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  • July 23 – History, Events, Births, Deaths Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 811 – Byzantine emperor Nikephoros I plunders the Bulgarian capital of Pliska and captures Khan Krum’s treasury.
    • 1319 – A Knights Hospitaller fleet scores a crushing victory over an Aydinid fleet off Chios.
    • 1632 – Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe, France.
    • 1677 – Scanian War: Denmark–Norway captures the harbor town of Marstrand from Sweden.
    • 1793 – Kingdom of Prussia re-conquers Mainz from France.
    • 1813 – Sir Thomas Maitland is appointed as the first Governor of Malta, transforming the island from a British protectorate to a de facto colony.
    • 1821 – While the Mora Rebellion continues, Greeks capture Monemvasia Castle. Turkish troops and citizens are transferred to Asia Minor’s coasts.
    • 1829 – In the United States, William Austin Burt patents the typographer, a precursor to the typewriter.
    • 1840 – The Province of Canada is created by the Act of Union.
    • 1862 – American Civil War: Henry Halleck takes command of the Union Army.
    • 1874 – Aires de Ornelas e Vasconcelos is appointed the Archbishop of the Portuguese colonial enclave of Goa, India.
    • 1881 – The Boundary Treaty of 1881 between Chile and Argentina is signed in Buenos Aires.
    • 1885 – President Ulysses S. Grant dies of throat cancer.
    • 1903 – The Ford Motor Company sells its first car.
    • 1908 – The Second Constitution accepted by the Ottomans.
    • 1914 – Austria-Hungary issues a series of demands in an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia demanding Serbia to allow the Austrians to determine who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Serbia accepts all but one of those demands and Austria declares war on July 28.
    • 1919 – Prince Regent Aleksander Karađorđević signs the decree establishing the University of Ljubljana
    • 1921 – The Communist Party of China (CPC) is established at the founding National Congress.
    • 1926 – Fox Film buys the patents of the Movietone sound system for recording sound onto film.
    • 1927 – The first station of the Indian Broadcasting Company goes on the air in Bombay.
    • 1936 – In Catalonia, Spain, the Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia is founded through the merger of Socialist and Communist parties.
    • 1940 – The United States’ Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles issues a declaration on the U.S. non-recognition policy of the Soviet annexation and incorporation of three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
    • 1942 – World War II: The German offensives Operation Edelweiss and Operation Braunschweig begin.
    • 1942 – Bulgarian poet and Communist leader Nikola Vaptsarov is executed by firing squad.
    • 1943 – The Rayleigh bath chair murder occurred in Rayleigh, Essex, England.
    • 1943 – World War II: The British destroyers HMS Eclipse and HMS Laforey sink the Italian submarine Ascianghi in the Mediterranean after she torpedoes the cruiser HMS Newfoundland.
    • 1945 – The post-war legal processes against Philippe Pétain begin.
    • 1952 – General Muhammad Naguib leads the Free Officers Movement (formed by Gamal Abdel Nasser, the real power behind the coup) in overthrowing King Farouk of Egypt.
    • 1961 – The Sandinista National Liberation Front is founded in Nicaragua.
    • 1962 – Telstar relays the first publicly transmitted, live trans-Atlantic television program, featuring Walter Cronkite.
    • 1962 – The International Agreement on the Neutrality of Laos is signed.
    • 1962 – Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
    • 1967 – Detroit Riots: In Detroit, one of the worst riots in United States history begins on 12th Street in the predominantly African American inner city. It ultimately kills 43 people, injures 342 and burns about 1,400 buildings.
    • 1968 – Glenville shootout: In Cleveland, Ohio, a violent shootout between a Black Militant organization and the Cleveland Police Department occurs. During the shootout, a riot begins and lasts for five days.
    • 1968 – The only successful hijacking of an El Al aircraft takes place when a Boeing 707 carrying ten crew and 38 passengers is taken over by three members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The aircraft was en route from Rome, to Lod, Israel.
    • 1970 – Qaboos bin Said al Said becomes Sultan of Oman after overthrowing his father, Said bin Taimur initiating massive reforms, modernization programs and end to a decade long civil war.
    • 1972 – The United States launches Landsat 1, the first Earth-resources satellite.
    • 1974 – The Greek military junta collapses, and former Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis is invited to lead the new government, beginning Greece’s metapolitefsi era.
    • 1980 – Phạm Tuân becomes the first Vietnamese citizen and the first Asian in space when he flies aboard the Soyuz 37 mission as an Intercosmos Research Cosmonaut.
    • 1982 – Outside Santa Clarita, California, actor Vic Morrow and two children are killed when a helicopter crashes onto them while shooting a scene from Twilight Zone: The Movie.
    • 1983 – Thirteen Sri Lanka Army soldiers are killed after a deadly ambush by the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
    • 1983 – Gimli Glider: Air Canada Flight 143 runs out of fuel and makes a deadstick landing at Gimli, Manitoba.
    • 1988 – General Ne Win, effective ruler of Burma since 1962, resigns after pro-democracy protests.
    • 1992 – A Vatican commission, led by Joseph Ratzinger, establishes that limiting certain rights of homosexual people and non-married couples is not equivalent to discrimination on grounds of race or gender.
    • 1992 – Abkhazia declares independence from Georgia.
    • 1995 – Comet Hale–Bopp is discovered; it becomes visible to the naked eye on Earth nearly a year later.
    • 1997 – Digital Equipment Corporation files antitrust charges against chipmaker Intel.
    • 1999 – ANA Flight 61 is hijacked in Tokyo, Japan by Yuji Nishizawa.
    • 1999 – Space Shuttle Columbia launches on STS-93, with Eileen Collins becoming the first female space shuttle commander. The shuttle also carried and deployed the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
    • 2005 – Three bombs explode in the Naama Bay area of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, killing 88 people.
    • 2014 – TransAsia Airways Flight 222 crashes in Xixi village near Huxi, Penghu, during approach to Phengu Airport. 48 of the 58 people on board are killed and five more people on the ground are injured.
    • 2015 – NASA announces discovery of Kepler-452b by Kepler.
    • 2016 – Kabul twin bombing occurred in the vicinity of Deh Mazang when protesters, mostly from the Shiite Hazara minority, were marching against route changing of the TUTAP power project. At least 80 people were killed and 260 were injured.
