June 3 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

  • 350 – The Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman emperor, entering Rome at the head of a group of gladiators.
  • 713 – The Byzantine emperor Philippicus is blinded, deposed and sent into exile by conspirators of the Opsikion army in Thrace. He is succeeded by Anastasios II, who begins the reorganization of the Byzantine army.
  • 1140 – The French scholar Peter Abelard is found guilty of heresy.
  • 1326 – The Treaty of Novgorod delineates borders between Russia and Norway in Finnmark.
  • 1539 – Hernando de Soto claims Florida for Spain.
  • 1608 – Samuel de Champlain completes his third voyage to New France at Tadoussac, Quebec.
  • 1621 – The Dutch West India Company receives a charter for New Netherland.
  • 1658 – Pope Alexander VII appoints François de Laval vicar apostolic in New France.
  • 1665 – James Stuart, Duke of York (later to become King James II of England), defeats the Dutch fleet off the coast of Lowestoft.
  • 1781 – Jack Jouett begins his midnight ride to warn Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia legislature of an impending raid by Banastre Tarleton.
  • 1839 – In Humen, China, Lin Tse-hsü destroys 1.2 million kilograms of opium confiscated from British merchants, providing Britain with a casus belli to open hostilities, resulting in the First Opium War.
  • 1861 – American Civil War: Battle of Philippi (also called the Philippi Races): Union forces rout Confederate troops in Barbour County, Virginia, now West Virginia.
  • 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Cold Harbor: Union forces attack Confederate troops in Hanover County, Virginia.
  • 1866 – The Fenians are driven out of Fort Erie, Ontario back into the United States.
  • 1885 – In the last military engagement fought on Canadian soil, the Cree leader, Big Bear, escapes the North-West Mounted Police.
  • 1889 – The first long-distance electric power transmission line in the United States is completed, running 14 miles (23 km) between a generator at Willamette Falls and downtown Portland, Oregon.
  • 1916 – The National Defense Act is signed into law, increasing the size of the United States National Guard by 450,000 men.
  • 1935 – One thousand unemployed Canadian workers board freight cars in Vancouver, beginning a protest trek to Ottawa.
  • 1937 – The Duke of Windsor marries Wallis Simpson.
  • 1940 – World War II: The Luftwaffe bombs Paris.
  • 1940 – World War II: The Battle of Dunkirk ends with a German victory and with Allied forces in full retreat.
  • 1940 – Franz Rademacher proposes plans to make Madagascar the “Jewish homeland”, an idea that had first been considered by 19th century journalist Theodor Herzl.
  • 1941 – World War II: The Wehrmacht razes the Greek village of Kandanos to the ground and murders 180 of its inhabitants.
  • 1942 – World War II: Japan begins the Aleutian Islands Campaign by bombing Unalaska Island.
  • 1943 – In Los Angeles, California, white U.S. Navy sailors and Marines clash with Latino youths in the Zoot Suit Riots.
  • 1950 – Herzog and Lachenal of the French Annapurna expedition become the first climbers to reach the summit of an 8,000-metre peak.
  • 1962 – At Paris Orly Airport, Air France Flight 007 overruns the runway and explodes when the crew attempts to abort takeoff, killing 130.
  • 1963 – Soldiers of the South Vietnamese Army attack protesting Buddhists in Huế with liquid chemicals from tear-gas grenades, causing 67 people to be hospitalized for blistering of the skin and respiratory ailments.
  • 1965 – The launch of Gemini 4, the first multi-day space mission by a NASA crew. Ed White, a crew member, performs the first American spacewalk.
  • 1969 – Melbourne–Evans collision: off the coast of South Vietnam, the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne cuts the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Frank E. Evans in half.
  • 1973 – A Soviet supersonic Tupolev Tu-144 crashes near Goussainville, France, killing 14, the first crash of a supersonic passenger aircraft.
  • 1979 – A blowout at the Ixtoc I oil well in the southern Gulf of Mexico causes at least 3,000,000 barrels (480,000 m3) of oil to be spilled into the waters, the second-worst accidental oil spill ever recorded.
  • 1980 – An explosive device is detonated at the Statue of Liberty. The FBI suspects Croatian nationalists.
  • 1980 – The 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak hits Nebraska, causing five deaths and $300 million (equivalent to $931 million in 2019) worth of damage.
  • 1982 – The Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom, Shlomo Argov, is shot on a London street; he survives but is left paralysed.
  • 1984 – Operation Blue Star, a military offensive, is launched by the Indian government at Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine for Sikhs, in Amritsar. The operation continues until June 6, with casualties, most of them civilians, in excess of 5,000.
  • 1989 – The government of China sends troops to force protesters out of Tiananmen Square after seven weeks of occupation.
  • 1991 – Mount Unzen erupts in Kyūshū, Japan, killing 43 people, all of them either researchers or journalists.
  • 1992 – Aboriginal land rights are granted in Australia in Mabo v Queensland (No 2), a case brought by Eddie Mabo.
  • 1998 – After suffering a mechanical failure, a high speed train derails at Eschede, Germany, killing 101 people.
  • 2006 – The union of Serbia and Montenegro comes to an end with Montenegro’s formal declaration of independence.
  • 2012 – A plane carrying 153 people on board crashes in a residential neighborhood in Lagos, Nigeria, killing everyone on board and 10 people on the ground.
  • 2012 – The pageant for the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II takes place on the River Thames.
  • 2013 – The trial of United States Army private Chelsea Manning for leaking classified material to WikiLeaks begins in Fort Meade, Maryland.
  • 2013 – At least 119 people are killed in a fire at a poultry farm in Jilin Province in northeastern China.
  • 2015 – An explosion at a gasoline station in Accra, Ghana, killing more than 200 people.
  • 2017 – London Bridge attack: Eight people are murdered and dozens of civilians are wounded by Islamist terrorists. Three of the attackers are shot dead by the police.
  • 2019 – Khartoum massacre: In Sudan, over 100 people are killed when security forces accompanied by Janjaweed militiamen storm and open fire on a sit-in protest.

