In astrology, the day of the equinox is the first full day of the sign of Aries. It is also the traditional first day of the astrological year. In the 21st century, the equinox usually occurs on March 19 or 20; it occurred on March 21 only in 2003 and 2007. The next year in which the equinox occurs on March 21 will be 2102.
March 21 in History
- 537 – Siege of Rome: King Vitiges attempts to assault the northern and eastern city walls, but is repulsed at the Praenestine Gate, known as the Vivarium, by the defenders under the Byzantine generals Bessas and Peranius.
- 630 – Emperor Heraclius returns the True Cross, one of the holiest Christian relics, to Jerusalem.
- 717 – Battle of Vincy between Charles Martel and Ragenfrid.
- 1152 – Annulment of the marriage of King Louis VII of France and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine.
- 1188 – Emperor Antoku accedes to the throne of Japan.
- 1556 – On the day of his execution in Oxford, former Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer deviates from the scripted sermon by renouncing the recantations he has made and adds, “And as for the pope, I refuse him, as Christ’s enemy, and Antichrist with all his false doctrine.”
- 1788 – A fire in New Orleans leaves most of the town in ruins.
- 1800 – With the church leadership driven out of Rome during an armed conflict, Pius VII is crowned Pope in Venice with a temporary papal tiara made of papier-mâché.
- 1801 – The Battle of Alexandria is fought between British and French forces near the ruins of Nicopolis near Alexandria in Egypt.
- 1804 – Code Napoléon is adopted as French civil law.
- 1814 – Napoleonic Wars: Austrian forces repel French troops in the Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube.
- 1844 – The Bahá’í calendar begins. This is the first day of the first year of the Bahá’í calendar. It is annually celebrated by members of the Bahá’í Faith as the Bahá’í New Year or Náw-Rúz.
- 1861 – Alexander Stephens gives the Cornerstone Speech.
- 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.
- 1913 – Over 360 are killed and 20,000 homes destroyed in the Great Dayton Flood in Dayton, Ohio.
- 1918 – World War I: The first phase of the German Spring Offensive, Operation Michael, begins.
- 1919 – The Hungarian Soviet Republic is established becoming the first Communist government to be formed in Europe after the October Revolution in Russia.
- 1921 – The New Economic Policy is implemented by the Bolshevik Party in response to the economic failure as a result of war communism.
- 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.
- 1928 – Charles Lindbergh is presented with the Medal of Honor for the first solo trans-Atlantic flight.
- 1935 – Shah of Iran Reza Shah Pahlavi formally asks the international community to call Persia by its native name, Iran.
- 1937 – Ponce massacre: Nineteen people in Ponce, Puerto Rico are gunned down by police acting on orders of the US-appointed Governor, Blanton C. Winship.
- 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.
- 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.
- 1946 – The Los Angeles Rams sign Kenny Washington, making him the first African American player in professional American football since 1933.
- 1952 – Alan Freed presents the Moondog Coronation Ball, the first rock and roll concert, in Cleveland, Ohio.
- 1960 – Apartheid: Sharpeville massacre, South Africa: Police open fire on a group of black South African demonstrators, killing 69 and wounding 180.
- 1963 – Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary (in California) closes.
- 1965 – Ranger program: NASA launches Ranger 9, the last in a series of unmanned lunar space probes.
- 1965 – Dr. 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.
- 1968 – Battle of Karameh in Jordan between the Israel Defense Forces and the combined forces of the Jordanian Armed Forces and PLO.
- 1970 – The first Earth Day proclamation is issued by Joseph Alioto, Mayor of San Francisco.
- 1980 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces a United States boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow to protest the Soviet–Afghan War.
- 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.
- 1986 – Debi Thomas became the first African American to win the World Figure Skating Championships
- 1990 – Namibia becomes independent after 75 years of South African rule.
- 1994 – The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change enters into force.
- 1999 – Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones become the first to circumnavigate the Earth in a hot air balloon.
- 2000 – Pope John Paul II makes his first ever pontifical visit to Israel.
- 2006 – The social media site Twitter is founded.
- 2009 – Four police officers are shot and killed and a fifth is wounded in two shootings at Oakland, California.
