March 21

March 21 is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 285 days remaining until the end of the year.

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, being on March 21 only in 2003 and 2007. The next year in which the equinox occurs on March 21 is 2102.

Events

• 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.
• 1413 – Henry V becomes King of England.
• 1556 – In Oxford, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer is burned at the stake.
• 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 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.
• 1821 – Greek War of Independence: First revolutionary act in the monastery of Agia Lavra, Kalavryta.
• 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.
• 1857 – An earthquake in Tokyo, Japan kills over 100,000.
• 1861 – Alexander Stephens gives the Cornerstone Speech.
• 1871 – Otto von Bismarck is appointed 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.
• 1933 – Construction of Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camp, is completed.
• 1935 – Shah of Iran Reza Shah Pahlavi formally asks the international community to call Persia by its native name, Iran, meaning "Land of the Aryans".
• 1937 – Ponce massacre: Nineteen people in Ponce, Puerto Rico, are gunned down by a police squad acting under orders of 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 hit a school and 125 civilians are killed.
• 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 the 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 unarmed black South African demonstrators, killing 69 and wounding 180.
• 1963 – Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, on an island in San Francisco Bay, 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 Fatah.
• 1970 – The first Earth Day proclamation is issued by Mayor of San Francisco Joseph Alioto.
• 1980 – US President Jimmy Carter announces a United States boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow to protest the Soviet war in Afghanistan.
• 1980 – Dallas aired its "A House Divided" episode, which led to eight months of international speculation regarding Who shot J.R.?
• 1986 – Debi Thomas became the first African American to win the World Figure Skating Championships
• 1989 – Sports Illustrated reports allegations tying baseball player Pete Rose to baseball gambling.
• 1990 – Namibia becomes independent after 75 years of South African rule.
• 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.