Births on June 3

  • 20 BC – Sejanus, Roman soldier and bodyguard (d. 31 AD)
  • 1139 – Conon of Naso, Basilian abbot (d. 1236)
  • 1421 – Giovanni di Cosimo de’ Medici, Italian noble (d. 1463)
  • 1454 – Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania (1474–1523) (d. 1523)
  • 1537 – João Manuel, Prince of Portugal (d. 1554)
  • 1540 – Charles II, Archduke of Austria (d. 1590)
  • 1554 – Pietro de’ Medici, Italian noble (d. 1604)
  • 1576 – Giovanni Diodati, Swiss-Italian minister, theologian, and academic (d. 1649)
  • 1594 – César, Duke of Vendôme, French nobleman (d. 1665)
  • 1603 – Pietro Paolini, Italian painter (d. 1681)
  • 1635 – Philippe Quinault, French playwright and composer (d. 1688)
  • 1636 – John Hale, American minister (d. 1700)
  • 1659 – David Gregory, Scottish-English mathematician and astronomer (d. 1708)
  • 1662 – Willem van Mieris, Dutch painter (d. 1747)
  • 1723 – Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, Italian physician, geologist, and botanist (d. 1788)
  • 1726 – James Hutton, Scottish geologist and physician (d. 1797)
  • 1736 – Ignaz Fränzl, German violinist and composer (d. 1811)
  • 1770 – Manuel Belgrano, Argentinian economist, lawyer, and politician (d. 1820)
  • 1808 – Jefferson Davis, American colonel and politician, President of the Confederate States of America (d. 1889)
  • 1818 – Louis Faidherbe, French general and politician, Governor of Senegal (d. 1889)
  • 1819 – Anton Anderledy, Swiss religious leader, 23rd Superior General of the Society of Jesus (d. 1892)
  • 1819 – Johan Jongkind, Dutch painter (d. 1891)
  • 1832 – Charles Lecocq, French pianist and composer (d. 1918)
  • 1843 – Frederick VIII of Denmark (d. 1912)
  • 1844 – Garret Hobart, American lawyer and politician, 24th Vice President of the United States (d. 1899)
  • 1844 – Detlev von Liliencron, German poet and author (d. 1909)
  • 1852 – Theodore Robinson, American painter and academic (d. 1896)
  • 1853 – Flinders Petrie, English archaeologist and academic (d. 1942)
  • 1864 – Otto Erich Hartleben, German poet and playwright (d. 1905)
  • 1864 – Ransom E. Olds, American businessman, founded Oldsmobile and REO Motor Car Company (d. 1950)
  • 1865 – George V of the United Kingdom (d. 1936)
  • 1866 – George Howells Broadhurst, English-American director and manager (d. 1952)
  • 1873 – Otto Loewi, German-American pharmacologist and psychobiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1961)
  • 1877 – Raoul Dufy, French painter and illustrator (d. 1953)
  • 1879 – Alla Nazimova, Ukrainian-American actress, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1945)
  • 1879 – Raymond Pearl, American biologist and botanist (d. 1940)
  • 1879 – Vivian Woodward, English footballer and soldier (d. 1954)
  • 1881 – Mikhail Larionov, Russian painter and set designer (d. 1964)
  • 1890 – Baburao Painter, Indian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1954)
  • 1897 – Memphis Minnie, American singer-songwriter (d. 1973)
  • 1899 – Georg von Békésy, Hungarian-American biophysicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1972)
  • 1900 – Adelaide Ames, American astronomer and academic (d. 1932)
  • 1900 – Leo Picard, German-Israeli geologist and academic (d. 1997)
  • 1901 – Maurice Evans, English actor (d. 1989)
  • 1901 – Zhang Xueliang, Chinese general and warlord (d. 2001)
  • 1903 – Eddie Acuff, American actor (d. 1956)
  • 1904 – Charles R. Drew, American physician and surgeon (d. 1950)
  • 1904 – Jan Peerce, American tenor and actor (d. 1984)
  • 1905 – Martin Gottfried Weiss, German SS officer (d. 1946)
  • 1906 – R. G. D. Allen, English economist, mathematician, and statistician (d. 1983)
  • 1906 – Josephine Baker, French actress, singer, and dancer; French Resistance operative (d. 1975)
  • 1906 – Walter Robins, English cricketer and footballer (d. 1968)
  • 1907 – Paul Rotha, English director and producer (d. 1984)
  • 1910 – Paulette Goddard, American actress and model (d. 1990)
  • 1911 – Ellen Corby, American actress and screenwriter (d. 1999)
  • 1913 – Pedro Mir, Dominican poet and author (d. 2000)
  • 1914 – Ignacio Ponseti, Spanish physician and orthopedist (d. 2009)
  • 1917 – Leo Gorcey, American actor (d. 1969)
  • 1918 – Patrick Cargill, English actor and producer (d. 1996)
  • 1918 – Lili St. Cyr, American dancer (d. 1999)
  • 1921 – Forbes Carlile, Australian pentathlete and coach (d. 2016)
  • 1921 – Jean Dréjac, French singer and composer (d. 2003)
  • 1922 – Alain Resnais, French director, cinematographer, and screenwriter (d. 2014)
  • 1923 – Igor Shafarevich, Russian mathematician and theorist (d. 2017)
  • 1924 – Karunanidhi, Indian screenwriter and politician, 3rd Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (d. 2018)
  • 1924 – Colleen Dewhurst, Canadian-American actress (d. 1991)
  • 1924 – Bernard Glasser, American director and producer (d. 2014)
  • 1924 – Jimmy Rogers, American singer and guitarist (d. 1997)
  • 1924 – Torsten Wiesel, Swedish neurophysiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 1925 – Tony Curtis, American actor (d. 2010)
  • 1925 – Thomas Winning, Scottish cardinal (d. 2001)
  • 1926 – Allen Ginsberg, American poet (d. 1997)
  • 1926 – Flora MacDonald, Canadian banker and politician, 10th Canadian Minister of Communications (d. 2015)
  • 1927 – Boots Randolph, American saxophonist and composer (d. 2007)
  • 1928 – Donald Judd, American sculptor and painter (d. 1994)
  • 1928 – John Richard Reid, New Zealand cricketer
  • 1929 – Werner Arber, Swiss microbiologist and geneticist, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 1929 – Chuck Barris, American game show host and producer (d. 2017)
  • 1930 – Marion Zimmer Bradley, American author and poet (d. 1999)
  • 1930 – George Fernandes, Indian journalist and politician, Minister of Defence for India (d. 2019)
  • 1930 – Dakota Staton, American singer (d. 2007)
  • 1930 – Abbas Zandi, Iranian wrestler (d. 2017)
  • 1930 – Ben Wada, Japanese director and producer (d. 2011)
  • 1930 – Joe Coulombe, founder of Trader Joe’s (d. 2020)
  • 1931 – Françoise Arnoul, Algerian-French actress
  • 1931 – Raúl Castro, Cuban commander and politician, 18th President of Cuba
  • 1931 – John Norman, American philosopher and author
  • 1931 – Lindy Remigino, American runner and coach (d. 2018)
  • 1933 – Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Bahranian king (d. 1999)
  • 1936 – Larry McMurtry, American novelist and screenwriter
  • 1936 – Colin Meads, New Zealand rugby player and coach (d. 2017)
  • 1937 – Jean-Pierre Jaussaud, French race car driver
  • 1939 – Frank Blevins, English-Australian lawyer and politician, 7th Deputy Premier of South Australia (d. 2013)
  • 1939 – Steve Dalkowski, American baseball player (d. 2020)