- 2019 – The 2019 Xiangshui chemical plant explosion occurs, killing at least 47 people and injuring 640 others.
Births on March 21
- 927 – Emperor Taizu of Song (d. 976)
- 1474 – Angela Merici, Italian educator and saint (d. 1540)
- 1501 – Anne Brooke, Baroness Cobham, English noble (d. 1558)
- 1521 – Maurice, Elector of Saxony (d. 1553)
- 1527 – Hermann Finck, German composer and educator (d. 1558)
- 1555 – John Leveson, English politician (d. 1615)
- 1557 – Anne Howard, Countess of Arundel, English countess and poet (d. 1630)
- 1626 – Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur, Spanish saint and missionary (d. 1667)
- 1672 – Stefano Benedetto Pallavicino, Italian poet and translator (d. 1742)
- 1685 – Johann Sebastian Bach, German Baroque composer and musician (d. 1750)
- 1713 – Francis Lewis, Welsh-American merchant and politician (d. 1803)
- 1716 – Josef Seger, Bohemian organist, composer, and educator (d. 1782)
- 1752 – Mary Dixon Kies, American inventor (d. 1837)
- 1763 – Jean Paul, German journalist and author (d. 1825)
- 1768 – Joseph Fourier, French mathematician and physicist (d. 1830)
- 1806 – Benito Juárez, Mexican lawyer and politician, 25th President of Mexico (d. 1872)
- 1811 – Nathaniel Woodard, English priest and educator (d. 1891)
- 1825 – Alexander Mozhaysky, Russian soldier and engineer (d. 1890)
- 1835 – Thomas Hayward, English cricketer (d. 1876)
- 1839 – Modest Mussorgsky, Russian pianist and composer (d. 1881)
- 1854 – Alick Bannerman, Australian cricketer and coach (d. 1924)
- 1857 – Alice Henry, Australian journalist and activist (d. 1943)
- 1859 – Daria Pratt, American golfer (d. 1938)
- 1865 – George Owen Squier, American general (d. 1934)
- 1866 – Antonia Maury, American astronomer and astrophysicist (d. 1952)
- 1867 – Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., American director and producer (d. 1932)
- 1869 – David Robertson, Scottish-English golfer and rugby player (d. 1937)
- 1874 – Alfred Tysoe, English runner (d. 1901)
- 1876 – Walter Tewksbury, American runner and hurdler (d. 1968)
- 1877 – Maurice Farman, French race car driver and pilot (d. 1964)
- 1878 – Morris H. Whitehouse, American architect (d. 1944)
- 1880 – Broncho Billy Anderson, American actor, director, and producer (d. 1971)
- 1880 – Hans Hofmann, German-American painter and academic (d. 1966)
- 1882 – Aleksander Kesküla, Estonian politician (d. 1963)
- 1884 – George David Birkhoff, American mathematician (d. 1944)
- 1885 – Pierre Renoir, French actor and director (d. 1952)
- 1886 – Walter Dray, American pole vaulter (d. 1973)
- 1887 – Clarice Beckett, Australian painter (d. 1935)
- 1887 – Lajos Kassák, Hungarian poet, novelist and painter (d. 1967)
- 1887 – M. N. Roy, Indian philosopher and politician (d. 1954)
- 1889 – Jock Sutherland, American football player and coach (d. 1948)
- 1896 – Friedrich Waismann, Austrian mathematician, physicist, and philosopher from the Vienna Circle (d. 1959)
- 1897 – Sim Gokkes, Dutch composer and conductor (d. 1943)
- 1897 – Salvador Lutteroth, Mexican wrestling promoter, founded Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (d. 1987)
- 1899 – Panagiotis Pipinelis, Greek politician, Prime Minister of Greece (d. 1970)
- 1901 – Karl Arnold, German businessman and politician, President of the German Bundesrat (d. 1958)
- 1902 – Son House, American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1988)
- 1904 – Jehane Benoît, Canadian journalist and author (d. 1987)
- 1904 – Forrest Mars, Sr., American candy maker, created M&M’s and Mars bar (d. 1999)
- 1904 – Nikos Skalkottas, Greek violinist and composer (d. 1949)
- 1905 – Phyllis McGinley, American author and poet (d. 1978)