    • 2018 – A wildfire in East Attica, Greece caused the death of 102 people. It was the deadliest wildfire in history of Greece and the second-deadliest in the world, in the 21st century, after the 2009 bushfires in Australia that killed 180.

    Births on July 23

    • 1301 – Otto, Duke of Austria (d. 1339)
    • 1339 – Louis I, Duke of Anjou (d. 1384)
    • 1370 – Pier Paolo Vergerio the Elder, humanist (d. 1444 or 1445)
    • 1401 – Francesco I Sforza, Italian husband of Bianca Maria Visconti (d. 1466)
    • 1441 – Danjong of Joseon, King of Joseon (d. 1457)
    • 1503 – Anne of Bohemia and Hungary (d. 1547)
    • 1614 – Bonaventura Peeters the Elder, Flemish painter (d. 1652)
    • 1635 – Adam Dollard des Ormeaux, New France garrison commander (d. 1660)
    • 1649 – Pope Clement XI (d. 1721)
    • 1705 – Francis Blomefield, English historian and author (d. 1752)
    • 1713 – Luís António Verney, Portuguese philosopher and pedagogue (d. 1792)
    • 1773 – Thomas Brisbane, Scottish general and politician, 6th Governor of New South Wales (d. 1860)
    • 1775 – Étienne-Louis Malus, French physicist and mathematician (d. 1812)
    • 1777 – Philipp Otto Runge, German painter and illustrator (d. 1810)
    • 1796 – Franz Berwald, Swedish surgeon and composer (d. 1868)
    • 1802 – Manuel María Lombardini, Mexican general and president (1853) (d. 1853)
    • 1823 – Alexandre-Antonin Taché, Canadian archbishop and missionary (d. 1894)
    • 1838 – Édouard Colonne, French violinist and conductor (d. 1910)
    • 1851 – Peder Severin Krøyer, Norwegian-Danish painter (d. 1909)
    • 1856 – Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Indian lawyer and journalist (d. 1920)
    • 1864 – Apolinario Mabini, Filipino lawyer and politician, 1st Prime Minister of the Philippines (d. 1903)
    • 1865 – Henry Norris, English businessman and politician (d. 1934)
    • 1866 – Francesco Cilea, Italian composer and academic (d. 1950)
    • 1878 – James Thomas Milton Anderson, Canadian lawyer and politician, 5th Premier of Saskatchewan (d. 1946)
    • 1882 – Kâzım Karabekir, Turkish general and politician, 5th Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (b. 1948)
    • 1883 – Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, French-English field marshal and politician, Lord Lieutenant of the County of London (d. 1963)
    • 1884 – Emil Jannings, Swiss-German actor (d. 1950)
    • 1885 – Izaak Killam, Canadian financier and philanthropist (d. 1955)
    • 1885 – Georges V. Matchabelli, Georgian-American businessman, created Prince Matchabelli perfume (d. 1935)
    • 1886 – Salvador de Madariaga, Spanish historian and diplomat (d. 1978)
    • 1886 – Walter H. Schottky, Swiss-German physicist and engineer (d. 1976)
    • 1888 – Raymond Chandler, American crime novelist and screenwriter (d. 1959)
    • 1891 – Louis T. Wright, American surgeon and civil rights activist (d. 1952)
    • 1892 – Haile Selassie, Ethiopian emperor (d. 1975)
    • 1894 – Arthur Treacher, English-American actor and television personality (d. 1975)
    • 1895 – Aileen Pringle, American actress (d. 1989)
    • 1898 – Daniel Cosío Villegas, Mexican historian, economist (d. 1976)
    • 1898 – Bengt Djurberg, Swedish actor and singer (d. 1941)
    • 1898 – Red Dutton, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 1987)
    • 1898 – Herman Kruusenberg, Estonian wrestler (d. 1970)
    • 1898 – Jacob Marschak, Ukrainian-American economist, journalist, and author (d. 1977)
    • 1899 – Gustav Heinemann, German lawyer and politician, 3rd President of West Germany (d. 1976)
    • 1900 – Julia Davis Adams, American author and journalist (d. 1993)
    • 1900 – John Babcock, Canadian-American sergeant (d. 2010)
    • 1900 – Inger Margrethe Boberg, Danish folklore researcher and writer (d. 1957)
    • 1901 – Hank Worden, American actor and singer (d. 1992)
    • 1901 – Isabel Luberza Oppenheimer, Puerto Rican brothel owner and madam in barrio Maragüez, Ponce, Puerto Rico (d. 1974)
    • 1905 – Leopold Engleitner, Austrian author and educator (d. 2013)
    • 1906 – Vladimir Prelog, Croatian-Swiss chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1998)
    • 1906 – Chandra Shekhar Azad, Indian activist (d. 1931)
    • 1912 – M. H. Abrams, American author, critic, and academic (d. 2015)
    • 1912 – Michael Wilding, English actor (d. 1979)
    • 1913 – Michael Foot, English journalist and politician, Secretary of State for Employment (d. 2010)
    • 1914 – Nassos Daphnis, Greek-American painter (d.2010)
    • 1914 – Virgil Finlay, American illustrator (d. 1971)
    • 1914 – Elly Annie Schneider, German-American actress (d. 2004)
    • 1916 – Laurel Martyn, Australian ballerina and choreographer (d. 2013)
    • 1918 – Abraham Bueno de Mesquita, Dutch comedian and actor (d. 2005)
    • 1918 – Ruth Duccini, American actress (d. 2014)
    • 1918 – Pee Wee Reese, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 1999)
    • 1921 – Calvert DeForest, American actor (d. 2007)
    • 1922 – Damiano Damiani, Italian director and screenwriter (d. 2013)
    • 1922 – Jenny Pike, Canadian WWII servicewoman and photographer (d. 2004)