  • 1939 – Ian Hunter, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1942 – Curtis Mayfield, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 1999)
  • 1943 – Billy Cunningham, American basketball player and coach
  • 1944 – Thomas Burns, British bishop
  • 1944 – Edith McGuire, American sprinter and educator
  • 1944 – Eddy Ottoz, Italian hurdler and coach
  • 1945 – Hale Irwin, American golfer and architect
  • 1945 – Ramon Jacinto, Filipino singer, guitarist, and businessman, founded the Rajah Broadcasting Network
  • 1945 – Bill Paterson, Scottish actor
  • 1946 – Michael Clarke, American drummer (d. 1993)
  • 1946 – Eddie Holman, American pop/R&B/gospel singer
  • 1946 – Penelope Wilton, English actress
  • 1947 – John Dykstra, American special effects artist and producer
  • 1947 – Mickey Finn, English drummer (d. 2003)
  • 1948 – Jan Reker, Dutch footballer and manager
  • 1950 – Frédéric François, Belgian-Italian singer-songwriter
  • 1950 – Melissa Mathison, American screenwriter and producer (d. 2015)
  • 1950 – Juan José Muñoz, Argentinian businessman (d. 2013)
  • 1950 – Larry Probst, American businessman
  • 1950 – Suzi Quatro, American-English singer-songwriter, bass player, producer, and actress
  • 1950 – Christos Verelis, Greek politician, Greek Minister of Transport and Communications
  • 1950 – Deniece Williams, American singer-songwriter
  • 1952 – Billy Powell, American keyboard player and songwriter (d. 2009)
  • 1952 – David Richards, Welsh entrepreneur and businessman
  • 1954 – Dan Hill, Canadian singer-songwriter
  • 1954 – Susan Landau, American mathematician and engineer
  • 1956 – George Burley, Scottish footballer and manager
  • 1956 – Danny Wilde, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1957 – Horst-Ulrich Hänel, German field hockey player
  • 1959 – Imbi Paju, Estonian-Finnish journalist and author
  • 1960 – Catherine Davani, first female Papua New Guinean judge (d. 2016)
  • 1960 – Tracy Grimshaw, Australian television host
  • 1960 – Carl Rackemann, Australian cricketer and sportscaster
  • 1961 – Lawrence Lessig, American lawyer, academic, and author, founded the Creative Commons
  • 1961 – Peter Vidmar, American gymnast
  • 1961 – Ed Wynne, English guitarist, songwriter, and producer
  • 1962 – Susannah Constantine, English fashion designer, journalist, and author
  • 1962 – Dagmar Neubauer, German sprinter
  • 1963 – Rudy Demotte, Belgian politician, 8th Minister-President of the Walloon Region
  • 1963 – Toshiaki Karasawa, Japanese actor
  • 1964 – André Bellavance, Canadian politician
  • 1964 – Kerry King, American guitarist and songwriter
  • 1964 – James Purefoy, English actor
  • 1965 – Hans Kroes, Dutch swimmer
  • 1965 – Michael Moore, British accountant and politician, Secretary of State for Scotland
  • 1966 – Wasim Akram, Pakistani cricketer, coach, and sportscaster
  • 1967 – Anderson Cooper, American journalist and author
  • 1967 – Tamás Darnyi, Hungarian swimmer
  • 1969 – Takako Minekawa, Japanese singer-songwriter
  • 1969 – Dean Pay, Australian rugby league player and coach
  • 1971 – Luigi Di Biagio, Italian footballer and manager
  • 1971 – Mary Grigson, Australian cross-country mountain biker
  • 1972 – Julie Gayet, French actress
  • 1974 – Kelly Jones, Welsh singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1974 – Serhiy Rebrov, Ukrainian international footballer and manager
  • 1975 – Jose Molina, Puerto Rican-American baseball player
  • 1976 – Nikos Chatzis, Greek basketball player
  • 1976 – Jamie McMurray, American race car driver
  • 1977 – Cris, Brazilian footballer
  • 1978 – Lyfe Jennings, American singer-songwriter and producer
  • 1979 – Luis Fernando López, Colombian race walker
  • 1979 – Christian Malcolm, Welsh sprinter
  • 1980 – Amauri, Brazilian-Italian footballer
  • 1981 – Sosene Anesi, New Zealand rugby player
  • 1982 – Yelena Isinbayeva, Russian pole vaulter
  • 1982 – Manfred Mölgg, Italian skier
  • 1983 – Pasquale Foggia, Italian footballer
  • 1984 – Todd Reid, Australian tennis player (d. 2018)
  • 1985 – Papiss Cissé, Senegalese footballer
  • 1985 – Łukasz Piszczek, Polish footballer
  • 1986 – Al Horford, Dominican basketball player
  • 1986 – Micah Kogo, Kenyan runner
  • 1986 – Rafael Nadal, Spanish tennis player
  • 1986 – Adrián Vallés, Spanish race car driver
  • 1986 – Tomáš Verner, Czech ice skater
  • 1987 – Masami Nagasawa, Japanese actress
  • 1989 – Katie Hoff, American swimmer
  • 1991 – Lukasz Teodorczyk, Polish footballer
  • 1991 – Sami Vatanen, Finnish ice hockey defenceman
  • 1991 – Yordano Ventura, Dominican baseball player (d. 2017)
  • 1992 – Mario Götze, German footballer

Deaths on June 3

  • 628 – Liang Shidu, Chinese rebel leader
  • 800 – Staurakios, Byzantine general
  • 1052 – Prince Guaimar IV of Salerno
  • 1395 – Ivan Shishman of Bulgaria (b. 1350)
  • 1397 – William de Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, English commander (b. 1328)
  • 1411 – Leopold IV, Duke of Austria (b. 1371)
  • 1453 – Loukas Notaras, last megas doux of the Byzantine Empire
  • 1511 – Ahmad ibn Abi Jum’ah, Islamic scholar, author of the Oran fatwa
  • 1548 – Juan de Zumárraga, Spanish-Mexican archbishop (b. 1468)
  • 1553 – Wolf Huber, Austrian painter, printmaker and architect (b. 1485)
  • 1594 – John Aylmer, English bishop and scholar (b. 1521)
  • 1605 – Jan Zamoyski, Polish nobleman (b. 1542)
  • 1615 – Sanada Yukimura, Japanese samurai (b. 1567)
  • 1640 – Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, English politician, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (b. 1584)
  • 1649 – Manuel de Faria e Sousa, Portuguese historian and poet (b. 1590)
  • 1657 – William Harvey, English physician and academic (b. 1578)
  • 1659 – Morgan Llwyd, Welsh minister and poet (b. 1619)
  • 1665 – Charles Weston, 3rd Earl of Portland, English noble (b. 1639)
  • 1780 – Thomas Hutchinson, American businessman and politician, Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay (b. 1711)
  • 1826 – Nikolay Karamzin, Russian historian and poet (b. 1766)
  • 1858 – Julius Reubke, German pianist and composer (b. 1834)
  • 1861 – Stephen A. Douglas, American lawyer and politician, 7th Secretary of State of Illinois (b. 1813)
  • 1865 – Okada Izō, Japanese samurai (b. 1838)
  • 1875 – Georges Bizet, French pianist and composer (b. 1838)
  • 1877 – Ludwig Ritter von Köchel, Austrian botanist, composer, and publisher (b. 1800)
  • 1882 – Christian Wilberg, German painter and illustrator (b. 1839)
  • 1894 – Karl Eduard Zachariae von Lingenthal, German lawyer and jurist (b. 1812)
  • 1899 – Johann Strauss II, Austrian composer and educator (b. 1825)
  • 1900 – Mary Kingsley, English explorer and author (b. 1862)
  • 1902 – Vital-Justin Grandin, French-Canadian bishop and missionary (b. 1829)