- 1906 – John D. Rockefeller III, American philanthropist (d. 1978)
- 1906 – Jim Thompson, American businessman (d. 1967)
- 1906 – André Filho, Brazilian musician and songwriter (d. 1974)
- 1907 – Zoltán Kemény, Hungarian sculptor (d. 1965)
- 1909 – Harry Lane, English footballer (d. 1977)
- 1910 – Julio Gallo, American businessman, co-founded E & J Gallo Winery (d. 1993)
- 1910 – Muhammad Siddiq Khan, Bangladeshi librarian and educator (d. 1978)
- 1911 – Walter Lincoln Hawkins, African-American scientist and inventor (d. 1992)
- 1912 – André Laurendeau, Canadian journalist, playwright, and politician (d. 1968)
- 1913 – George Abecassis, English race car driver and pilot (d. 1991)
- 1913 – Guillermo Haro, Mexican astronomer (d. 1988)
- 1914 – Paul Tortelier, French cellist and composer (d. 1990)
- 1916 – Bismillah Khan, Indian shehnai player (d. 2006)
- 1916 – Ken Wharton, English race car driver (d. 1957)
- 1917 – Frank Hardy, Australian journalist, author, and playwright (d. 1994)
- 1918 – Patrick Lucey, American captain and politician, 38th Governor of Wisconsin (d. 2014)
- 1918 – Charles Thompson, American pianist and composer (d. 2016)
- 1919 – Douglas Warren, Australian bishop (d. 2013)
- 1920 – Manolis Chiotis, Greek singer-songwriter and bouzouki player (d. 1970)
- 1920 – Éric Rohmer, French director, film critic, journalist, novelist and screenwriter (d. 2010)
- 1921 – Arthur Grumiaux, Belgian violinist and pianist (d. 1986)
- 1921 – Antony Hopkins, English pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 2014)
- 1922 – Russ Meyer, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2004)
- 1923 – Louis-Edmond Hamelin, Canadian geographer, author, and academic (d. 2020)
- 1923 – Nizar Qabbani, Syrian poet, publisher, and diplomat (d. 1998)
- 1923 – Nirmala Srivastava, Indian religious leader, founded Sahaja Yoga (d. 2011)
- 1923 – Rezső Nyers, Hungarian politician (d. 2018)
- 1924 – Philip Abbott, American actor (d. 1998)
- 1924 – Dov Shilansky, Lithuanian-Israeli lawyer and politician (d. 2010)
- 1925 – Harold Ashby, American saxophonist (d. 2003)
- 1925 – Peter Brook, English-French director and producer
- 1925 – Hugo Koblet, Swiss cyclist (d. 1964)
- 1926 – André Delvaux, Belgian director and screenwriter (d. 2002)
- 1927 – Halton Arp, American-German astronomer and critic (d. 2013)
- 1927 – Hans-Dietrich Genscher, German soldier and politician, Vice-Chancellor of Germany (d. 2016)
- 1928 – Surya Bahadur Thapa, Nepalese politician, 24th Prime Minister of Nepal (d. 2015)
- 1929 – Maurice Catarcio, American wrestler (d. 2005)
- 1930 – James Coco, American actor (d. 1987)
- 1930 – Otis Spann, American blues pianist, singer and composer (d. 1970)
- 1931 – Toyonobori, Japanese sumo wrestler (d. 1998)
- 1931 – Clark L. Brundin, American-English engineer and academic
- 1931 – Catherine Gibson, Scottish swimmer (d. 2013)
- 1931 – Al Williamson, American illustrator (d. 2010)
- 1932 – Walter Gilbert, American physicist and chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1932 – Joseph Silverstein, American violinist and conductor (d. 2015)
- 1933 – John Hall, English businessman
- 1933 – Michael Heseltine, Welsh businessman and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- 1934 – Al Freeman, Jr., American actor and director (d. 2012)
- 1935 – Brian Clough, English footballer and manager (d. 2004)
- 1936 – Ed Broadbent, Canadian pilot and politician
- 1936 – Mike Westbrook, English pianist and composer
- 1937 – Ann Clwyd, Welsh journalist and politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
- 1937 – Tom Flores, American football player and coach