    • 1923 – Luis Aloma, Cuban-American baseball player (d. 1997)
    • 1923 – Morris Halle, Latvian-American linguist and academic (d. 2018)
    • 1923 – Amalia Mendoza, Mexican singer and actress (d. 2001)
    • 1924 – Gavin Lambert, English-American screenwriter and author (d. 2005)
    • 1924 – Gazanfer Bilge, Turkish wrestler (d. 2008)
    • 1925 – Tajuddin Ahmad, Bangladeshi politician, 1st Prime Minister of Bangladesh (d. 1975)
    • 1925 – Quett Masire, Botswana politician, the former Vice-President of Botswana (d. 2017)
    • 1925 – Alain Decaux, French historian and author (d. 2016)
    • 1925 – Gloria DeHaven, American actress and singer (d. 2016)
    • 1926 – Ludvík Vaculík, Czech journalist and author (d. 2015)
    • 1927 – Gérard Brach, French director and screenwriter (d. 2006)
    • 1928 – Leon Fleisher, American pianist and conductor
    • 1928 – Vera Rubin, American astronomer and academic (d. 2016)
    • 1928 – Hubert Selby, Jr., American author and screenwriter (d. 2004)
    • 1929 – Danny Barcelona, American drummer (d. 2007)
    • 1929 – Lateef Jakande, Nigerian journalist and politician, 5th Governor of Lagos State
    • 1931 – Te Atairangikaahu, Māori queen (d. 2006)
    • 1931 – Claude Fournier, Canadian director, screenwriter, and cinematographer
    • 1931 – Guy Fournier, Canadian author and screenwriter
    • 1933 – Raimund Abraham, Austrian architect, designed the Austrian Cultural Forum (d. 2010)
    • 1933 – Bert Convy, American actor, singer, and game show host (d. 1991)
    • 1933 – Benedict Groeschel, American priest, psychologist, and talk show host (d. 2014)
    • 1933 – Richard Rogers, Italian-English architect, designed the Millennium Dome and Lloyd’s building
    • 1935 – Jim Hall, American race car driver
    • 1936 – Don Drysdale, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 1993)
    • 1936 – Anthony Kennedy, American lawyer and jurist
    • 1937 – Dave Webster, American football player and engineer
    • 1938 – Juliet Anderson, American porn actress and producer (d. 2010)
    • 1938 – Ronny Cox, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1938 – Charles Harrelson, American murderer (d. 2007)
    • 1938 – Bert Newton, Australian actor and television host
    • 1940 – Danielle Collobert, French author, poet, and journalist (d. 1978)
    • 1940 – Don Imus, American radio host (d. 2019)
    • 1940 – Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, Italian economist and politician, Italian Minister of Finance (d. 2010)
    • 1941 – Christopher Andrew, English historian and academic
    • 1941 – Richie Evans, American race car driver (d. 1985)
    • 1941 – Sergio Mattarella, Italian lawyer, judge, and politician, 12th President of Italy
    • 1942 – Sallyanne Atkinson, Australian journalist and politician, Lord Mayor of Brisbane
    • 1942 – Madeline Bell, American singer-songwriter
    • 1942 – Richard E. Dauch, American businessman, co-founded American Axle (d. 2013)
    • 1942 – Dimitris Liantinis, Greek philosopher and author (d. 1998)
    • 1943 – Randall Forsberg, American scientist (d. 2007)
    • 1943 – Tony Joe White, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2018)
    • 1944 – Dino Danelli, American drummer
    • 1944 – Maria João Pires, Portuguese pianist
    • 1945 – Edward Gregson, English composer and educator
    • 1945 – Jon Sammels, English footballer
    • 1946 – Andy Mackay, English oboe player and composer
    • 1946 – René Ricard, American poet, painter, and critic (d. 2014)
    • 1947 – Gardner Dozois, American journalist and author (d. 2018)
    • 1947 – David Essex, English singer-songwriter, and actor
    • 1947 – Torsten Palm, Swedish race car driver
    • 1947 – Robin Simon, English historian, critic, and academic
    • 1948 – Ross Cranston, Australian-English lawyer, judge, and politician, Solicitor General for England and Wales
    • 1948 – John Cushnahan, Northern Irish educator and politician
    • 1948 – John Hall, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and politician
    • 1948 – Stanisław Targosz, Polish general (d. 2013)
    • 1949 – Clive Rice, South African cricketer and coach (d. 2015)
    • 1950 – Alex Kozinski, Romanian-born American lawyer and judge
    • 1950 – Ian Thomas, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1950 – Blair Thornton, Canadian guitarist and songwriter
    • 1950 – Alan Turner, Australian cricketer
    • 1952 – Paul Hibbert, Australian cricketer and coach (d. 2008)
    • 1952 – Bill Nyrop, American ice hockey player and coach (d. 1995)
    • 1952 – John Rutsey, Canadian drummer (d. 2008)
    • 1952 – Janis Siegel, American jazz singer (The Manhattan Transfer)
    • 1953 – Graham Gooch, English cricketer and coach
    • 1953 – Najib Razak, Malaysian politician, 6th Prime Minister of Malaysia
    • 1957 – Jo Brand, English comedian, actress, and screenwriter
    • 1957 – Nikos Galis, American basketball player
    • 1957 – Theo van Gogh, Dutch actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2004)
    • 1957 – Quentin Willson, English TV presenter, Top Gear.
