georgi Dakov, Bulgarian high jumper (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Paul Ince, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Gavin Lovegrove, New Zealand javelin thrower and graphic designer Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Phillip Price, Welsh golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Igor Prins, Estonian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Arne Sandstø, Norwegian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Ion Andoni Goikoetxea, Spanish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Horace Hogan, American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Hisashi Imai, Japanese singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Jon Carin, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — David Campese, Australian rugby player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — George Bell, Dominican baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Rose McDowall, Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Andy Picheta, English director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Kevin Sheedy, Welsh-Irish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Ken Watanabe, Japanese actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Andre Geim, Russian-English physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Julian Cope, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Wolfgang Ketterle, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Steve Lukather, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Carrie Fisher, American actress and screenwriter (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Mike Tully, American pole vaulter Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Dick DeVos, American businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Fred Hersch, American pianist and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Rich Mullins, American singer-songwriter (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Brian Tobin, Canadian journalist and politician, 6th Premier of Newfoundland Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Charlotte Caffey, American guitarist and songwriter (The Go-Go's) Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Eric Faulkner, Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Keith Green, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and minister (d. 1982) Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Marc Johnson, American bassist, composer, and bandleader Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Peter Mandelson, English journalist and politician, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Trevor Chappell, Australian cricketer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Patti Davis, American actress and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Allen Hoey, American poet and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Brent Mydland, German-American keyboard player (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Ronald McNair, American physicist and astronaut (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Michel Brière, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1971) Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Mike Keenan, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli captain and politician, 9th Prime Minister of Israel Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Shaye J. D. Cohen, American historian and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Allen Henry Vigneron, American archbishop Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Jane Heal, English philosopher and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Jim Hill, American football player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Lux Interior, American singer-songwriter (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Lee Loughnane, American singer-songwriter and trumpet player Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Nikita Mikhalkov, Russian filmmaker. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Michael White, English journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Mandy Rice-Davies, English model and actress (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Michael Tugendhat, English lawyer and judge Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Tariq Ali, Pakistani historian and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Ron Elliott, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Elvin Bishop, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Allan Grice, Australian race car driver and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Lou Lamoriello, American ice hockey player, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Judith Sheindlin, American judge and television host Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Christopher A. Sims, American economist and statistician, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — John Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, English police officer and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Steve Cropper, American guitarist, songwriter, producer, and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Geoffrey Boycott, English cricketer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Frances FitzGerald, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Rhoda Gemignani, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Manfred Mann, South African-English keyboard player and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Marita Petersen, Faroese educator and politician, Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Carl Brewer, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Said Afandi al-Chirkawi, Russian spiritual leader and scholar (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Hank Nelson, Australian historian and academic (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Derek Bell, Irish harp player, pianist, and songwriter (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Mel Street, American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1978) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Maureen Duffy, English author, poet, and playwright Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Pál Csernai, Hungarian footballer and manager (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Shammi Kapoor, Indian actor and director (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Jim Parks junior, English cricketer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Ivan Silayev, Russian engineer and politician, 19th Prime Minister of Russia Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Pierre Bellemare, French radio and television host Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Fritz Hollaus, Austrian footballer (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on October 21 (Calendar.cx)