- 1937 – Pierre-Jean Rémy, French diplomat and author (d. 2010)
- 1938 – Michael Foreman, English author and illustrator
- 1938 – Grahame Thomas, Australian cricketer
- 1939 – Kathleen Widdoes, American actress
- 1940 – Solomon Burke, American singer-songwriter (d. 2010)
- 1940 – Andrea Elle, German bicyclist
- 1942 – Françoise Dorléac, French actress (d. 1967)
- 1942 – Kostas Politis, Greek basketball player and coach (d. 2018)
- 1942 – Amina Claudine Myers, African-American singer-songwriter and pianist
- 1942 – Patcha Ramachandra Rao, India metallurgist, educator and administrator (d. 2010)
- 1943 – István Gyulai, Hungarian sprinter and sportscaster (d. 2006)
- 1943 – Hartmut Haenchen, German conductor
- 1943 – Vivian Stanshall, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter (d. 1995)
- 1944 – Marie-Christine Barrault, French actress
- 1944 – Janet Daley, American-English journalist and author
- 1944 – Hideki Ishima, Japanese guitarist
- 1944 – Mike Jackson, English general
- 1944 – David Lindley, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
- 1944 – Gaye Adegbalola, African-American singer and guitarist
- 1945 – Anthony Grabiner, Baron Grabiner, English lawyer
- 1945 – Charles Greene, American sprinter and coach
- 1945 – Rose Stone, African-American R&B singer and keyboard player
- 1946 – Timothy Dalton, Welsh-English actor
- 1946 – Ray Dorset, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1946 – Joseph Mitsuaki Takami, Japanese cardinal
- 1947 – George Johnston. Scottish footballer, forward
- 1948 – Scott Fahlman, American computer scientist and academic
- 1949 – Alvin Kallicharran, Guyanese cricketer and coach
- 1949 – Andy Love, Scottish-English politician
- 1949 – Eddie Money, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2019)
- 1949 – Slavoj Žižek, Slovenian sociologist, philosopher, and academic
- 1950 – Roger Hodgson, English singer-songwriter and keyboard player
- 1950 – Ron Oden, American minister and politician, 19th Mayor of Palm Springs
- 1950 – Sergey Lavrov, Russian politician and diplomat, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs
- 1951 – Conrad Lozano, American bass player
- 1951 – Russell Thompkins Jr., American soul singer
- 1953 – Steve Furber, English computer scientist and academic
- 1953 – Paul Martin Lester, American photographer, author, and educator
- 1953 – David Wisniewski, English-American author and illustrator (d. 2002)
- 1955 – Fadi Abboud, Lebanese economist and politician
- 1955 – Jair Bolsonaro, Brazilian politician and retired military officer, 38th President of Brazil
- 1955 – Bob Bennett, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1955 – Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Greek politician
- 1955 – Bärbel Wöckel, East German sprinter
- 1956 – Dick Beardsley, American runner
- 1956 – Guy Chadwick, German-English singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1956 – Richard H. Kirk, English guitarist, keyboard player, composer, and producer
- 1956 – Ingrid Kristiansen, Norwegian runner
- 1958 – Marlies Göhr, German sprinter
- 1958 – Brad Hall, American comedian, director, and screenwriter
- 1958 – Gary Oldman, English actor, filmmaker, musician and author
- 1959 – Sarah Jane Morris, English singer-songwriter
- 1959 – Yuval Rotem, Israeli diplomat
- 1959 – Nobuo Uematsu, Japanese keyboard player and composer
- 1960 – Marwan Farhat, Syrian actor and voice actor
- 1960 – Benito T. de Leon, Filipino general
- 1960 – Raivo Puusepp, Estonian architect
- 1960 – Ayrton Senna, Brazilian race car driver (d. 1994)
- 1960 – Robert Sweet, American drummer and producer
- 1961 – Lothar Matthäus, German footballer and manager
