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On This Day in History — July 21

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Highlights of July 21

2019 — People returning from anti–extradition bill protests in Hong Kong were attacked (pictured) by suspected triad members in Yuen Long, leaving 45 people injured. Read more
2013 — Nour Ahmad Nikbakht, an Iranian diplomat in Yemen, was kidnapped by al-Qaeda militants and held hostage for the next two years. Read more
2007 — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the popular Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, was released and sold 15 million copies in its first 24 hours, making it the fastest-selling book in history. Read more
1990 — The Taiwanese military ordered the deportation of dozens of illegal immigrants from mainland China in sealed boat holds, causing 25 deaths due to suffocation. Read more
1977 — Libyan forces carried out a raid at Sallum, sparking a four-day war with Egypt. Read more
1972 — The Troubles: The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated twenty-two bombs throughout Belfast, Northern Ireland. Read more
1960 — Sirimavo Bandaranaike (pictured) was sworn in as prime minister of Ceylon, becoming the world's first democratically elected female head of government. Read more
1959 — The inaugural International Mathematical Olympiad, the leading mathematical competition for pre-university students, began in Romania. Read more
1952 — An earthquake registering 7.3 Mw struck the southern San Joaquin Valley in California, causing 12 deaths and an estimated $60 million in property damage. Read more
1946 — After weeks of unrest, rioters lynched Bolivian president Gualberto Villarroel, desecrating and hanging his corpse in the streets of La Paz. Read more
1925 — American high-school biology teacher John T. Scopes was found guilty of violating Tennessee's Butler Act which forbade teaching evolution in class. Read more
1918 — World War I: An Imperial German Navy U-boat opened fire on a small convoy of barges and defending aircraft near the American town of Orleans, Massachusetts. Read more
1877 — Much of central Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was burned and looted during the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. Read more
1378 — Unrepresented labourers revolted and violently took over the government of the Republic of Florence (depicted), demanding that they be granted political office. Read more
905 — Louis III, Holy Roman Emperor, was captured and blinded during his attempt to restore Carolingian power over Italy by King Berengar I. Read more
625 — Paulinus was consecrated as the first bishop of York by Justus, the archbishop of Canterbury. Read more
365 — A large earthquake occurred near Crete, triggering a tsunami, and causing widespread destruction around the eastern Mediterranean region. Read more
230 — Pope Pontian began his pontificate, succeeding Urban I. Read more