    • 1958 – Ken Green, American golfer
    • 1958 – Tomy Winata, Indonesian businessman and philanthropist, founded the Artha Graha Peduli Foundation
    • 1959 – Nancy Savoca, American director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1960 – Gary Ella, Australian rugby player
    • 1960 – Susan Graham, American soprano and educator
    • 1960 – Al Perez, American wrestler
    • 1961 – André Ducharme, Canadian comedian and author
    • 1961 – Michael Durant, American pilot and author
    • 1961 – Martin Gore, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
    • 1961 – Woody Harrelson, American actor and activist
    • 1961 – Milind Gunaji, Indian actor, model, television show host, and author
    • 1962 – Eriq La Salle, American actor, director, and producer
    • 1962 – Mark Laurie, Australian rugby league player
    • 1962 – Alain Lefèvre, Canadian pianist and composer
    • 1963 – Slobodan Zivojinovic, Serbian tennis player
    • 1964 – Uwe Barth, German politician
    • 1964 – Nick Menza, German drummer and songwriter (d. 2016)
    • 1965 – Rob Dickinson, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1965 – Slash, English-American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
    • 1967 – Philip Seymour Hoffman, American actor, director, and producer (d. 2014)
    • 1968 – Elden Campbell, American basketball player
    • 1968 – Gary Payton, American basketball player and actor
    • 1968 – Stephanie Seymour, American model and actress
    • 1969 – Andrew Cassels, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1970 – Charisma Carpenter, American actress
    • 1970 – Thea Dorn, German author and playwright
    • 1970 – Sam Watters, American singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1971 – Dalvin DeGrate, American rapper and producer
    • 1971 – Alison Krauss, American singer-songwriter and fiddler
    • 1971 – Joel Stein, American journalist
    • 1972 – Suat Kılıç, Turkish journalist, lawyer, and politician, Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports
    • 1972 – Floyd Reifer, Barbadian cricketer and coach
    • 1972 – Marlon Wayans, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1973 – Nomar Garciaparra, American baseball player and sportscaster
    • 1973 – Fran Healy, Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1973 – Himesh Reshammiya, Indian singer-songwriter, producer, actor, and director
    • 1973 – Andrea Scanavacca, Italian rugby player and manager
    • 1974 – Terry Glenn, American football player and coach (d. 2017)
    • 1974 – Maurice Greene, American sprinter
    • 1974 – Rik Verbrugghe, Belgian cyclist
    • 1975 – Dan Rogerson, English politician
    • 1976 – Judit Polgár, Hungarian chess player
    • 1977 – Scott Clemmensen, American ice hockey player and coach
    • 1977 – Gail Emms, English badminton player
    • 1977 – Néicer Reasco, Ecuadorian footballer
    • 1977 – Shawn Thornton, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1978 – Stuart Elliott, Northern Irish footballer
    • 1978 – Stefanie Sun, Singaporean singer-songwriter and pianist
    • 1978 – Lauren Groff, American novelist and short story writer
    • 1979 – Perro Aguayo Jr., Mexican wrestler and promoter (d. 2015)
    • 1979 – Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Greek footballer
    • 1979 – Richard Sims, Zimbabwean cricketer
    • 1979 – Ricardo Sperafico, Brazilian race car driver
    • 1979 – Cathleen Tschirch, German sprinter
    • 1980 – Sandeep Parikh, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1980 – Michelle Williams, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
    • 1981 – Steve Jocz, Canadian singer-songwriter, drummer, and director
    • 1981 – Dmitriy Karpov, Kazakhstani decathlete
    • 1981 – Aleksandr Kulik, Estonian footballer
    • 1981 – Jarkko Nieminen, Finnish tennis player
    • 1982 – Ömer Aysan Barış, Turkish footballer
    • 1982 – Joe Mather, American baseball player
    • 1982 – Gökhan Ünal, Turkish footballer
    • 1982 – Gerald Wallace, American basketball player
    • 1982 – Paul Wesley, American actor, director, and producer
    • 1983 – Bec Hewitt, Australian actress
    • 1983 – Aaron Peirsol, American swimmer
    • 1983 – David Strettle, English rugby player
    • 1984 – Walter Gargano, Uruguayan footballer
    • 1984 – Matthew Murphy, English singer and guitarist
    • 1984 – Brandon Roy, American basketball player
    • 1984 – Celeste Thorson, American actress, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1985 – Luis Ángel Landín, Mexican footballer
    • 1986 – Aya Uchida, Japanese voice actress and singer
    • 1986 – Nelson Philippe, French race car driver
    • 1986 – Yelena Sokolova, Russian long jumper
    • 1987 – Alessio Cerci, Italian footballer
    • 1987 – Felipe Dylon, Brazilian singer
    • 1987 – Serdar Kurtuluş, Turkish footballer
    • 1989 – Daniel Radcliffe, English actor
    • 1989 – Donald Young, American tennis player
    • 1990 – Kevin Reynolds, Canadian figure skater
    • 1991 – Lauren Mitchell, Australian gymnast
    • 1991 – Jarrod Wallace, Australian rugby league footballer
    • 1992 – Danny Ings, English footballer
    • 1996 – Alexandra Andresen, Norwegian heiress and equestrian

    Deaths on July 23

    • 955 – He Ning, Chinese chancellor (b. 898)
    • 997 – Nuh II, Samanid emir (b. 963)
    • 1100 – Warner of Grez, French nobleman, relative of Godfrey of Bouillon
    • 1227 – Qiu Chuji, Chinese religious leader, founded the Dragon Gate Taoism (b. 1148)
    • 1298 – Thoros III, Armenian king (b. c. 1271)
    • 1373 – Bridget of Sweden, Swedish mystic and saint, founded the Bridgettine Order (b. 1303)
    • 1403 – Thomas Percy, 1st Earl of Worcester, English rebel (b. 1343)
    • 1531 – Louis de Brézé, French husband of Diane de Poitiers
    • 1536 – Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset, English politician, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (b. 1519)
    • 1562 – Götz von Berlichingen, German knight and poet (b. 1480)
    • 1584 – John Day, English printer (b. 1522)
    • 1596 – Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon (b. 1526)
    • 1645 – Michael I, Russian tsar (b. 1596)
    • 1692 – Gilles Ménage, French lawyer, philologist, and scholar (b. 1613)
    • 1727 – Simon Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt, English politician, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain (b. 1661)
    • 1757 – Domenico Scarlatti, Italian harpsichord player and composer (b. 1685)
    • 1773 – George Edwards, English biologist and ornithologist (b. 1693)
    • 1781 – John Joachim Zubly, Swiss-American pastor and politician (b. 1724)
    • 1793 – Roger Sherman, American lawyer and politician (b. 1721)