Births

• 1474 – Angela Merici, Italian educator and saint (d. 1540)
• 1521 – Maurice, Elector of Saxony (d. 1553)
• 1522 – Mihrimah Sultan, Ottoman daughter of Suleiman the Magnificent (d. 1578)
• 1527 – Hermann Finck, German composer and educator (d. 1558)
• 1672 – Stefano Benedetto Pallavicino, Italian poet and translator (d. 1742)
• 1713 – Francis Lewis, Welsh-American merchant and politician (d. 1803)
• 1716 – Josef Seger, Bohemian organist, composer, and educator (d. 1782)
• 1763 – Jean Paul, German journalist and author (d. 1825)
• 1768 – Joseph Fourier, French mathematician and physicist (d. 1830)
• 1801 – Maria Theresa of Austria (d. 1855)
• 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)
• 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)
• 1882 – Bascom Lamar Lunsford, American singer and lawyer (d. 1973)
• 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 – M. N. Roy, Indian philosopher and politician (d. 1954)
• 1889 – Jock Sutherland, American football player and coach (d. 1948)
• 1891 – Jonathan Hale, Canadian-American actor (d. 1966)
• 1895 – Zlatko Baloković, Croatian-American violinist (d. 1955)
• 1897 – Sim Gokkes, Dutch composer and conductor (d. 1943)
• 1897 – Salvador Lutteroth, Mexican wrestling promoter, founded Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (d. 1987)
• 1901 – Karl Arnold, German businessman and politician, President of the German Bundesrat (d. 1958)
• 1902 – Son House, American singer and guitarist (d. 1988)
• 1902 – Santo Pecora, American trombonist (New Orleans Rhythm Kings) (d. 1984)
• 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)
• 1910 – Julio Gallo, American businessman, co-founded E & J Gallo Winery (d. 1993)
• 1910 – Muhammad Siddiq Khan, Bangladeshi librarian and educator (d. 1978)
• 1912 – André Laurendeau, Canadian journalist, playwright, and politician (d. 1968)
• 1913 – George Abecassis, English race car driver and pilot (d. 1991)
• 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)
• 1917 – Yigael Yadin, Israeli archeologist, general, and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of Israel (d. 1984)
• 1918 – Patrick Lucey, American captain and politician, 38th Governor of Wisconsin (d. 2014)
• 1918 – Charles Thompson, American pianist and composer
• 1919 – Douglas Warren, Australian bishop (d. 2013)
• 1920 – Manolis Chiotis, Greek singer-songwriter and bouzouki player (d. 1970)
• 1920 – Georg Ots, Estonian actor and singer (d. 1975)
• 1921 – Arthur Grumiaux, Belgian violinist and pianist (d. 1986)
• 1921 – Antony Hopkins, English pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 2014)
• 1921 – Logan Ramsey, American actor (d. 2000)
• 1921 – Joe Sutter, American soldier and engineer
• 1922 – Russ Meyer, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2004)
• 1923 – Philip Abbott, American actor and director (d. 1998)
• 1923 – Louis-Edmond Hamelin, Canadian geographer, author, and academic
• 1923 – Nizar Qabbani, Syrian poet, publisher, and diplomat (d. 1998)
• 1923 – Nirmala Srivastava, Indian religious leader, founded Sahaja Yoga (d. 2011)
• 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
• 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 and singer (d. 1987)
• 1930 – Otis Spann, American singer and pianist (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
• 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)
• 1934 – Ved Mehta, Indian-American author
• 1935 – Brian Clough, English footballer and manager (d. 2004)
• 1936 – Ed Broadbent, Canadian pilot and politician
• 1936 – Brian Dee, English pianist
• 1936 – Mike Westbrook, English pianist and composer (The Orckestra)
• 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
• 1939 – Kathleen Widdoes, American actress
• 1940 – Solomon Burke, American singer-songwriter (d. 2010)
• 1942 – Françoise Dorléac, French actress and singer (d. 1967)
• 1942 – Kostas Politis, Greek basketball player and coach
• 1942 – Amina Claudine Myers, American singer-songwriter and pianist
• 1943 – István Gyulai, Hungarian sprinter and sportscaster (d. 2006)
• 1943 – Hartmut Haenchen, German conductor
• 1943 – Vivian Stanshall, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter (Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and Grimms) (d. 1995)