  • 1906 – John Maxwell, American golfer (b. 1871)
  • 1921 – Coenraad Hiebendaal, Dutch rower and physician (b. 1879)
  • 1924 – Franz Kafka, Czech-Austrian lawyer and author (b. 1883)
  • 1928 – Li Yuanhong, Chinese general and politician, 2nd President of the Republic of China (b. 1864)
  • 1933 – William Muldoon, American wrestler (b. 1852)
  • 1938 – John Flanagan, Irish-American hammer thrower and tug of war competitor (b. 1873)
  • 1946 – Mikhail Kalinin, Russian civil servant and politician (b. 1875)
  • 1963 – Edmond Decottignies, French weightlifter (b. 1893)
  • 1963 – Pope John XXIII (b. 1881)
  • 1963 – Nâzım Hikmet Ran, Turkish poet, author, and playwright (b. 1902)
  • 1964 – Kâzım Orbay, Turkish general and politician, 9th Turkish Speaker of the Parliament (b. 1887)
  • 1964 – Frans Eemil Sillanpää, Finnish author and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1888)
  • 1969 – George Edwin Cooke, American soccer player (b. 1883)
  • 1970 – Hjalmar Schacht, Danish-German economist, banker, and politician (b. 1877)
  • 1971 – Heinz Hopf, German-Swiss mathematician and academic (b. 1894)
  • 1973 – Jean Batmale, French footballer and manager (b. 1895)
  • 1975 – Ozzie Nelson, American actor and bandleader (b. 1906)
  • 1975 – Eisaku Satō, Japanese lawyer and politician, 39th Prime Minister of Japan (b. 1901)
  • 1977 – Archibald Hill, English physiologist and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1886)
  • 1977 – Roberto Rossellini, Italian director and screenwriter (b. 1906)
  • 1981 – Carleton S. Coon, American anthropologist and academic (b. 1904)
  • 1986 – Anna Neagle, English actress and singer (b. 1904)
  • 1987 – Will Sampson, American actor and painter (b. 1933)
  • 1989 – Ruhollah Khomeini, Iranian religious leader and politician, 1st Supreme Leader of Iran (b. 1902)
  • 1990 – Robert Noyce, American physicist and businessman, co-founded the Intel Corporation (b. 1927)
  • 1991 – Brian Bevan, Australian rugby league player (b. 1924)
  • 1991 – Katia Krafft, French volcanologist and geologist (b. 1942)
  • 1991 – Maurice Krafft, French volcanologist and geologist (b. 1946)
  • 1991 – Lê Văn Thiêm, Vietnamese mathematician and academic (b. 1918)
  • 1992 – Robert Morley, English actor and screenwriter (b. 1908)
  • 1994 – Puig Aubert, German-French rugby player and coach (b. 1925)
  • 1997 – Dennis James, American actor and game show host (b. 1917)
  • 2001 – Anthony Quinn, Mexican-American actor and producer (b. 1915)
  • 2002 – Lew Wasserman, American talent agent and manager (b. 1913)
  • 2003 – Felix de Weldon, Austrian-American sculptor, designed the Marine Corps War Memorial (b. 1907)
  • 2005 – Harold Cardinal, Canadian lawyer and politician (b. 1945)
  • 2009 – David Carradine, American actor (b. 1936)
  • 2009 – Koko Taylor, American singer (b. 1928)
  • 2010 – John Hedgecoe, English photographer and author (b. 1932)
  • 2010 – Rue McClanahan, American actress (b. 1934)
  • 2011 – James Arness, American actor and producer (b. 1923)
  • 2011 – Andrew Gold, American singer, songwriter, musician and arranger (b. 1951)
  • 2011 – Bhajan Lal, Indian politician, 6th Chief Minister of Haryana (b. 1930)
  • 2011 – Jack Kevorkian, American pathologist, author, and activist (b. 1928)
  • 2011 – Jan van Roessel, Dutch footballer (b. 1925)
  • 2012 – Carol Ann Abrams, American producer, author, and academic (b. 1942)
  • 2012 – Rajsoomer Lallah, Mauritian lawyer and judge (b. 1933)
  • 2012 – Roy Salvadori, English race car driver and manager (b. 1922)
  • 2012 – Brian Talboys, New Zealand journalist and politician, 7th Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand (b. 1921)
  • 2013 – Atul Chitnis, German-Indian technologist and journalist (b. 1962)
  • 2013 – Józef Czyrek, Polish economist and politician, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1928)
  • 2013 – Frank Lautenberg, American soldier and politician (b. 1924)
  • 2014 – Svyatoslav Belza, Russian journalist, author, and critic (b. 1942)
  • 2014 – Gopinath Munde, Indian politician, 3rd Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra (b. 1949)
  • 2015 – Avi Beker, Israeli political scientist and academic (b. 1951)
  • 2016 – Muhammad Ali, American boxer (b. 1942)

Holidays and observances on June 3

  • Christian feast day:
    • Charles Lwanga and Companions (Roman Catholic Church), and its related observances:
      • Martyrs’ Day (Uganda)
    • Clotilde
    • Kevin of Glendalough
    • Ovidius
    • Vladimirskaya (Russian Orthodox)
    • June 3 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Confederate Memorial Day (Kentucky, Louisiana, and Tennessee, United States)
  • Economist day (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • Mabo Day (Australia)
  • Opium Suppression Movement Day (Taiwan)
  • World Bicycle Day

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  • April 21 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 753 BC – Romulus founds Rome (traditional date).
    • 43 BC – Battle of Mutina: Mark Antony is again defeated in battle by Aulus Hirtius, who is killed. Antony fails to capture Mutina and Decimus Brutus is murdered shortly after.
    • 900 – The Laguna Copperplate Inscription (the earliest known written document found in what is now the Philippines): the Commander-in-Chief of the Kingdom of Tondo, as represented by the Honourable Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pailah, pardons from all debt the Honourable Namwaran and his relations.
    • 1092 – The Diocese of Pisa is elevated to the rank of metropolitan archdiocese by Pope Urban II
    • 1506 – The three-day Lisbon Massacre comes to an end with the slaughter of over 1,900 suspected Jews by Portuguese Catholics.
    • 1509 – Henry VIII ascends the throne of England on the death of his father, Henry VII.
    • 1526 – The last ruler of the Lodi dynasty, Ibrahim Lodi is defeated and killed by Babur in the First Battle of Panipat.
    • 1615 – The Wignacourt Aqueduct is inaugurated in Malta.
    • 1782 – The city of Rattanakosin, now known internationally as Bangkok, is founded on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River by King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke.
    • 1789 – George Washington’s reception at Trenton is hosted by the Ladies of Trenton as he journeys to New York City for his first inauguration.
    • 1792 – Tiradentes, a revolutionary leading a movement for Brazil’s independence, is hanged, drawn and quartered.
    • 1802 – Twelve thousand Wahhabis under Abdul-Aziz bin Muhammad, invaded city of Karbala, killed over three thousand inhabitants, and sacked the city.
    • 1806 – Action of 21 April 1806: A French frigate escapes British forces off the coast of South Africa.