Events

2025 — A Bangladesh Air Force Chengdu FT-7BGI crashes shortly after takeoff into Milestone School campus in Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing 35 people and injuring 173. Read more
2024 — U.S. President Joe Biden announces he will no longer seek a second term and withdraws from the 2024 election, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as she launches her own presidential campaign. Read more
2023 — The Barbenheimer phenomenon begins as two major motion pictures, Greta Gerwig's fantasy comedy Barbie and Christopher Nolan's epic biographical thriller Oppenheimer, are released in theaters on the same day and audiences, instead of creating a rivalry between the extremely dissimilar films, instead attend and praise both as an informal, surreal double feature. Read more
2019 — Yuen Long attack or "721 incident" in Hong Kong. Triad members indiscriminately beat civilians returning from protests while police failed to take action. Read more
2012 — Erden Eruç completes the first solo human-powered circumnavigation of the world. Read more
2011 — NASA's Space Shuttle program ends with the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-135 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Read more
2010 — U.S. President Barack Obama signs the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Read more
2008 — Ram Baran Yadav is declared the first President of Nepal. Read more
2005 — Four attempted bomb attacks by Islamist extremists disrupt part of London's public transport system. Read more
2001 — At the conclusion of a fireworks display on Okura Beach in Akashi, Hyōgo, Japan, 11 people are killed and more than 120 are injured when a pedestrian footbridge connecting the beach to JR Asagiri Station becomes overcrowded and people leaving the event fall down in a domino effect. Read more
1995 — Third Taiwan Strait Crisis: The People's Liberation Army begins firing missiles into the waters north of Taiwan. Read more
1990 — Taiwan's military police forces mainland Chinese illegal immigrants into sealed holds of a fishing boat Min Ping Yu No. 5540 for repatriation to Fujian, causing 25 people to die from suffocation. Read more
1983 — The world's lowest temperature in an inhabited location is recorded at Vostok Station, Antarctica at −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F). Read more
1979 — Jay Silverheels, a Mohawk actor, becomes the first Native American to have a star commemorated in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Read more
1977 — The start of the four-day-long Libyan–Egyptian War. Read more
1976 — Christopher Ewart-Biggs, the British ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, is assassinated by the Provisional IRA. Read more
1973 — In Lillehammer, Norway, Mossad agents kill a waiter whom they mistakenly thought was involved in the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre. Read more
1972 — The Troubles: Bloody Friday: The Provisional IRA detonate 22 bombs in central Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom in the space of 80 minutes, killing nine and injuring 130. Read more
1970 — After 11 years of construction, the Aswan High Dam in Egypt is completed. Read more
1969 — Apollo program: At 02:56 UTC, astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to walk on the Moon, followed 19 minutes later by Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. Read more
1964 — A series of racial riots break out in Singapore. In the next six weeks, 23 die with 454 others injured. Read more
1961 — Mercury program: Mercury-Redstone 4 mission: Gus Grissom piloting Liberty Bell 7 becomes the second American to go into space (in a suborbital mission). Read more
1961 — Alaska Airlines Flight 779 crashes near Shemya Air Force Base in Shemya, Alaska, killing six. Read more
1960 — Sirimavo Bandaranaike is sworn in as prime minister of Ceylon, becoming the world's first democratically elected female head of government. Read more
1959 — NS Savannah, the first nuclear-powered cargo-passenger ship, is launched as a showcase for Dwight D. Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" initiative. Read more
1959 — Elijah Jerry "Pumpsie" Green becomes the first African-American to play for the Boston Red Sox, the last team to integrate. He came in as a pinch runner for Vic Wertz and stayed in as shortstop in a 2–1 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Read more
1954 — First Indochina War: The Geneva Conference partitions Vietnam into North Vietnam and South Vietnam. Read more
1952 — The 7.3 Mw Kern County earthquake strikes Southern California with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), killing 12 and injuring hundreds. Read more
1951 — Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 3505 disappears while flying from Vancouver to Tokyo. The aircraft and its 37 occupants are never found. Read more
1949 — The United States Senate ratifies the North Atlantic Treaty. Read more
1944 — World War II: Battle of Guam: American troops land on Guam, starting a battle that will end on August 10. Read more
1944 — World War II: Claus von Stauffenberg and four fellow conspirators are executed for the July 20 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Read more
1936 — Spanish Civil War: The Central Committee of Antifascist Militias of Catalonia is constituted, establishing an anarcho-syndicalist economy in Catalonia. Read more
1925 — Scopes Trial: In Dayton, Tennessee, high school biology teacher John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching human evolution in class and fined $100. Read more
1925 — Malcolm Campbell becomes the first man to exceed 150 mph (241 km/h) on land. At Pendine Sands in Wales, he drives Sunbeam 350HP built by Sunbeam at a two-way average speed of 150.33 mph (242 km/h). Read more
1920 — The "Belfast Pogrom" begins two years of violence with the expulsion of thousands of Catholic shipyard, factory and linen mill workers from their jobs. Read more
1919 — The dirigible Wingfoot Air Express crashes into the Illinois Trust and Savings Building in Chicago, killing 12 people. Read more
1907 — The passenger steamer SS Columbia sinks after colliding with the steam schooner San Pedro off Shelter Cove, California, killing 88 people. Read more
1904 — Louis Rigolly, a Frenchman, becomes the first man to break the 100 mph (161 km/h) barrier on land. He drove a 15-liter Gobron-Brillié in Ostend, Belgium. Read more
1877 — After rioting by Baltimore and Ohio Railroad workers and the deaths of nine rail workers at the hands of the Maryland militia, workers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, stage a sympathy strike that is met with an assault by the state militia. Read more
1873 — At Adair, Iowa, Jesse James and the James–Younger Gang pull off the first successful train robbery in the American Old West. Read more
1865 — In the market square of Springfield, Missouri, Wild Bill Hickok shoots and kills Davis Tutt in what is regarded as the first western showdown. Read more
1861 — American Civil War: First Battle of Bull Run: At Manassas Junction, Virginia, the first major battle of the war begins and ends in a victory for the Confederate army. Read more
1832 — Signing of the treaty of Constantinople between Britain, France, Russia and the Ottoman Empire, which outlines the borders of the new kingdom of Greece. Read more
1831 — Inauguration of Leopold I of Belgium, first king of the Belgians. Read more
1798 — French campaign in Egypt and Syria: Napoleon's forces defeat an Ottoman-Mamluk army near Cairo in the Battle of the Pyramids. Read more
1774 — Russo-Turkish War (1768–74): Russia and the Ottoman Empire sign the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca ending the war. It is the first time that an Ottoman ruler surrendered territory largely populated by Muslims and the first time that a separation of secular and spiritual authority in the Ottoman Empire was established. Read more
1718 — The Treaty of Passarowitz between the Ottoman Empire, Austria and the Republic of Venice is signed. Read more
1674 — A Dutch assault on the French island of Martinique is repulsed against all odds. Read more
1656 — The Raid on Málaga takes place during the Anglo-Spanish War. Read more
1645 — Qing dynasty regent Dorgon issues an edict ordering all Han Chinese men to shave their forehead and braid the rest of their hair into a queue identical to those of the Manchus. Read more
1568 — Eighty Years' War: in the Battle of Jemmingen, Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alva defeats Louis of Nassau. Read more
1545 — The first landing of French troops on the coast of the Isle of Wight during the French invasion of the Isle of Wight. Read more
1403 — Battle of Shrewsbury: King Henry IV of England defeats rebels to the north of the county town of Shropshire, England. Read more
1242 — Battle of Taillebourg: Louis IX of France puts an end to the revolt of his vassals Henry III of England and Hugh X of Lusignan. Read more
905 — King Berengar I of Italy and a hired Hungarian army defeat the Frankish forces at Verona. King Louis III is captured and blinded for breaking the oath he gave in 902 to not return to Italy. Read more
365 — The Crete earthquake occurs with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), causing a destructive tsunami that affects the coasts of Libya and Egypt, especially Alexandria. Many thousands are killed. Read more
285 — Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar and co-ruler. Read more
230 — Pope Pontian succeeds Urban I as the eighteenth pope. After being exiled to Sardinia, he became the first pope to resign his office. Read more
356 BC — The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is destroyed by arson. Read more