• 1944 – Marie-Christine Barrault, French actress
• 1944 – Janet Daley, American-English journalist and author
• 1944 – Timothy Dalton, Welsh-English actor
• 1944 – Hideki Ishima, Japanese guitarist (Flower Travellin' Band)
• 1944 – Mike Jackson, English general
• 1944 – David Lindley, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer (Kaleidoscope)
• 1944 – Gaye Adegbalola, American singer and guitarist (Saffire – The Uppity Blues Women)
• 1945 – Anthony Grabiner, Baron Grabiner, English lawyer
• 1945 – Charles Greene, American sprinter and coach
• 1945 – Rose Stone, American singer and keyboard player (Sly and the Family Stone)
• 1946 – Ray Dorset, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Mungo Jerry)
• 1946 – Joseph Mitsuaki Takami, Japanese cardinal
• 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
• 1949 – Slavoj Žižek, Slovenian sociologist, philosopher, and academic
• 1950 – Roger Hodgson, English singer-songwriter and keyboard player (Supertramp)
• 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 (Los Lobos)
• 1951 – Russell Thompkins, Jr., American singer (The Stylistics)
• 1951 – Buck Zumhofe, American wrestler
• 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 – Bob Bennett, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1955 – Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Greek politician
• 1955 – Bärbel Wöckel, German sprinter
• 1956 – Dick Beardsley, American runner
• 1956 – Guy Chadwick, German-English singer-songwriter and guitarist (The House of Love)
• 1956 – Denise Di Novi, American film producer
• 1956 – Richard Kirk, English guitarist, keyboard player, composer, and producer (Cabaret Voltaire)
• 1956 – Ingrid Kristiansen, Norwegian runner
• 1958 – Marlies Göhr, German sprinter
• 1958 – Brad Hall, American actor, director, and screenwriter
• 1958 – Sabrina Le Beauf, American actress
• 1958 – Gary Oldman, English actor, singer, director, and producer
• 1959 – Sarah Jane Morris, English singer-songwriter (The Happy End)
• 1959 – Yuval Rotem, Israeli diplomat
• 1959 – Nobuo Uematsu, Japanese keyboard player and composer (The Black Mages and Earthbound Papas)
• 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 (Stryper, King James, and Blissed)
• 1961 – Lothar Matthäus, German footballer and manager
• 1961 – Kassie DePaiva, American actress and singer
• 1961 – Slim Jim Phantom, American drummer (Stray Cats, Phantom, Rocker & Slick, Dead Men Walking, and The Head Cat)
• 1961 – Kim Turner, American hurdler
• 1962 – Matthew Broderick, American actor, singer, and director
• 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 (Black Oak Arkansas) (d. 2003)
• 1963 – Share Pedersen, American bass player (Vixen and Contraband)
• 1964 – Ieuan Evans, Welsh rugby player
• 1964 – Jesper Skibby, Danish cyclist
• 1965 – Xavier Bertrand, French businessman and politician, French Minister of Social Affairs
• 1966 – Benito Archundia, Mexican footballer, referee, lawyer, and economist
• 1966 – Hauke Fuhlbrügge, German runner
• 1966 – Matthew Maynard, English cricketer and coach
• 1966 – DJ Premier, American DJ and producer (Gang Starr)
• 1967 – Maxim, English singer-songwriter (The Prodigy)
• 1967 – Jonas Berggren, Swedish singer-songwriter and producer (Ace of Base)
• 1967 – Adrian Chiles, English radio and television host
• 1967 – Carwyn Jones, Welsh lawyer and politician, First Minister of Wales
• 1968 – Cameron Clyne, Australian businessman
• 1968 – Andrew Copeland, American singer and guitarist (Sister Hazel)
• 1968 – Jaye Davidson, American-English model and actor
• 1968 – Samantha Dorman, American model and actress
• 1968 – Greg Ellis, English actor, producer, and screenwriter
• 1968 – Tolunay Kafkas, Turkish footballer and manager
• 1968 – Shin Seung-hun, South Korean singer-songwriter
• 1968 – Scott Williams, American basketball player and sportscaster
• 1969 – Viktor Alonen, Estonian footballer
• 1969 – Ali Daei, Iranian footballer and coach
• 1969 – Jonah Goldberg, American journalist and author
• 1970 – Shiho Niiyama, Japanese voice actress (d. 2000)
• 1970 – Cenk Uygur, Turkish-American talk show host
• 1971 – Zsolt Kürtösi, Hungarian decathlete