    • 1809 – Two Austrian army corps are driven from Landshut by a First French Empire army led by Napoleon as two French corps to the north hold off the main Austrian army on the first day of the Battle of Eckmühl.
    • 1821 – Benderli Ali Pasha arrives in Constantinople as the new Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire; he remains in power for only nine days before being sent into exile.
    • 1836 – Texas Revolution: The Battle of San Jacinto: Republic of Texas forces under Sam Houston defeat troops under Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna.
    • 1856 – Australian labour movement: Stonemasons and building workers on building sites around Melbourne march from the University of Melbourne to Parliament House to achieve an eight-hour day.
    • 1894 – Norway formally adopts the Krag–Jørgensen bolt-action rifle as the main arm of its armed forces, a weapon that would remain in service for almost 50 years.
    • 1898 – Spanish–American War: The United States Navy begins a blockade of Cuban ports. When the U.S. Congress issued a declaration of war on April 25, it declared that a state of war had existed from this date.
    • 1914 – Ypiranga incident: A German arms shipment to Mexico is intercepted by the U.S. Navy near Veracruz.
    • 1918 – World War I: German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, better known as “The Red Baron”, is shot down and killed over Vaux-sur-Somme in France.
    • 1926 – Al-Baqi cemetery, former site of the mausoleum of four Shi’a Imams, is leveled to the ground by Wahhabis.
    • 1934 – The “Surgeon’s Photograph”, the most famous photo allegedly showing the Loch Ness Monster, is published in the Daily Mail (in 1999, it is revealed to be a hoax).
    • 1945 – World War II: Soviet forces south of Berlin at Zossen attack the German High Command headquarters.
    • 1948 – United Nations Security Council Resolution 47 relating to Kashmir conflict is adopted.
    • 1952 – Secretary’s Day (now Administrative Professionals’ Day) is first celebrated.
    • 1958 – United Airlines Flight 736 collides into a United States Air Force fighter jet near Arden, Nevada in what is now Enterprise, Nevada.
    • 1960 – Brasília, Brazil’s capital, is officially inaugurated. At 09:30, the Three Powers of the Republic are simultaneously transferred from the old capital, Rio de Janeiro.
    • 1962 – The Seattle World’s Fair (Century 21 Exposition) opens. It is the first World’s Fair in the United States since World War II.
    • 1963 – The first election of the Universal House of Justice is held, marking its establishment as the supreme governing institution of the Bahá’í Faith.
    • 1964 – A Transit-5bn satellite fails to reach orbit after launch; as it re-enters the atmosphere, 2.1 pounds (0.95 kg) of radioactive plutonium in its SNAP RTG power source is widely dispersed.
    • 1965 – The 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair opens for its second and final season.
    • 1966 – Rastafari movement: Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visits Jamaica, an event now celebrated as Grounation Day.
    • 1967 – A few days before the general election in Greece, Colonel George Papadopoulos leads a coup d’état, establishing a military regime that lasts for seven years.
    • 1975 – Vietnam War: President of South Vietnam Nguyễn Văn Thiệu flees Saigon, as Xuân Lộc, the last South Vietnamese outpost blocking a direct North Vietnamese assault on Saigon, falls.
    • 1977 – Annie opens on Broadway.
    • 1982 – Baseball: Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers becomes the first pitcher to record 300 saves.
    • 1985 – The compound of the militant group The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord surrenders to federal authorities in Arkansas after a two-day government siege.
    • 1987 – The Tamil Tigers are blamed for a car bomb that detonates in the Sri Lankan capital city of Colombo, killing 106 people.
    • 1989 – Tiananmen Square protests of 1989: In Beijing, around 100,000 students gather in Tiananmen Square to commemorate Chinese reform leader Hu Yaobang.
    • 1993 – The Supreme Court in La Paz, Bolivia, sentences former dictator Luis García Meza to 30 years in jail without parole for murder, theft, fraud and violating the constitution.
    • 2004 – Five suicide car bombers target police stations in and around Basra, killing 74 people and wounding 160.
    • 2010 – The controversial Kharkiv Pact (Russian Ukrainian Naval Base for Gas Treaty) is signed in Kharkiv, Ukraine, by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev; it was unilaterally terminated by Russia on March 31, 2014.
    • 2012 – Two trains are involved in a head-on collision near Sloterdijk, Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, injuring 116 people.
    • 2014 – The American city of Flint, Michigan switches its water source to the Flint River, beginning the ongoing Flint water crisis which has caused lead poisoning in up to 12,000 people, and 15 deaths from Legionnaires disease, ultimately leading to criminal indictments against 15 people, five of whom have been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
    • 2019 – Eight bombs explode at churches, hotels, and other locations in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday; more than 200 people are killed.

    Births on April 21

    • 1132 – Sancho VI, king of Navarre (d. 1194)
    • 1488 – Ulrich von Hutten, German religious reformer (d. 1523)
    • 1523 – Marco Antonio Bragadin, Venetian lawyer and military officer (d. 1571)
    • 1555 – Ludovico Carracci, Italian painter and etcher (d. 1619)
    • 1619 – Jan van Riebeeck, Dutch founder of Cape Town (d. 1677)
    • 1630 – Pieter Gerritsz van Roestraten, Dutch-English painter (d. 1700)
    • 1631 – Francesco Maidalchini, Catholic cardinal (d. 1700)
    • 1642 – Simon de la Loubère, French mathematician, poet, and diplomat (d. 1729)
    • 1651 – Joseph Vaz, Sri Lankan priest, missionary, and saint (d. 1711)
    • 1652 – Michel Rolle, French mathematician and academic (d. 1719)
    • 1671 – John Law, Scottish economist (d. 1729)
    • 1673 – Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg (d. 1742)
    • 1713 – Louis de Noailles, French general (d. 1793)
    • 1730 – Antonín Kammel, Czech violinist and composer (d. 1788)
    • 1752 – Pierre-Alexandre-Laurent Forfait, French engineer, hydrographer, and politician, French Minister of Marine and the Colonies (d. 1807)
    • 1752 – Humphry Repton, English gardener and author (d. 1818)
    • 1774 – Jean-Baptiste Biot, French physicist, astronomer, and mathematician (d. 1862)
    • 1775 – Alexander Anderson, Scottish-American illustrator and engraver (d. 1870)
    • 1790 – Manuel Blanco Encalada, Spanish-Chilean admiral and politician, 1st President of Chile (d. 1876)
    • 1810 – John Putnam Chapin, American politician, 10th Mayor of Chicago (d. 1864)