- 1961 – Gary O’Reilly, English footballer, defender
- 1961 – Kassie DePaiva, American actress
- 1961 – Slim Jim Phantom, American rock drummer
- 1961 – Kim Turner, American hurdler
- 1962 – Matthew Broderick, American actor
- 1962 – Kathy Greenwood, Canadian actress and screenwriter
- 1962 – Rosie O’Donnell, American actress, producer, and talk show host
- 1962 – Mark Waid, American author
- 1963 – Shawon Dunston, American baseball player
- 1963 – Ronald Koeman, Dutch footballer and manager
- 1963 – Shawn Lane, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer (d. 2003)
- 1963 – Share Pedersen, American bass player
- 1964 – Ieuan Evans, Welsh rugby player
- 1964 – Jesper Skibby, Danish cyclist
- 1965 – Xavier Bertrand, French businessman and politician, French Minister of Social Affairs
- 1965 – Thomas Frank, American author, historian and political analyst
- 1966 – Benito Archundia, Mexican footballer, referee, lawyer, and economist
- 1966 – Hauke Fuhlbrügge, German runner
- 1966 – Matthew Maynard, English cricketer and coach
- 1966 – Moa Matthis, Swedish author
- 1967 – Carwyn Jones, Welsh lawyer and politician, First Minister of Wales
- 1967 – Mirela Rupic, American costume and fashion designer
- 1968 – Cameron Clyne, Australian businessman
- 1968 – Andrew Copeland, American singer and guitarist
- 1968 – Gary Walsh, English football coach and former footballer
- 1968 – Greg Ellis, English actor, producer, and screenwriter
- 1968 – Tolunay Kafkas, Turkish footballer and manager
- 1968 – Scott Williams, American basketball player and sportscaster
- 1969 – Jonah Goldberg, American journalist and author
- 1970 – Shiho Niiyama, Japanese voice actress (d. 2000)
- 1970 – Cenk Uygur, Turkish-American political activist
- 1971 – Zsolt Kürtösi, Hungarian decathlete
- 1972 – Chris Candido, American wrestler (d. 2005)
- 1972 – Balázs Kiss, Hungarian hammer thrower
- 1972 – Derartu Tulu, Ethiopian runner
- 1972 – Graeme Welch, English cricketer
- 1973 – Ananda Lewis, American television host
- 1973 – Stuart Nethercott, English footballer, defender and manager
- 1973 – Large Professor, American rapper and producer
- 1974 – Rhys Darby, New Zealand comedian and actor
- 1974 – Dejima Takeharu, Japanese sumo wrestler
- 1974 – Edsel Dope, American singer-songwriter and producer
- 1974 – Ted Kravitz, British presenter and Formula One pit-lane reporter
- 1974 – Kevin Leahy, American drummer
- 1974 – Conor Woodman, Irish journalist and author
- 1975 – Yacoub Al-Mohana, Kuwaiti director and producer
- 1975 – Corne Krige, South African rugby player
- 1975 – Fabricio Oberto, Argentinian-Italian basketball player
- 1975 – Vitaly Potapenko, Ukrainian basketball player and coach
- 1975 – Mark Williams, Welsh snooker player
- 1976 – Rachael MacFarlane, American voice actress and singer
- 1976 – Bamboo Mañalac, Filipino singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1976 – Tekin Sazlog, German-Turkish footballer
- 1977 – Bruno Cirillo, Italian footballer
- 1977 – Jamie Delgado, English tennis player
- 1978 – Sally Barsosio, Kenyan runner
- 1978 – Joyce Jimenez, Filipino movie and TV actress
- 1978 – Charmaine Dragun, Australian journalist (d. 2007)
- 1978 – Cristian Guzmán, Dominican baseball player
- 1978 – Mohammad Rezaei, Iranian wrestler
- 1980 – Ronaldinho, Brazilian footballer
- 1980 – Marit Bjørgen, Norwegian skier
- 1980 – Lee Jin, South Korean singer and actress
- 1980 – Deryck Whibley, Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
- 1981 – Germano Borovicz Cardoso Schweger, Brazilian footballer
- 1981 – Sébastien Chavanel, French cyclist
- 1981 – Glenn Hall, Australian rugby league player