• 1972 – Chris Candido, American wrestler (d. 2005)
• 1972 – Hain Helde, Estonian canoe racer
• 1972 – Balázs Kiss, Hungarian hammer thrower
• 1972 – Derartu Tulu, Ethiopian runner
• 1973 – Vanessa Branch, English-American model and actress
• 1973 – Ananda Lewis, American television host
• 1973 – Stuart Nethercott, English footballer and manager
• 1973 – Large Professor, American rapper and producer (Main Source)
• 1973 – Jerry Supiran, American actor
• 1974 – Laura Allen, American actress
• 1974 – José Clayton, Brazilian-Tunisian footballer
• 1974 – Rhys Darby, New Zealand comedian and actor
• 1974 – Edsel Dope, American singer-songwriter and producer (Dope)
• 1974 – Kevin Leahy, American drummer (BoDeans)
• 1974 – Conor Woodman, Irish journalist and author
• 1975 – Yacoub Al-Mohana, Kuwaiti director and producer
• 1975 – Fabricio Oberto, Argentinian-Italian basketball player
• 1975 – Justin Pierce, English-American actor and skateboarder (d. 2000)
• 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 (Rivermaya and Bamboo)
• 1976 – Iain Percy, English sailor
• 1976 – Tekin Sazlog, German-Turkish footballer
• 1977 – Bruno Cirillo, Italian footballer
• 1977 – Jamie Delgado, English tennis player
• 1978 – Nick "Peanut" Baines, English keyboard player (Kaiser Chiefs)
• 1978 – Sally Barsosio, Kenyan runner
• 1978 – Charmaine Dragun, Australian journalist (d. 2007)
• 1978 – Kevin Federline, American dancer, rapper, and actor
• 1978 – Cristian Guzmán, Dominican baseball player
• 1978 – Joyce Jimenez, American-Filipino actress
• 1978 – Rani Mukerji, Indian actress
• 1978 – Young Noble, American rapper (Outlawz)
• 1980 – Ronaldinho, Brazilian footballer
• 1980 – Marit Bjørgen, Norwegian skier
• 1980 – Lee Jin, South Korean singer and actress (Fin.K.L)
• 1980 – Deryck Whibley, Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Sum 41)
• 1981 – Germano Borovicz Cardoso Schweger, Brazilian footballer
• 1981 – Sébastien Chavanel, French cyclist
• 1981 – Aysun Kayacı, Turkish model and actress
• 1982 – Maria Elena Camerin, Italian tennis player
• 1982 – Ejegayehu Dibaba, Ethiopian runner
• 1982 – Aaron Hill, American baseball player
• 1982 – Jocie Kwok, Chinese-Singaporean singer
• 1982 – Ermal Mamaqi, Albanian actor, singer, and DJ
• 1982 – Colin Turkington, Northern Irish race car driver
• 1983 – Bonfire, German race horse (d. 2013)
• 1983 – Jean Ondoa, Cameroonian footballer
• 1983 – Sofía Zámolo, Argentinian model and television host
• 1984 – Tiago dos Santos Roberto, Brazilian footballer
• 1984 – Guillermo Daniel Rodríguez, Uruguayan footballer
• 1985 – Ryan Callahan, American ice hockey player
• 1985 – Jésica Cirio, Argentinian model, actress, and dancer
• 1985 – Adrian Peterson, American football player
• 1986 – Michu, Spanish footballer
• 1986 – Romanos Alyfantis, Greek swimmer
• 1986 – Scott Eastwood, American actor and producer
• 1986 – Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou, Greek pole vaulter
• 1986 – Joseph Mawle, English actor
• 1987 – Rocco Nacino, Filipino actor, singer, and dancer
• 1987 – Markki Stroem, Filipino-Norwegian singer and actor
• 1988 – Lee Cattermole, English footballer
• 1988 – Kateřina Čechová, Czech sprinter
• 1988 – Erik Johnson, American ice hockey player
• 1988 – Eric Krüger, German sprinter
• 1989 – Jordi Alba, Spanish footballer
• 1989 – Rochelle Humes, English singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress (The Saturdays and S Club 8)
• 1989 – Nicolás Lodeiro, Uruguayan footballer
• 1989 – Takeru Satoh, Japanese actor and singer
• 1990 – Mandy Capristo, German singer-songwriter and dancer (Monrose)
• 1990 – Ryann Krais, American runner and heptathlete
• 1990 – Alex Nimo, Liberian-American soccer player
• 1991 – Luke Chapman, English footballer
• 1992 – Karolína Plíšková, Czech tennis player
• 1993 – Jake Bidwell, English footballer
• 1993 – Jade Jones, Welsh martial artist
• 1993 – Suraj Sharma, Indian actor
• 1994 – Jeron Teng, Filipino-Chinese basketball player
• 1995 – Gerli Liinamäe, Estonian figure skater
• 1995 – Diggy Simmons, American rapper
• 1999 – Robert Villar, Filipino actor and singer (Mak and the Dudes)
• 2004 – Count Claus-Casimir of Orange-Nassau van Amsberg