    • 1833 – Anselmo de la Cruz, Chilean politician, Chilean Minister of Finance (b. 1777)
    • 1853 – Andries Pretorius, South African general (b. 1798)
    • 1875 – Isaac Singer, American businessman, founded the Singer Corporation (b. 1811)
    • 1878 – Carl von Rokitansky, Bohemian physician, pathologist, and politician (b. 1804)
    • 1885 – Ulysses S. Grant, American general and politician, 18th President of the United States (b. 1822)
    • 1904 – John Douglas, English-Australian politician, 7th Premier of Queensland (b. 1828)
    • 1909 – Frederick Holder, Australian politician, 19th Premier of South Australia (b. 1850)
    • 1916 – William Ramsay, Scottish-English chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1852)
    • 1919 – Spyridon Lambros, Greek historian and politician, 100th Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1851)
    • 1920 – Conrad Kohrs, German-American rancher and politician (b. 1835)
    • 1924 – Frank Frost Abbott, American author and scholar (b. 1850)
    • 1926 – Viktor Vasnetsov, Russian painter (b. 1848)
    • 1927 – Reginald Dyer, British brigadier general (b. 1864)
    • 1930 – Glenn Curtiss, American pilot and engineer (b. 1878)
    • 1932 – Tenby Davies, Welsh runner (b. 1884)
    • 1936 – Anna Abrikosova, Russian linguist (b. 1882)
    • 1941 – George Lyman Kittredge, American scholar and educator (b. 1860)
    • 1941 – José Quiñones Gonzales, Peruvian soldier and pilot (b. 1914)
    • 1942 – Adam Czerniaków, Polish engineer and politician (b. 1880)
    • 1942 – Andy Ducat, English cricketer and footballer (b. 1886)
    • 1948 – D. W. Griffith, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1875)
    • 1950 – Shigenori Tōgō, Japanese politician and diplomat, Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1882)
    • 1951 – Robert J. Flaherty, American director and producer (b. 1884)
    • 1951 – Philippe Pétain, French general and politician, 119th Prime Minister of France (b. 1856)
    • 1954 – Herman Groman, American runner (b. 1882)
    • 1955 – Cordell Hull, American captain, lawyer, and politician, 47th United States Secretary of State, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1871)
    • 1957 – Bob Shiring, American football player and coach (b. 1870)
    • 1966 – Montgomery Clift, American actor (b. 1920)
    • 1968 – Henry Hallett Dale, English pharmacologist and physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1875)
    • 1971 – Van Heflin, American actor (b. 1910)
    • 1972 – Esther Applin, American geologist and paleontologist (b. 1895)
    • 1973 – Eddie Rickenbacker, American pilot and race car driver, founded Rickenbacker Motors (b. 1890)
    • 1979 – Joseph Kessel, French journalist and author (b. 1898)
    • 1980 – Sarto Fournier, Canadian lawyer and politician, 38th Mayor of Montreal (b. 1908)
    • 1980 – Keith Godchaux, American keyboard player and songwriter (b. 1948)
    • 1980 – Mollie Steimer, Russian activist (b. 1897)
    • 1982 – Vic Morrow, American actor (b. 1929)
    • 1983 – Georges Auric, French composer (b. 1899)
    • 1985 – Johnny Wardle, English cricketer and manager (b. 1923)
    • 1989 – Donald Barthelme, American short story writer and novelist (b. 1931)
    • 1990 – Kenjiro Takayanagi, Japanese engineer (b. 1899)
    • 1996 – Jean Muir, American actress (b. 1911)
    • 1997 – Chūhei Nambu, Japanese jumper and journalist (b. 1904)
    • 1999 – Hassan II of Morocco (b. 1929)
    • 2001 – Eudora Welty, American novelist and short story writer (b. 1909)
    • 2002 – Leo McKern, Australian-English actor (b. 1920)
    • 2002 – William Luther Pierce, American activist and author (b. 1933)
    • 2002 – Chaim Potok, American novelist and rabbi (b. 1929)
    • 2002 – Clark Gesner, American author and composer (b. 1938)
    • 2003 – James E. Davis, American police officer and politician (b. 1962)
    • 2004 – Mehmood Ali, Indian actor, director, and producer (b. 1932)
    • 2004 – Carlos Paredes, Portuguese guitarist and composer (b. 1925)
    • 2004 – Piero Piccioni, Italian pianist, conductor, and composer (b. 1921)
    • 2005 – Ted Greene, American guitarist and journalist (b. 1946)
    • 2006 – Jean-Paul Desbiens, Canadian journalist and academic (b. 1927)
    • 2007 – Ron Miller, American songwriter and producer (b. 1933)
    • 2007 – Mohammed Zahir Shah, Afghan king (b. 1914)
    • 2008 – Kurt Furgler, Swiss lawyer and politician, 70th President of the Swiss Confederation (b. 1924)
    • 2009 – E. Lynn Harris, American author and screenwriter (b. 1955)
    • 2010 – Daniel Schorr, American journalist and author (b. 1916)
    • 2011 – Amy Winehouse, English singer-songwriter (b. 1983)
    • 2012 – Margaret Mahy, New Zealand author (b. 1936)
    • 2012 – Sally Ride, American physicist and astronaut (b. 1951)
    • 2012 – Lakshmi Sahgal, Indian soldier and politician (b. 1914)
    • 2012 – Esther Tusquets, Spanish publisher and author (b. 1936)
    • 2012 – José Luis Uribarri, Spanish television host and director (b. 1936)
    • 2013 – Dominguinhos, Brazilian singer-songwriter and accordion player (b. 1941)
    • 2013 – Pauline Clarke, English author (b. 1921)
    • 2013 – Arthur J. Collingsworth, American diplomat (b. 1944)
    • 2013 – Emile Griffith, American boxer and trainer (b. 1938)
    • 2013 – Kim Jong-hak, South Korean director and producer (b. 1951)
    • 2013 – Djalma Santos, Brazilian footballer (b. 1929)
    • 2014 – Dora Bryan, English actress and restaurateur (b. 1923)
    • 2014 – Norman Leyden, American composer and conductor (b. 1917)
    • 2014 – Ariano Suassuna, Brazilian author and playwright (b. 1927)
    • 2014 – Jordan Tabor, English footballer (b. 1990)
    • 2015 – Shigeko Kubota, Japanese-American sculptor and director (b. 1937)
    • 2015 – Don Oberdorfer, American journalist, author, and academic (b. 1931)
    • 2015 – William Wakefield Baum, American cardinal (b. 1926)
    • 2017 – John Kundla, American basketball coach (b. 1916)

    Holidays and observances on July 23

    • Birthday of Haile Selassie (Rastafari)
    • Children’s Day (Indonesia)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Bridget of Sweden
      • Heiromartyr Phocas (Eastern Orthodox)
      • John Cassian (Western Christianity)
      • Liborius of Le Mans
      • Margarita María
      • Mercè Prat i Prat
      • Rasyphus and Ravennus
      • July 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • National Remembrance Day (Papua New Guinea)
    • Renaissance Day (Oman)
    • Revolution Day (Egypt)

  • May 10 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 28 BC – A sunspot is observed by Han dynasty astronomers during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han, one of the earliest dated sunspot observations in China.
