“History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul” – John Dalberg Acton. What’s that one thing that humans can’t control or change? Nothing can ever change History. Events of history can be motivational, reveal scientific discoveries, and enlighten us on how events that occurred centuries ago has shaped the present world. Every day is full of thrilling and exciting events. Let us recall the events that happened through the years on this day in history, May 21
What Happened in India on 21 May?
1991 – Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in a suicide bombing attack at a rally in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
1994 – Sushmita Sen became the first Indian to be crowned as Miss Universe.
2002 – Shabnum Gani Lone was a Kashmiri woman analyst, politician, and lawyer at the Supreme Court of India was killed in a rally in Srinagar on May 21
What Happened Around the World on 21 May?
1861 – Richmond and Virginia became the capital of the Confederacy during the American Civil War.
1864 – The Circassian Day of Mourning is a remembrance day, honoring the memory of thousands of Circassians that lost their lives in war with Russia.
1881 – United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) was established in New York City by a group of tennis club members.
1904 – Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was formed in Paris to oversee the increasing popularity of international fixtures.
1941 – On May 21 first American horror silent film named Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was released by Paramount/Artcraft
1950 – Vietnamese troops of Ho Chi-Minh attacked Cambodia on this day.
1960 – Leontyne Price becomes the first African American to sing the lead at Teatro Alla Scala in Milan in “Aida” and also the first African American soprano to receive international acclaim.
1968 – Nuclear test series that included the group of 17 nuclear tests was performed by the Soviet Union on May 21
1971 – White Night riots occur in San Francisco after Dan White is given a lenient sentence for assassinating Mayor George Moscone and the openly gay elected official Harvey Milk.
2006 – Tre Kronor is a Swedish ice hockey team that won gold medals in the World Championship and Olympics separately in the same year.
2013 – Xbox One was announced by Microsoft on May 21
2017 – BTS became the first Korean group that won Top Social Artist at the Billboard Awards
2017 – Mumbai Indians won IPL 2017 by beating Rising Pune Supergiant.
2018 – Former US president and first lady, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama becomes the producer of Netflix films and series
2019 – Wave of protests across the streets of America against abortion rights after new laws were passed
Famous Birthdays on May 21
120 BC – Aurelia Cotta was the mother of Julius Caesar was born in Rome on May 21
1744 – Alexander Pope was an English poet popularly known for his work in “Rape of the Lock” and “translation of Homer” was born in London
1780 – Elizabeth Fry popularly known as “Angel of Prisons” and a British Quaker philanthropist that actively promoted prison reform in Europe was born in Norwich.
1921 – Famously known as the father of the Soviet hydrogen bomb, Andrei Sakharov was a Russian nuclear physicist and winner of the Nobel Prize in 1975 was born on May 21.
1930 – John Malcolm Fraser was 25th Prime Minister of Australia and Leader of the Liberal Party was born on this day.
Check out other important events of May:
- This Day in History – May 1
- This Day in History – May 2
- This Day in History – May 3
- This Day in History – May 4
- This Day in History – May 5
- This Day in History – May 6
- This Day in History: May 7
- This Day in History – May 8
- This Day in History – May 9
- This Day In History – May 10
This was all about the interesting and intriguing events that occurred on May 21! We hope you have had fun reading this blog! For more such entertaining and informative content, keep following us on Leverage Edu. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.