- 1981 – Jason King, Australian rugby league player
- 1981 – Todd Polglase, Australian rugby league player
- 1982 – Maria Elena Camerin, Italian tennis player
- 1982 – Ejegayehu Dibaba, Ethiopian runner
- 1982 – Aaron Hill, American baseball player
- 1982 – Colin Turkington, Northern Irish race car driver
- 1983 – Lucila Pascua, Spanish basketball player
- 1983 – Jean Ondoa, Cameroonian footballer
- 1984 – Tiago dos Santos Roberto, Brazilian footballer
- 1984 – Guillermo Daniel Rodríguez, Uruguayan footballer
- 1985 – Ryan Callahan, American ice hockey player
- 1985 – Adrian Peterson, American football player
- 1986 – Scott Eastwood, American actor
- 1986 – Michu, Spanish footballer
- 1986 – Romanos Alyfantis, Greek swimmer
- 1986 – Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou, Greek pole vaulter
- 1987 – Carlos Carrasco, Venezuelan baseball pitcher
- 1988 – Kateřina Čechová, Czech sprinter
- 1988 – Erik Johnson, American ice hockey player
- 1988 – Eric Krüger, German sprinter
- 1988 – Michael Madl, Austrian footballer, defender
- 1989 – Jordi Alba, Spanish footballer
- 1989 – Nicolás Lodeiro, Uruguayan footballer
- 1990 – Mandy Capristo, German singer-songwriter and dancer
- 1990 – Ryann Krais, American runner and heptathlete
- 1990 – Alex Nimo, Liberian-American soccer player
- 1991 – Luke Chapman, English footballer
- 1991 – Antoine Griezmann, French footballer
- 1992 – Lehlogonolo Masalesa, South African footballer
- 1992 – Karolína Plíšková, Czech tennis player
- 1993 – Jake Bidwell, English footballer
- 1993 – Jesse Joronen, Finnish footballer
- 1994 – Margaret Lu, American fencer
- 1997 – Martina Stoessel, Argentine actress
- 2000 – Jace Norman, American actor
Deaths on March 21
- 543 or 547 – Benedict of Nursia, Italian saint (b. 480)
- 867 – Ælla, king of Northumbria
- 867 – Osberht, king of Northumbria
- 1034 – Ezzo, Count Palatine of Lotharingia (b. 955)
- 1063 – Richeza of Lotharingia (b. 995)
- 1076 – Robert I, Duke of Burgundy (b. 1011)
- 1201 – Absalon, Danish archbishop (b. c. 1128)
- 1306 – Robert II, Duke of Burgundy (b. 1248)
- 1372 – Rudolf VI, Margrave of Baden
- 1487 – Nicholas of Flüe, Swiss monk and saint (b. 1417)
- 1540 – John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford, English peer and courtier (b. c. 1482)
- 1556 – Thomas Cranmer, English archbishop (b. 1489)
- 1571 – Odet de Coligny, French cardinal and Protestant (b. 1517)
- 1617 – Pocahontas, Algonquian Indigenous princess (b. c. 1595)
- 1653 – Tarhoncu Ahmed Pasha, Albanian politician, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
- 1656 – James Ussher, Irish archbishop (b. 1581)
- 1676 – Henri Sauval, French historian and author (b. 1623)
- 1729 – John Law, Scottish-French economist and politician, Controller-General of Finances (b. 1671)
- 1729 – Elżbieta Sieniawska, politically influential Polish magnate (b. 1669)
- 1734 – Robert Wodrow, Scottish historian and author (b. 1679)
- 1751 – Johann Heinrich Zedler, German publisher (b. 1706)
- 1752 – Gio Nicola Buhagiar, Maltese painter (b. 1698)
- 1762 – Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, French priest, astronomer, and academic (b. 1713)
- 1772 – Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, French geographer and cartographer (b. 1703)
- 1795 – Giovanni Arduino, Italian miner and geologist (b. 1714)
- 1801 – Andrea Luchesi, Italian composer and educator (b. 1741)
- 1804 – Louis Antoine, Duke of Enghien (b. 1772)
- 1843 – Robert Southey, English poet, historian, and translator (b. 1774)
- 1843 – Guadalupe Victoria, Mexican general and politician, 1st President of Mexico (b. 1786)
- 1854 – Pedro María de Anaya, Mexican soldier. President (1847-1848) (b. 1795)