    • 1291 – Scottish nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England pending the selection of a king.
    • 1497 – Amerigo Vespucci allegedly leaves Cádiz for his first voyage to the New World.
    • 1503 – Christopher Columbus visits the Cayman Islands and names them Las Tortugas after the numerous turtles there.
    • 1534 – Jacques Cartier visits Newfoundland.
    • 1688 – King Narai nominates Phetracha as regent, leading to the revolution of 1688 in which Phetracha becomes king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
    • 1768 – Rioting occurs in London after John Wilkes is imprisoned for writing an article for The North Briton severely criticizing King George III.
    • 1773 – The Parliament of Great Britain passes the Tea Act, designed to save the British East India Company by reducing taxes on its tea and granting it the right to sell tea directly to North America. The legislation leads to the Boston Tea Party.
    • 1774 – Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette become King and Queen of France.
    • 1775 – American Revolutionary War: A small Colonial militia led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold captures Fort Ticonderoga.
    • 1775 – American Revolutionary War: The Second Continental Congress takes place in Philadelphia.
    • 1796 – War of the First Coalition: Napoleon wins a victory against Austrian forces at Lodi bridge over the Adda River in Italy. The Austrians lose some 2,000 men.
    • 1801 – First Barbary War: The Barbary pirates of Tripoli declare war on the United States of America.
    • 1824 – The National Gallery in London opens to the public.
    • 1837 – Panic of 1837: New York City banks suspend the payment of specie, triggering a national banking crisis and an economic depression whose severity was not surpassed until the Great Depression.
    • 1849 – Astor Place Riot: A riot breaks out at the Astor Opera House in Manhattan, New York City over a dispute between actors Edwin Forrest and William Charles Macready, killing at least 22 and injuring over 120.
    • 1857 – Indian Rebellion of 1857: In India, the first war of Independence begins. Sepoys mutiny against their commanding officers at Meerut.
    • 1865 – American Civil War: In Kentucky, Union soldiers ambush and mortally wound Confederate raider William Quantrill, who lingers until his death on June 6.
    • 1869 – The First Transcontinental Railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah with the golden spike.
    • 1872 – Victoria Woodhull becomes the first woman nominated for President of the United States.
    • 1876 – The Centennial Exposition is opened in Philadelphia.
    • 1881 – Carol I is crowned the King of the Romanian Kingdom.
    • 1904 – The Horch & Cir. Motorwagenwerke AG is founded. It would eventually become the Audi company.
    • 1908 – Mother’s Day is observed for the first time in the United States, in Grafton, West Virginia.
    • 1916 – Sailing in the lifeboat James Caird, Ernest Shackleton arrives at South Georgia after a journey of 800 nautical miles from Elephant Island.
    • 1922 – The United States annexes the Kingman Reef.
    • 1924 – J. Edgar Hoover is appointed first Director of the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and remains so until his death in 1972.
    • 1933 – Censorship: In Germany, the Nazis stage massive public book burnings.
    • 1940 – World War II: German fighters accidentally bomb the German city of Freiburg.
    • 1940 – World War II: Winston Churchill is appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain. On the same day, Germany invades France, Belgium and Luxembourg.Meanwhile, the United Kingdom occupies Iceland.
    • 1941 – World War II: The House of Commons in London is damaged by the Luftwaffe in an air raid.
    • 1941 – World War II: Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland to try to negotiate a peace deal between the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany.hai Phayap Army invades the Shan States during the Burma Campaign.
    • 1946 – First successful launch of an American V-2 rocket at White Sands Proving Ground.
    • 1962 – Marvel Comics publishes the first issue of The Incredible Hulk.
    • 1967 – The Northrop M2-F2 crashes on landing, becoming the inspiration for the novel Cyborg and TV series The Six Million Dollar Man.
    • 1969 – Vietnam War: The Battle of Dong Ap Bia begins with an assault on Hill 937. It will ultimately become known as Hamburger Hill.
    • 1975 – Sony introduces the Betamax videocassette recorder.
    • 1993 – In Thailand, a fire at the Kader Toy Factory kills over 200 workers.
    • 1994 – Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as South Africa’s first black president.
    • 1996 – A blizzard strikes Mount Everest, killing eight climbers by the next day.
    • 1997 – The 7.3 Mw Qayen earthquake strikes Iran’s Khorasan Province killing 1,567 people.
    • 2002 – FBI agent Robert Hanssen is sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for selling United States secrets to Russia for $1.4 million in cash and diamonds.
    • 2005 – A hand grenade thrown by Vladimir Arutyunian lands about 60 feet from U.S. President George W. Bush while he is giving a speech to a crowd in Tbilisi, Georgia, but it malfunctions and does not detonate.
    • 2012 – The Damascus bombings are carried out using a pair of car bombs detonated by suicide bombers outside of a military intelligence complex in Damascus, Syria, killing 55 people.