Born on July 21

2006 — Endrick, Brazilian footballer Read more
2005 — Bub Carrington, American basketball player Read more
2000 — Erling Haaland, Norwegian footballer Read more
2000 — Lia, South Korean singer Read more
1999 — Evan McPherson, American football player Read more
1998 — Maggie Lindemann, American singer-songwriter. Read more
1998 — Marie Bouzkova, Czech tennis player Read more
1996 — Mikael Ingebrigtsen, Norwegian footballer Read more
1992 — Jude Adjei-Barimah, Italian-American football player Read more
1992 — Jessica Barden, English actress Read more
1992 — Julia Beljajeva, Estonian épée fencer Read more
1992 — Burak Çelik, Turkish actor and model Read more
1992 — Da$H, American rapper Read more
1992 — Giovanni De Gennaro, Italian slalom canoeist Read more
1992 — Charlotte de Witte, Belgian DJ and record producer Read more
1992 — Dawid Dryja, Polish volleyball player Read more
1992 — Rachael Flatt, American figure skater Read more
1992 — Marcus Harris, Australian cricketer Read more
1992 — Jonathon Jennings, American Canadian football player Read more
1992 — Dante Marini, American soccer player Read more
1992 — Henry Owens, American baseball pitcher Read more
1992 — Andrew Rayel, Moldovan DJ and producer Read more
1992 — Yuka Sato, Japanese javelin thrower Read more
1992 — Miles Ukaoma, American-born Nigerian hurdler Read more
1991 — Sara Sampaio, Portuguese model Read more
1990 — Franck Elemba, Congolese shot putter Read more
1990 — Chris Martin, English footballer Read more
1990 — Jason Roy, South African-English cricketer Read more
1990 — Erislandy Savón, Cuban amateur heavyweight boxer Read more
1989 — Rory Culkin, American actor Read more
1989 — Marco Fabián, Mexican footballer Read more
1989 — Juno Temple, English actress Read more
1989 — Jamie Waylett, British actor Read more
1989 — Jasmine Cephas Jones, English actress and singer Read more
1988 — KB, American rapper Read more
1988 — DeAndre Jordan, American basketball player Read more
1988 — Chris Mitchell, Scottish footballer (died 2016) Read more
1987 — Peter Doocy, American journalist Read more
1987 — Bilel Mohsni, French footballer Read more
1987 — Jesús Zavala, Mexican footballer Read more