- 1863 – Edwin Vose Sumner, American general (b. 1797)
- 1869 – Juan Almonte, son of José María Morelos, was a Mexican soldier and diplomat who served as a regent in the Second Mexican Empire (1863-1864) (b. 1803)
- 1884 – Ezra Abbot, American scholar and academic (b. 1819)
- 1891 – Joseph E. Johnston, American general (b. 1807)
- 1915 – Frederick Winslow Taylor, American golfer, tennis player, and engineer (b. 1856)
- 1920 – Evelina Haverfield, British suffragette and aid worker (b. 1867)
- 1932 – Frantz Reichel, French rugby player and hurdler (b. 1871)
- 1934 – Franz Schreker, Austrian composer and conductor (b. 1878)
- 1934 – Lilyan Tashman, American actress (b. 1896)
- 1936 – Alexander Glazunov, Russian composer and conductor (b. 1865)
- 1939 – Evald Aav, Estonian composer and conductor (b. 1900)
- 1939 – Ali Hikmet Ayerdem, Turkish general and politician (b. 1877)
- 1943 – Cornelia Fort, American soldier and pilot (b. 1919)
- 1945 – Arthur Nebe, German SS officer (b. 1894)
- 1951 – Willem Mengelberg, Dutch conductor and composer (b. 1871)
- 1953 – Ed Voss, American basketball player (b. 1922)
- 1956 – Hatı Çırpan, Turkish politician (b. 1890)
- 1958 – Cyril M. Kornbluth, American soldier and author (b. 1923)
- 1970 – Manolis Chiotis, Greek singer-songwriter and bouzouki player (b. 1920)
- 1975 – Joe Medwick, American baseball player and coach (b. 1911)
- 1978 – Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, President of Ireland (b. 1911)
- 1980 – Peter Stoner, American mathematician and astronomer (b. 1888)
- 1985 – Michael Redgrave, English actor, director, and manager (b. 1908)
- 1987 – Walter L. Gordon, Canadian accountant, lawyer, and politician, 22nd Canadian Minister of Finance (b. 1906)
- 1987 – Robert Preston, American captain, actor, and singer (b. 1918)
- 1991 – Vedat Dalokay, Turkish architect and politician, Mayor of Ankara (b. 1927)
- 1991 – Leo Fender, American businessman, founded Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (b. 1909)
- 1992 – John Ireland, Canadian-American actor and director (b. 1914)
- 1992 – Natalie Sleeth, American pianist and composer (b. 1930)
- 1994 – Macdonald Carey, American actor (b. 1913)
- 1994 – Lili Damita, French-American actress and singer (b. 1904)
- 1994 – Aleksandrs Laime, Latvian-born explorer (b. 1911)
- 1997 – Wilbert Awdry, English cleric and author, created Thomas the Tank Engine (b. 1911)
- 1998 – Galina Ulanova, Russian ballerina (b. 1910)
- 1999 – Jean Guitton, French philosopher and author (b. 1905)
- 1999 – Ernie Wise, English comedian and actor (b. 1925)
- 2001 – Chung Ju-yung, South Korean businessman, founded Hyundai (b. 1915)
- 2001 – Anthony Steel, English actor and singer (b. 1920)
- 2002 – Herman Talmadge, American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician, 70th Governor of Georgia (b. 1913)
- 2003 – Shivani, Indian author (b. 1923)
- 2003 – Umar Wirahadikusumah, Indonesian general and politician, 4th Vice President of Indonesia (b. 1924)
- 2004 – Ludmilla Tchérina, French actress, dancer, and choreographer (b. 1924)
- 2005 – Barney Martin, American police officer and actor (b. 1923)
- 2005 – Bobby Short, American singer and pianist (b. 1924)
- 2007 – Drew Hayes, American author and illustrator (b. 1969)
- 2007 – Sven O. Høiby, Norwegian hurdler and journalist (b. 1936)
- 2008 – Denis Cosgrove, English-American geographer and academic (b. 1948)
- 2008 – Guillermo Jullian de la Fuente, Chilean architect and academic (b. 1931)
- 2009 – Walt Poddubny, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1960)
- 2010 – Wolfgang Wagner, German director and manager (b. 1919)