    • 1811 – Alson Sherman, American merchant and politician, 8th Mayor of Chicago (d. 1903)
    • 1814 – Angela Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts, English art collector and philanthropist (d. 1906)
    • 1816 – Charlotte Brontë, Cornish-English novelist and poet (d. 1855)
    • 1837 – Fredrik Bajer, Danish lieutenant and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1922)
    • 1838 – John Muir, Scottish-American environmentalist and author (d. 1914)
    • 1851 – Charles Barrois, French geologist and palaeontologist (d. 1939)
    • 1854 – William Stang, German-American bishop (d. 1907)
    • 1864 – Max Weber, German economist and sociologist (d. 1920)
    • 1868 – Alfred Henry Maurer, American painter (d. 1932)
    • 1870 – Edwin Stanton Porter, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1941)
    • 1874 – Vincent Scotto, French actor and composer (d. 1952)
    • 1882 – Percy Williams Bridgman, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1961)
    • 1885 – Tatu Kolehmainen, Finnish runner (d. 1967)
    • 1887 – Joe McCarthy, American baseball manager (d. 1978)
    • 1889 – Marcel Boussac, French businessman (d. 1980)
    • 1889 – Paul Karrer, Russian-Swiss chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1971)
    • 1889 – Efrem Zimbalist, Sr., Russian-American violinist, composer, and conductor (d. 1985)
    • 1892 – Freddie Dixon, English motorcycle racer and racing driver (d. 1956)
    • 1893 – Romeo Bertini, Italian runner (d. 1973)
    • 1898 – Maurice Wilson, English soldier, pilot, and mountaineer (d. 1934)
    • 1899 – Randall Thompson, American composer and academic (d. 1984)
    • 1903 – Luis Saslavsky, Argentinian director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1995)
    • 1904 – Jean Hélion, French painter (d. 1987)
    • 1904 – Odilo Globocnik, Italian-Austrian SS officer (d. 1945)
    • 1905 – Pat Brown, American lawyer and politician, 32nd Governor of California (d. 1996)
    • 1911 – Ivan Combe, American businessman, developed Clearasil (d. 2000)
    • 1911 – Kemal Satır, Turkish physician and politician (d. 1991)
    • 1912 – Eve Arnold, Russian-American photojournalist (d. 2012)
    • 1912 – Marcel Camus, French director and screenwriter (d. 1982)
    • 1913 – Norman Parkinson, English photographer (d. 1990)
    • 1914 – Angelo Savoldi, Italian-American wrestler and promoter, co-founded International World Class Championship Wrestling (d. 2013)
    • 1915 – Garrett Hardin, American ecologist, author, and academic (d. 2003)
    • 1915 – Anthony Quinn, Mexican-American actor (d. 2001)
    • 1916 – Estella B. Diggs, American businesswoman and politician (d. 2013)
    • 1918 – Eddy Christiani, Dutch singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2016)
    • 1919 – Don Cornell, American singer (d. 2004)
    • 1919 – Roger Doucet, Canadian tenor (d. 1981)
    • 1919 – Licio Gelli, Italian financer (d. 2015)
    • 1920 – Edmund Adamkiewicz, German footballer (d. 1991)
    • 1922 – Alistair MacLean, Scottish novelist and screenwriter (d. 1987)
    • 1922 – Allan Watkins, Welsh-English cricketer (d. 2011)
    • 1923 – John Mortimer, English lawyer and author (d. 2009)
    • 1924 – Ira Louvin, American singer-songwriter and mandolin player (d. 1965)
    • 1925 – Anthony Mason, Australian soldier and judge, 9th Chief Justice of Australia
    • 1925 – John Swinton of Kimmerghame, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire (d. 2018)
    • 1926 – Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and her other realms
    • 1926 – Arthur Rowley, English footballer, manager and cricketer (d. 2002)
    • 1927 – Ahmed Arif, Turkish poet and author (d. 1991)
    • 1928 – Jack Evans, Welsh-Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 1996)
    • 1930 – Hilda Hilst, Brazilian author, poet, and playwright (d. 2004)
    • 1930 – Silvana Mangano, Italian actress (d. 1989)
    • 1930 – Dieter Roth, German-Swiss illustrator and sculptor (d. 1998)
    • 1930 – Jack Taylor, English footballer and referee (d. 2012)
    • 1931 – Morgan Wootten, American high school basketball coach (d. 2020)
    • 1932 – Slide Hampton, African-American trombonist and composer
    • 1932 – Elaine May, American actress, comedian, director, and screenwriter
    • 1932 – Angela Mortimer, English tennis player
    • 1933 – Edelmiro Amante, Filipino lawyer and politician (d. 2013)
    • 1933 – Easley Blackwood, Jr., American pianist, composer, and educator
    • 1933 – Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Iraqi patriarch (d. 2014)
    • 1935 – Charles Grodin, American actor and talk show host
    • 1935 – Thomas Kean, American academic and politician, 48th Governor of New Jersey
    • 1936 – James Dobson, American evangelist, psychologist, and author, founded Focus on the Family
    • 1936 – Reg Fleming, Canadian-American ice hockey player (d. 2009)
    • 1937 – Gary Peters, American baseball player
    • 1937 – Ben Zinn, Israeli-born American academic and former international soccer player
    • 1939 – John McCabe, English pianist and composer (d. 2015)
    • 1939 – Sister Helen Prejean, American nun, activist, and author
    • 1939 – Reni Santoni, American actor
    • 1940 – Jacques Caron, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1940 – Souleymane Cissé, Malian director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1941 – David L. Boren, American lawyer and politician, 21st Governor of Oklahoma
    • 1942 – Geoffrey Palmer, New Zealand politician, 33rd Prime Minister of New Zealand
    • 1945 – Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan, Indian cricketer and umpire
    • 1945 – Mark Wainberg, Canadian researcher and HIV/AIDS activist (d. 2017)
    • 1945 – Diana Darvey, English actress, singer and dancer (d. 2000)
    • 1947 – Al Bumbry, American baseball player
    • 1947 – Iggy Pop, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
    • 1947 – John Weider, English bass player
    • 1948 – Gary Condit, American businessman and politician
    • 1948 – Paul Davis, American singer-songwriter and musician (d. 2008)
    • 1948 – Josef Flammer, Swiss ophthalmologist
    • 1948 – Dieter Fromm, German runner
    • 1949 – Patti LuPone, American actress and singer
    • 1950 – Shivaji Satam, Indian actor
    • 1951 – Tony Danza, American actor and producer
    • 1951 – Michael Freedman, American mathematician and academic
    • 1951 – Bob Varsha, American sportscaster
    • 1951 – Steve Vickers, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1952 – Gerald Early, American author and academic
    • 1952 – Cheryl Gillan, British businesswoman and politician, Secretary of State for Wales
    • 1953 – John Brumby, Australian politician, 45th Premier of Victoria
    • 1954 – Ebiet G. Ade, Indonesian singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1954 – James Morrison, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1955 – Murathan Mungan, Turkish author, poet, and playwright