    • 2013 – One World Trade Center becomes the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

    Births on May 10

    • 874 – Meng Zhixiang, Chinese general and emperor (d. 934)
    • 955 – Al-Aziz Billah, Fatimid caliph (d. 996)
    • 1491 – Suzanne, Duchess of Bourbon (d. 1521)
    • 1604 – Jean Mairet, French author and playwright (d. 1686)
    • 1697 – Jean-Marie Leclair, French violinist and composer (d. 1764)
    • 1727 – Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot, Baron de Laune, French economist and politician (d. 1781)
    • 1755 – Robert Gray, American captain and explorer (d. 1806)
    • 1760 – Johann Peter Hebel, German author and poet (d. 1826)
    • 1760 – Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, French captain, engineer, and composer (d. 1836)
    • 1770 – Louis-Nicolas Davout, French general and politician, French Minister of War (d. 1823)
    • 1788 – Augustin-Jean Fresnel, French physicist and engineer (d. 1827)
    • 1812 – William Henry Barlow, English engineer (d. 1902)
    • 1813 – Montgomery Blair, American lieutenant and politician, 20th United States Postmaster General (d. 1883)
    • 1838 – John Wilkes Booth, American actor, assassin of Abraham Lincoln (d. 1865)
    • 1841 – James Gordon Bennett, Jr., American publisher and broadcaster (d. 1918)
    • 1843 – Benito Pérez Galdós, Spanish author and playwright (d. 1920)
    • 1847 – Wilhelm Killing, German mathematician and academic (d. 1923)
    • 1855 – Yukteswar Giri, Indian guru and educator (d. 1936)
    • 1872 – Marcel Mauss, French sociologist and anthropologist (d. 1950)
    • 1876 – Ivan Cankar, Slovenian poet and playwright (d. 1918)
    • 1878 – Konstantinos Parthenis, Greek painter (d. 1967)
    • 1878 – Gustav Stresemann, German journalist and politician, Chancellor of Germany, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1929)
    • 1879 – Symon Petliura, Ukrainian journalist and politician (d. 1926)
    • 1886 – Karl Barth, Swiss theologian and author (d. 1968)
    • 1888 – Max Steiner, Austrian-American composer and conductor (d. 1971)
    • 1890 – Alfred Jodl, German general (d. 1946)
    • 1891 – Mahmoud Mokhtar, Egyptian sculptor and academic (d. 1934)
    • 1893 – Tonita Peña, San Ildefonso Pueblo (Native American) artist (d. 1949)
    • 1894 – Dimitri Tiomkin, Ukrainian-American composer and conductor (d. 1979)
    • 1897 – Einar Gerhardsen, Norwegian politician, Prime Minister of Norway (d. 1987)
    • 1898 – Ariel Durant, American historian and author (d. 1981)
    • 1899 – Fred Astaire, American actor, singer, and dancer (d. 1987)
    • 1900 – Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, English-American astronomer and astrophysicist (d. 1979)
    • 1901 – John Desmond Bernal, Irish-English crystallographer and physicist (d. 1971)
    • 1901 – Hildrus Poindexter, American bacteriologist (d. 1987)
    • 1902 – David O. Selznick, American director and producer (d. 1965)
    • 1903 – Otto Bradfisch, German economist, jurist, and SS officer (d. 1994)
    • 1905 – Markos Vamvakaris, Greek singer-songwriter and bouzouki player (d. 1972)
    • 1908 – Carl Albert, American lawyer and politician, 54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (d. 2000)
    • 1909 – Maybelle Carter, American autoharp player (d. 1978)
    • 1911 – Bel Kaufman, American author and educator (d. 2014)
    • 1915 – Denis Thatcher, English soldier and businessman, Spouse of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 2003)
    • 1916 – Milton Babbitt, American composer and educator (d. 2011)
    • 1918 – T. Berry Brazelton, American pediatrician and author (d. 2018)
    • 1918 – Desmond MacNamara, Irish painter, sculptor, and author (d. 2008)
    • 1919 – Ella T. Grasso, Governor of Connecticut (d. 1981)
    • 1920 – Basil Kelly, Northern Irish barrister, judge and politician (d. 2008)
    • 1920 – Bert Weedon, English guitarist (d. 2012)
    • 1922 – David Azrieli, Polish-Canadian businessman and philanthropist (d. 2014)
    • 1922 – Nancy Walker, American actress, singer, and director (d. 1992)
    • 1923 – Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan general and politician, President of Azerbaijan (d. 2003)
    • 1923 – Otar Korkia, Georgian basketball player and coach (d. 2005)
    • 1926 – Hugo Banzer, Bolivian general and politician, President of Bolivia (d. 2002)
    • 1927 – Nayantara Sahgal, Indian author
    • 1928 – Arnold Rüütel, Estonian agronomist and politician, President of Estonia
    • 1928 – Lothar Schmid, German chess player (d. 2013)
    • 1929 – Audun Boysen, Norwegian runner (d. 2000)
    • 1929 – George Coe, American actor and producer (d. 2015)
    • 1929 – Antonine Maillet, Canadian author and playwright
    • 1930 – George E. Smith, American physicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1931 – Ettore Scola, Italian director and screenwriter (d. 2016)
    • 1933 – Jean Becker, French actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1935 – Larry Williams, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (d. 1980)
    • 1937 – Tamara Press, Ukrainian shot putter and discus thrower
    • 1938 – Manuel Santana, Spanish tennis player
    • 1940 – Arthur Alexander, American country-soul singer-songwriter (d. 1993)
    • 1940 – Wayne Dyer, American author and educator (d. 2015)
    • 1942 – Jim Calhoun, American basketball player and coach
    • 1944 – Jim Abrahams, American director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1944 – Marie-France Pisier, French actress, director, and screenwriter (d. 2011)
    • 1946 – Donovan, Scottish singer-songwriter
    • 1946 – Graham Gouldman, English guitarist and songwriter
    • 1946 – Dave Mason, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1947 – Caroline B. Cooney, American author
    • 1949 – Miuccia Prada, Italian fashion designer
    • 1952 – Sly Dunbar, Jamaican drummer
    • 1955 – Mark David Chapman, American murderer
    • 1956 – Vladislav Listyev, Russian journalist (d. 1995)
    • 1957 – Sid Vicious, English singer and bass player (d. 1979)
    • 1958 – Gaétan Boucher, Canadian speed skater
    • 1958 – Rick Santorum, American lawyer and politician, United States Senator from Pennsylvania
    • 1959 – Victoria Rowell, American actress
    • 1959 – Danny Schayes, American basketball player
    • 1959 – Cindy Hyde-Smith, American politician, United States Senator from Mississippi, Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce
    • 1960 – Bono, Irish singer-songwriter, musician and activist
    • 1960 – Dean Heller, American lawyer and politician, United States Senator from Nevada, Secretary of State of Nevada