- 2011 – Loleatta Holloway, American singer-songwriter (b. 1946)
- 2011 – Gerd Klier, German footballer (b. 1944)
- 2011 – Ladislav Novák, Czech footballer and manager (b. 1931)
- 2011 – Pinetop Perkins, American singer and pianist (b. 1913)
- 2012 – Albrecht Dietz, German economist and businessman (b. 1926)
- 2012 – Ron Erhardt, American football player and coach (b. 1931)
- 2012 – Robert Fuest, English director, screenwriter, and production designer (b. 1927)
- 2012 – Tonino Guerra, Italian poet and screenwriter (b. 1920)
- 2012 – Irving Louis Horowitz, American sociologist, author, and academic (b. 1929)
- 2012 – Yuri Razuvaev, Russian chess player and trainer (b. 1945)
- 2012 – Marina Salye, Russian geologist and politician (b. 1934)
- 2013 – Chinua Achebe, Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic (b. 1930)
- 2013 – Rick Hautala, American author and screenwriter (b. 1949)
- 2013 – Harlon Hill, American football player and coach (b. 1932)
- 2013 – Pietro Mennea, Italian sprinter and politician (b. 1952)
- 2013 – Giancarlo Zagni, Italian director and screenwriter (b. 1926)
- 2014 – Qoriniasi Bale, Fijian lawyer and politician, 25th Attorney-General of Fiji (b. 1929)
- 2014 – Bill Boedeker, American football player and soldier (b. 1924)
- 2014 – Jack Fleck, American golfer (b. 1921)
- 2014 – Simeon Oduoye, Nigerian police officer and politician (b. 1945)
- 2014 – James Rebhorn, American actor (b. 1948)
- 2014 – Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Iraqi patriarch (b. 1933)
- 2015 – Ishaya Bakut, Nigerian general and politician, Governor of Benue State (b. 1947)
- 2015 – Chuck Bednarik, American lieutenant and football player (b. 1925)
- 2015 – James C. Binnicker, American sergeant (b. 1938)
- 2015 – Hans Erni, Swiss painter, sculptor, and illustrator (b. 1909)
- 2015 – Jørgen Ingmann, Danish singer and guitarist (Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann) (b. 1925)
- 2015 – Alberta Watson, Canadian actress (b. 1955)
- 2017 – Chuck Barris, American game show host and producer (b. 1929)
- 2017 – Colin Dexter, English author (b. 1930)
- 2017 – Martin McGuinness, Irish republican and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland (2007–2017) (b. 1950)
- 2017 – Mike Hall, British cyclist (b. 1981)
- 2019 – Victor Hochhauser CBE, British music promoter (b. 1923)[21]
- 2019 – Gonzalo Portocarrero, Peruvian sociologist (b. 1949)
Holidays and observances on March 21
- Arbor Day (Portugal)
- Birth of Benito Juárez, a Fiestas Patrias (Mexico)
- Christian feast day:
- Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello
- Passing of Saint Benedict (Order of Saint Benedict)
- Birillus
- Enda of Aran
- Nicholas of Flüe
- Serapion of Thmuis
- Thomas Cranmer (Anglicanism)
- March 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Earliest day on which Holy Saturday can fall, while April 24 is the latest; celebrated on the Saturday before Easter (Christianity)
- Education Freedom Day
- Harmony Day (Australia)
- Human Rights Day (South Africa)
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Namibia from South African mandate in 1990
- International Colour Day (International)
- International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (International)
- International Day of Forests (International), by proclamation of the United Nations General Assembly
- Mother’s Day (most of the Arab world)
- National Tree Planting Day (Lesotho)
- Newroz (Iran, Kurdistan, Mesopotamia)
- Truant’s Day (Poland, Faroe Islands)
- Vernal equinox related observances (see March 20)
- World Down Syndrome Day (International)
- World Poetry Day (International)
- World Puppetry Day (International)
- Youth Day (Tunisia)