    • 1955 – Doug Soetaert, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1956 – Peter Kosminsky, English director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1956 – Phillip Longman, German-American demographer and journalist
    • 1957 – Hervé Le Tellier, French linguist and author
    • 1957 – Jesse Orosco, American baseball player
    • 1957 – Herbert Wetterauer, German painter, sculptor, and author
    • 1958 – Andie MacDowell, American model, actress, and producer
    • 1958 – Yoshito Usui, Japanese illustrator (d. 2009)
    • 1958 – Michael Zarnock, American author
    • 1959 – Tim Jacobus, American illustrator and painter
    • 1959 – Olga Kuragina, Russian pentathlete
    • 1959 – Arno Pijpers, Dutch footballer and coach
    • 1959 – Robert Smith, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1960 – Michel Goulet, Canadian ice hockey player and scout
    • 1960 – Julius Korir, Kenyan runner
    • 1961 – Cathy Cavadini, American voice actress
    • 1961 – Carey Hayes, American screenwriter and producer
    • 1961 – Chad Hayes, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1961 – Neale Marmon, English-German footballer, coach, and manager
    • 1961 – David Servan-Schreiber, French physician, neuroscientist, and author (d. 2011)
    • 1962 – Les Lancaster, American baseball player and coach
    • 1962 – Craig Robinson, American basketball player and coach
    • 1962 – Aavo Sarap, Estonian footballer and coach
    • 1963 – Ken Caminiti, American baseball player (d. 2004)
    • 1963 – Roy Dupuis, Canadian actor
    • 1963 – John Cameron Mitchell, American actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1964 – Alex Baumann, Czech-Canadian swimmer
    • 1964 – Ludmila Engquist, Russian-Swedish hurdler
    • 1965 – Ed Belfour, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1965 – Karen Foster, American model and actress
    • 1965 – Gary Grant, American basketball player
    • 1965 – Thomas Helmer, German footballer
    • 1965 – Fiona Kelleghan, American academic, critic and librarian
    • 1967 – Emilio Valle, Cuban hurdler
    • 1968 – Peter van Vossen, Dutch footballer and coach
    • 1969 – John Kibowen, Kenyan runner
    • 1969 – Toby Stephens, English actor
    • 1970 – Jeff Anderson, American actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1970 – Glen Hansard, Irish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1970 – Rob Riggle, American actor and comedian
    • 1970 – Nicole Sullivan, American actress, comedian, and screenwriter
    • 1971 – Axl Rotten, American wrestler (d. 2016)
    • 1971 – Michael Turner, American author and illustrator (d. 2008)
    • 1972 – Richard Chelimo, Kenyan runner (d. 2001)
    • 1972 – Gwendal Peizerat, French ice dancer
    • 1973 – Steve Backshall, English naturalist, writer, and television presenter
    • 1973 – Jonathan Nsenga, Belgian hurdler and coach
    • 1974 – Maksim Gruznov, Estonian footballer
    • 1974 – Orlando Jordan, American wrestler
    • 1974 – David Peachey, Australian rugby league player
    • 1975 – Danyon Loader, New Zealand swimmer
    • 1976 – Rommel Adducul, Filipino basketball player
    • 1976 – Petero Civoniceva, Fijian-Australian rugby league player
    • 1977 – Gyula Koi, Hungarian scholar and educator
    • 1977 – Jamie Salé, Canadian figure skater
    • 1978 – Jacob Burns, Australian footballer
    • 1978 – Jukka Nevalainen, Finnish drummer
    • 1978 – Yuliya Pechonkina, Russian hurdler
    • 1979 – Virginie Basselot, French chef
    • 1979 – Tobias Linderoth, French-Swedish footballer and coach
    • 1979 – James McAvoy, Scottish actor
    • 1980 – Jeff Keppinger, American baseball player
    • 1980 – Vincent Lecavalier, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1980 – Tony Romo, American football player
    • 1981 – Mads Junker, Danish footballer
    • 1982 – Khalif Barnes, American football player
    • 1982 – Micheal Luck, Australian rugby league player
    • 1982 – Carnell Williams, American football player
    • 1983 – Paweł Brożek, Polish footballer
    • 1983 – Marco Donadel, Italian footballer
    • 1983 – Tarvaris Jackson, American football player (d. 2020)
    • 1984 – Shayna Fox, American voice actress
    • 1986 – Audra Cohen, American tennis player
    • 1986 – Alexander Edler, Swedish ice hockey player
    • 1986 – Rodney Stuckey, American basketball player
    • 1986 – Mirko Valdifiori, Italian footballer
    • 1987 – Nadif Chowdhury, Bangladeshi cricketer
    • 1987 – Eric Devendorf, American basketball player
    • 1987 – Leroy George, Dutch footballer
    • 1987 – Anastasia Prikhodko, Ukrainian singer
    • 1988 – Ricky Berens, American swimmer
    • 1988 – Jencarlos Canela, American singer-songwriter and actor
    • 1988 – Pedro Mosquera, Spanish footballer
    • 1988 – Adam Rooney, Irish footballer
    • 1989 – Tatyana McFadden, Russian-American sprinter and skier
    • 1989 – Carlos Muñoz, Chilean footballer
    • 1990 – Aleksandar Prijović, Swiss-born Serbian footballer
    • 1992 – Isco, Spanish footballer
    • 1992 – Rene Santos, Brazilian footballer
    • 1992 – Joc Pederson, American baseball player
    • 1994 – Mitchell Weiser, German footballer

    Deaths on April 21

    • 234 – Emperor Xian of Han, Chinese emperor (b. 181)
    • 586 – Liuvigild, king of the Visigoths
    • 847 – Odgar, Frankish archbishop of Mainz
    • 866 – Bardas, de facto regent of the Byzantine Empire
    • 941 – Bajkam, de facto regent of the Abbasid Caliphate
    • 1073 – Pope Alexander II
    • 1109 – Anselm of Canterbury, Italian-English archbishop and saint (b. 1033)
    • 1136 – Stephen, Count of Tréguier Breton noblemen (b. c. 1058/62)
    • 1142 – Peter Abelard, French philosopher and theologian (b. 1079)
    • 1213 – Maria of Montpellier, Lady of Montpellier, Queen of Aragon (b. 1182)
    • 1329 – Frederick IV, Duke of Lorraine (b. 1282)
    • 1400 – John Wittlebury, English politician (b. 1333)
    • 1509 – Henry VII of England (b. 1457)
    • 1557 – Petrus Apianus, German mathematician and astronomer (b. 1495)
    • 1574 – Cosimo I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1519)
    • 1591 – Sen no Rikyū, Japanese exponent of the tea ceremony (b. 1522)
    • 1650 – Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi, Japanese samurai (b. 1607)
    • 1668 – Jan Boeckhorst, Flemish painter (b. c. 1604)
    • 1699 – Jean Racine, French playwright and poet (b. 1639)
    • 1719 – Philippe de La Hire, French mathematician and astronomer (b. 1640)
    • 1720 – Antoine Hamilton, Irish-French soldier and author (b. 1646)
    • 1722 – Robert Beverley, Jr., English historian and author (b. 1673)
    • 1736 – Prince Eugene of Savoy (b. 1663)
    • 1740 – Thomas Tickell, English poet and author (b. 1685)
    • 1758 – Francesco Zerafa, Maltese architect (b. 1679)
    • 1815 – Joseph Winston, American soldier and politician (b. 1746)
    • 1825 – Johann Friedrich Pfaff, German mathematician and academic (b. 1765)