Died on July 21

2025 — Pau Alsina, Spanish motorcycle rider (born 2008) Read more
2023 — Tony Bennett, American singer (born 1926) Read more
2020 — Annie Ross, Scottish-American singer and actress (born 1930) Read more
2020 — Andrew Mlangeni, South African political activist (born 1925) Read more
2018 — Alene Duerk, U.S. Navy first female admiral (born 1920) Read more
2017 — John Heard, American film and television actor (born 1946) Read more
2016 — Dennis Green, American football player and coach (born 1949) Read more
2015 — Robert Broberg, Swedish singer-songwriter (born 1940) Read more
2015 — E. L. Doctorow, American novelist, short story writer, and playwright (born 1931) Read more
2015 — Nicholas Gonzalez, American physician (born 1947) Read more
2015 — Czesław Marchaj, Polish-English sailor and academic (born 1918) Read more
2015 — Dick Nanninga, Dutch footballer (born 1949) Read more
2014 — Louise Abeita, Isleta Pueblo (Native American) writer, poet, and educator (born 1926) Read more
2014 — Dan Borislow, American businessman, invented the magicJack (born 1961) Read more
2014 — Lettice Curtis, English engineer and pilot (born 1915) Read more
2014 — Hans-Peter Kaul, German lawyer and judge (born 1943) Read more
2014 — Rilwanu Lukman, Nigerian engineer and politician (born 1938) Read more
2014 — Kevin Skinner, New Zealand rugby player and boxer (born 1927) Read more
2013 — Andrea Antonelli, Italian motorcycle racer (born 1988) Read more
2013 — Lourembam Brojeshori Devi, Indian martial artist (born 1981) Read more
2013 — Det de Beus, Dutch field hockey player (born 1958) Read more
2013 — Luis Fernando Rizo-Salom, Colombian-French composer and educator (born 1971) Read more
2013 — Fred Taylor, American football player and coach (born 1920) Read more
2012 — Alexander Cockburn, Scottish-American journalist and author (born 1941) Read more
2012 — Marie Kruckel, American baseball player (born 1924) Read more
2012 — Ali Podrimja, Albanian poet and author (born 1942) Read more
2012 — James D. Ramage, American admiral and pilot (born 1916) Read more
2012 — Angharad Rees, English-b. Welsh actress (born 1944) Read more
2012 — Don Wilson, English cricketer and coach (born 1937) Read more
2010 — Luis Corvalán, Chilean educator and politician (born 1916) Read more
2010 — Ralph Houk, American baseball player, coach, and manager (born 1919) Read more
2010 — John E. Irving, Canadian businessman (born 1932) Read more
2008 — Donald Stokes, English businessman (born 1914) Read more
2007 — Dubravko Škiljan, Croatian linguist and academic (born 1949) Read more
2006 — Mako Iwamatsu, Japanese-American actor and singer (born 1933) Read more
2006 — Ta Mok, Cambodian soldier and monk (born 1926) Read more
2005 — Long John Baldry, English-Canadian singer and actor (born 1941) Read more
2005 — Lord Alfred Hayes, English-American wrestler and manager (born 1928) Read more
2004 — Jerry Goldsmith, American composer and conductor (born 1929) Read more
2004 — Edward B. Lewis, American geneticist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1918) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Alberic Crescitelli; Christian feast day: Albert John Luthuli (Episcopal Church); Christian feast day: Arbogast; Christian feast day: Barhadbesciabas; Christian feast day: Carlos of Brazil (Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church); Christian feast day: Daniel (Catholic Church); Christian feast day: Lawrence of Brindisi; Christian feast day: Praxedes; Christian feast day: Victor of Marseilles; Christian feast day: July 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Liberation Day in 1944 (Guam); Belgian National Day (Belgium); Racial Harmony Day (Singapore); Summer Kazanskaya (Russia)

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Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “July 21”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.