    • 1960 – Merlene Ottey, Jamaican-Slovenian runner
    • 1963 – Lisa Nowak, American commander and astronaut
    • 1963 – Debbie Wiseman, English composer and conductor
    • 1965 – Linda Evangelista, Canadian model
    • 1966 – Jonathan Edwards, English triple jumper
    • 1967 – Eion Crossan, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1968 – Al Murray, English comedian and television host
    • 1968 – Tatyana Shikolenko, Russian javelin thrower
    • 1969 – Dennis Bergkamp, Dutch footballer and manager
    • 1969 – John Scalzi, American author and blogger
    • 1970 – Gabriela Montero, Venezuelan-American pianist
    • 1970 – David Weir, Scottish footballer
    • 1971 – Ådne Søndrål, Norwegian speed skater
    • 1972 – Christian Wörns, German footballer
    • 1973 – Joshua Eagle, Australian tennis player
    • 1973 – Ollie le Roux, South African rugby player
    • 1974 – Sylvain Wiltord, French footballer
    • 1975 – Hélio Castroneves, Brazilian race car driver
    • 1975 – Adam Deadmarsh, Canadian-American ice hockey player
    • 1978 – Bruno Cheyrou, French footballer
    • 1981 – Samuel Dalembert, Haitian-Canadian basketball player
    • 1981 – Humberto Suazo, Chilean footballer
    • 1983 – Gustav Fridolin, Swedish journalist and politician, Swedish Minister of Education
    • 1984 – Edward Mujica, Venezuelan baseball player
    • 1985 – Ryan Getzlaf, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1985 – Jon Schofield, English canoe racer
    • 1987 – Wilson Chandler, American basketball player
    • 1990 – Salvador Pérez, Venezuelan baseball player
    • 1990 – Ivana Španović, Serbian long jumper
    • 1995 – Missy Franklin, American swimmer1995 – Gabriella Papadakis, French ice dancer
    • 1996 – Tyus Jones, American basketball player
    • 1996 – Kateřina Siniaková, Czech tennis player

    Deaths on May 10

    • 1299 – Theingapati, heir to the Pagan Kingdom
    • 1403 – Katherine Swynford, widow of John of Gaunt
    • 1482 – Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli, Italian mathematician and astronomer (b. 1397)
    • 1493 – Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll, Scottish politician, Lord Chancellor of Scotland (b. 1433)
    • 1521 – Sebastian Brant, German author (b. 1457)
    • 1566 – Leonhart Fuchs, German physician and botanist (b. 1501)
    • 1569 – John of Ávila, Spanish mystic and saint (b. 1500)
    • 1641 – Johan Banér, Swedish field marshal (b. 1596)
    • 1717 – John Hathorne, American merchant and politician (b. 1641)
    • 1726 – Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans, English soldier and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire (b. 1670)
    • 1774 – Louis XV of France (b. 1710)
    • 1787 – William Watson, English physician, physicist, and botanist (b. 1715)
    • 1794 – Élisabeth of France, French princess and youngest sibling of Louis XVI (b.1764)
    • 1798 – George Vancouver, English navigator and explorer (b. 1757)
    • 1807 – Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, French general (b. 1725)
    • 1818 – Paul Revere, American engraver and soldier (b. 1735)
    • 1829 – Thomas Young, English physician and linguist (b. 1773)
    • 1849 – Hokusai, Japanese painter and illustrator (b. 1760)
    • 1863 – Stonewall Jackson, American general (b. 1824)
    • 1868 – Henry Bennett, American lawyer and politician (b. 1808)
    • 1889 – Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, Russian journalist, author, and playwright (b. 1826)
    • 1891 – Carl Nägeli, Swiss botanist and mycologist (b. 1817)
    • 1897 – Andrés Bonifacio, Filipino soldier and politician, President of the Philippines (b. 1863)
    • 1910 – Stanislao Cannizzaro, Italian chemist and academic (b. 1826)
    • 1945 – Richard Glücks, German SS officer (b. 1889)
    • 1945 – Konrad Henlein, Czech soldier and politician (b. 1898)
    • 1960 – Yury Olesha, Russian author, poet, and playwright (b. 1899)
    • 1964 – Mikhail Larionov, Russian painter, illustrator, and set designer (b. 1881)
    • 1965 – Hubertus van Mook, Dutch politician, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (b. 1894)
    • 1968 – Scotty Beckett, American actor and singer (b. 1929)
    • 1974 – Hal Mohr, American director and cinematographer (b. 1894)
    • 1977 – Joan Crawford, American actress (year of birth disputed)
    • 1982 – Peter Weiss, German playwright and painter (b. 1916)
    • 1988 – Shen Congwen, Chinese author and academic (b. 1902)
    • 1990 – Walker Percy, American novelist and essayist (b. 1916)
    • 1994 – John Wayne Gacy, American serial killer (b. 1942)
    • 1999 – Shel Silverstein, American poet, author, and illustrator
    • 2000 – Jules Deschênes, Canadian lawyer and judge (b. 1923)
    • 2000 – Dick Sprang, American illustrator (b. 1915)
    • 2001 – Sudhakarrao Naik, Indian politician, Governor of Himachal Pradesh (b. 1934)
    • 2002 – Kaifi Azmi, Indian poet and songwriter (b. 1919)
    • 2002 – Yves Robert, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1920)
    • 2003 – Milan Vukcevich, Serbian-American chemist and chess player (b. 1937)
    • 2006 – Soraya, Colombian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (b. 1969)
    • 2008 – Leyla Gencer, Turkish soprano (b. 1928)
    • 2010 – Frank Frazetta, American illustrator and painter (b. 1928)
    • 2012 – Horst Faas, German photographer and journalist (b. 1933)
    • 2012 – Carroll Shelby, American race car driver and designer (b. 1923)
    • 2012 – Gunnar Sønsteby, Norwegian captain and author (b. 1918)
    • 2015 – Chris Burden, American sculptor, illustrator, and academic (b. 1946)
    • 2018 – David Goodall, Australian botanist and ecologist (b. 1914)
    • 2019 – Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, Spanish politician and chemist (b. 1951)

    Holidays and observances on May 10

    • Children’s Day (Maldives)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Alphius, Philadelphus and Cyrinus
      • Calepodius
      • Catald
      • Comgall
      • Damien of Molokai
      • Gordianus and Epimachus
      • Job (Roman Catholic Church, pre-1969 calendar)
      • John of Ávila
      • May 10 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Confederate Memorial Day (North Carolina and South Carolina)
    • Constitution Day (Micronesia)
    • Earliest possible day on which Pentecost can fall, while June 13 is the latest; celebrated 50 days after Easter Day.(Christianity)
    • Golden Spike Day (Promontory, Utah)
    • Mother’s Day (Guatemala, and Mexico)

  • March 21- History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    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)