    • 1852 – Ivan Nabokov, Russian general (b. 1787)
    • 1863 – Sir Robert Bateson, 1st Baronet, Irish politician (b. 1782)
    • 1900 – Vikramatji Khimojiraj, Indian ruler (b. 1819)
    • 1910 – Mark Twain, American novelist, humorist, and critic (b. 1835)
    • 1918 – Manfred von Richthofen, German captain and pilot (b. 1892)
    • 1924 – Eleonora Duse, Italian actress (b. 1858)
    • 1930 – Robert Bridges, English poet and author (b. 1844)
    • 1932 – Friedrich Gustav Piffl, Bohemian cardinal (b. 1864)
    • 1938 – Muhammad Iqbal, Indian-Pakistani philosopher and poet (b. 1877)
    • 1941 – Fritz Manteuffel, German gymnast (b. 1875)
    • 1945 – Walter Model, German field marshal (b. 1891)
    • 1946 – John Maynard Keynes, English economist and philosopher (b. 1883)
    • 1948 – Aldo Leopold, American ecologist and author (b. 1887)
    • 1952 – Leslie Banks, American actor, director and producer (b. 1890)
    • 1954 – Emil Leon Post, Polish-American mathematician and logician (b. 1897)
    • 1956 – Charles MacArthur, American playwright and screenwriter (b. 1895)
    • 1965 – Edward Victor Appleton, English-Scottish physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1892)
    • 1971 – François Duvalier, Haitian physician and politician, 40th President of Haiti (b. 1907)
    • 1973 – Arthur Fadden, Australian accountant and politician, 13th Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1894)
    • 1973 – Kemal Tahir, Turkish journalist and author (b. 1910)
    • 1974 – Chic Harley, American football player (b. 1894)
    • 1977 – Gummo Marx, American vaudevillian and talent agent (b. 1893)
    • 1978 – Sandy Denny, English singer-songwriter (b.1947)
    • 1978 – Thomas Wyatt Turner, American biologist and academic (b. 1877)
    • 1980 – Alexander Oparin, Russian biochemist and academic (b. 1894)
    • 1980 – Sohrab Sepehri, Iranian poet and painter (b. 1928)
    • 1983 – Walter Slezak, Austrian-American actor and singer (b. 1902)
    • 1984 – Marcel Janco, Romanian-Israeli artist (b. 1895)
    • 1984 – Hristo Prodanov, Bulgarian engineer and mountaineer (b. 1943)
    • 1985 – Rudi Gernreich, Austrian-American fashion designer, created the monokini (b. 1922)
    • 1985 – Tancredo Neves, Brazilian banker and politician, Prime Minister of Brazil (b. 1910)
    • 1986 – Marjorie Eaton, American painter and actress (b. 1901)
    • 1986 – Salah Jahin, Egyptian poet, playwright, and composer (b. 1930)
    • 1987 – Gustav Bergmann, Austrian-American philosopher from the Vienna Circle (b. 1906)
    • 1989 – James Kirkwood, Jr., American actor, playwright, and author (b. 1924)
    • 1990 – Erté, Russian-French illustrator (b. 1892)
    • 1991 – Willi Boskovsky, Austrian violinist and conductor (b. 1909)
    • 1996 – Zora Arkus-Duntov, Belgian-born American engineer and race car driver (b. 1909)
    • 1996 – Dzhokhar Dudayev, Chechen general and politician, 1st President of Ichkeria (b. 1944)
    • 1996 – Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Pakistani cricketer (b. 1925)
    • 1996 – Jimmy Snyder, American sportscaster (b. 1919)
    • 1998 – Jean-François Lyotard, French sociologist and philosopher (b. 1924)
    • 1999 – Buddy Rogers, American actor (b. 1904)
    • 2003 – Nina Simone, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and activist (b. 1933)
    • 2004 – Mary McGrory, American journalist (b. 1918)
    • 2005 – Gerry Marshall, English race car driver and journalist (b. 1941)
    • 2006 – Johnny Checketts, New Zealand commander and pilot (b. 1912)
    • 2006 – T. K. Ramakrishnan, Indian politician (b. 1922)
    • 2006 – Telê Santana, Brazilian footballer and manager (b. 1931)
    • 2007 – Lobby Loyde, Australian guitarist, songwriter, and producer (b. 1941)
    • 2009 – Vivian Maier, American photographer (b. 1926)
    • 2010 – Gustav Lorentzen, Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1947)
    • 2010 – Juan Antonio Samaranch, Spanish businessman, seventh President of the International Olympic Committee (b. 1920)
    • 2010 – Kanagaratnam Sriskandan, Sri Lankan-English engineer and civil servant (b. 1930)
    • 2011 – Catharina Halkes, Dutch theologian and academic (b. 1920)
    • 2012 – Doris Betts, American author and academic (b. 1932)
    • 2012 – Charles Colson, American lawyer and activist, founded Prison Fellowship (b. 1931)
    • 2012 – Albert Falco, French captain and diver (b. 1927)
    • 2012 – Charles Higham, English-American author and poet (b. 1931)
    • 2012 – Jerry Toppazzini, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1931)
    • 2013 – Chrissy Amphlett, Australian singer-songwriter and actress (b. 1959)
    • 2013 – Shakuntala Devi, Indian mathematician and astrologer (b. 1929)
    • 2013 – Leopold Engleitner, Austrian Holocaust survivor, author, and educator (b. 1905)
    • 2013 – Gordon D. Gayle, American general and historian (b. 1917)
    • 2014 – Herb Gray, Canadian lawyer and politician, 7th Deputy Prime Minister of Canada (b. 1931)
    • 2014 – Janet Gray Hayes, American politician, 60th Mayor of San Jose (b. 1926)
    • 2014 – George H. Heilmeier, American engineer (b. 1936)
    • 2014 – Win Tin, Burmese journalist and politician, co-founded the National League for Democracy (b. 1930)
    • 2015 – M. H. Abrams, American author, critic, and academic (b. 1912)
    • 2015 – Steve Byrnes, American sportscaster and producer (b. 1959)
    • 2015 – John Moshoeu, South African footballer and manager (b. 1965)
    • 2015 – Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, Indian politician, Governor of Assam (b. 1927)
    • 2015 – Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters, Canadian general (b. 1920)
    • 2015 – Betsy von Furstenberg, German-American actress (b. 1931)
    • 2016 – Prince, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor (b. 1958)
    • 2017 – Ugo Ehiogu, English footballer (b. 1972)
    • 2018 – Verne Troyer, American actor (b. 1969)
    • 2018 – Nabi Tajima, Japanese supercentenarian, oldest Japanese and Asian person ever, last verified person born in the 19th century (b. 1900)
    • 2019 – Polly Higgins, Scottish barrister, author and environmental lobbyist, (b. 1968)

    Holidays and observances April 21

    • Christian feast day:
      • Abdecalas
      • Anastasius Sinaita
      • Anselm of Canterbury
      • Beuno
      • Conrad of Parzham
      • Holy Infant of Good Health
      • Shemon Bar Sabbae
      • Wolbodo
      • April 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Civil Service Day (India)
    • Grounation Day (Rastafari movement)
    • Heroic Defense of Veracruz (Mexico)
    • Kang Pan-sok’s Birthday (North Korea)
    • Kartini Day (Indonesia)
    • Local Self Government Day (Russia)
    • National Tea Day (United Kingdom)
    • National Tree Planting Day (Kenya)
    • San Jacinto Day (Texas)
    • Queen’s Official Birthday (Falkland Islands)
    • Tiradentes’ Day (Brazil)
    • Vietnam Book Day (Vietnam)