Deaths

• 1063 – Richeza of Lotharingia (b. 995)
• 1076 – Robert I, Duke of Burgundy (b. 1011)
• 1306 – Robert II, Duke of Burgundy (b. 1248)
• 1487 – Nicholas of Flüe, Swiss monk and saint (b. 1417)
• 1556 – Thomas Cranmer, English archbishop and saint (b. 1489)
• 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)
• 1734 – Robert Wodrow, Scottish historian and author (b. 1679)
• 1751 – Johann Heinrich Zedler, German publisher (b. 1706)
• 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)
• 1863 – Edwin Vose Sumner, American general (b. 1797)
• 1884 – Ezra Abbot, American scholar and academic (b. 1819)
• 1896 – William Quan Judge, Irish occultist and theosophist (b. 1851)
• 1915 – Frederick Winslow Taylor, American golfer, tennis player, and engineer (b. 1856)
• 1920 – Evelina Haverfield Scottish nurse and activist (b. 1867)
• 1932 – Frantz Reichel, French rugby player and hurdler (b. 1871)
• 1934 – Franz Schreker, Austrian composer and conductor (b. 1878)
• 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)
• 1955 – Muriel Aked, English actress (b. 1887)
• 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)
• 1973 – Âşık Veysel Şatıroğlu, Turkish singer and poet (b. 1894)
• 1974 – Candy Darling, American actress (b. 1944)
• 1975 – Joe Medwick, American baseball player and coach (b. 1911)
• 1977 – Victor Beaumont, German-English actor (b. 1912)
• 1978 – Louis Cottrell, Jr., American saxophonist and clarinet player (b. 1911)
• 1980 – Angelo Bruno, Italian-American mobster (b. 1910)
• 1980 – Peter Stoner, American mathematician and astronomer (b. 1888)
• 1982 – Harry H. Corbett, Burmese-English actor (b. 1925)
• 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 – Dean Paul Martin, American tennis player, singer, actor, and pilot (b. 1951)
• 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 and singer (b. 1913)
• 1994 – Lili Damita, French-American actress and singer (b. 1904)
• 1994 – Dack Rambo, American actor (b. 1941)
• 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)
• 2007 – Kevin Whitrick, English engineer (b. 1964)
• 2008 – Denis Cosgrove, English-American geographer and academic (b. 1948)
• 2008 – Klaus Dinger, German singer-songwriter and producer (Neu!, La Düsseldorf, La! Neu?, and Kraftwerk) (b. 1946)
• 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 (The Caravans) (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 poet and author (b. 1930)
• 2013 – Mohamed Said Ramadan Al-Bouti, Turkish-Syrian cleric and scholar (b. 1929)
• 2013 – Yvan Ducharme, Canadian actor (b. 1937)
• 2013 – Tyrone Gilks, Australian motorcycle racer (b. 1993)
• 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 – Herschel Schacter, American rabbi (b. 1917)
• 2013 – Elsie Thompson, American super-centenarian (b. 1899)
• 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 – Jackie Trent, English-Spanish singer-songwriter and actress (b. 1940)
• 2015 – Alberta Watson, Canadian actress (b. 1955)

Holidays and observances

• Birth of Benito Juárez, a Fiestas Patrias (Mexico)

• Nowruz (Persian Empire)
• Christian feast day:
  • Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello
  • Nicholas of Flüe
  • Serapion of Thmuis
• Thomas Cranmer (commemoration, Anglican Communion)
• Earliest day on which Holy Saturday can fall, while April 24 is the latest; celebrated on the Saturday before Easter. (Christianity)
• Harmony Day (Australia)
• Human Rights Day (South Africa)
• Independence Day (Namibia), celebrates the independence of Namibia from South African mandate in 1990.
• International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (International)
• International Day of Forests (International), by proclamation of the United Nations General Assembly
• International Colour Day, established by the International Colour Association and approved by associations and members from more than 30 countries
• Mother's Day (most of the Arab world)
• Truant's Day (Poland)
• Vernal Equinox related observances (see March 20)
• World Down Syndrome Day (International)
• World Poetry Day (International)
• World Puppetry Day (International)
• Youth Day (Tunisia)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to March 21.

• BBC: On This Day
• The New York Times: On This Day
• On This Day in Canada