October 21

October 21 in recent years

2024 (Monday)

2023 (Saturday)

2022 (Friday)

2021 (Thursday)

2020 (Wednesday)

2019 (Monday)

2018 (Sunday)

2017 (Saturday)

2016 (Friday)

2015 (Wednesday)

October 21is the 294th day of the year (295th inleap years) in theGregorian calendar;71 days remain until the end of the year.

Events

Pre-1600

• 1096– A Seljuk Turkish army successfully fights off thePeople's Crusadeat theBattle of Civetot.
• 1097–First Crusade:Crusaders led byGodfrey of Bouillon,Bohemund of Taranto,andRaymond IV, Count of Toulouse,begin theSiege of Antioch.
• 1392– JapaneseEmperor Go-Kameyamaabdicates in favor of rival claimantGo-Komatsu.
• 1512–Martin Lutherjoins the theological faculty of theUniversity of Wittenberg.
• 1520 –João Álvares Fagundesdiscovers the islands ofSaint Pierre and Miquelon,bestowing them their original name of "Islands of the 11,000 Virgins".
• 1600–Tokugawa Ieyasudefeats the leaders of rival Japanese clans in theBattle of Sekigaharaand becomes shōgun of Japan.

1601–1900

• 1774– Theflag of Taunton, Massachusettsis the first to include the word "Liberty".
• 1797– InBoston Harbor,the 44-gunUnited States NavyfrigateUSSConstitutionis launched.
• 1805–Napoleonic Wars:A British fleet led byLord Nelsondefeats a combined French and Spanish fleet underAdmiral Villeneuvein theBattle of Trafalgar.
• 1824–Portland cementis patented.
• 1854–Florence Nightingaleand a staff of 38 nurses are sent to theCrimean War.
• 1861–American Civil War:Union forces under ColonelEdward Bakeraredefeatedby Confederate troops in the second major battle of the war.
• 1867– TheMedicine Lodge Treatyis signed by southernGreat Plains Indianleaders. The treaty requires Native American Plains tribes to relocate to a reservation in the westernIndian Territory.
• 1879–Thomas Edisonapplies for a patent for his design for anincandescent light bulb.
• 1888– TheSwiss Social Democratic Partyis founded.
• 1892– Opening ceremonies for theWorld's Columbian Expositionare held in Chicago, though because construction was behind schedule, the exposition did not open until May 1, 1893.
• 1895– Thecapitulation of Tainancompletes the Japanese conquest of Taiwan.

1901–present

• 1907– The1907 Qaratog earthquakehits the borders of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, killing between 12,000 and 15,000 people.
• 1910–HMSNiobearrives inHalifax Harbourto become the first ship of theRoyal Canadian Navy.
• 1912–First Balkan War:The Greek navycompletes the captureof the island ofLemnosfor use as a forward base against theDardanelles.
• 1921– PresidentWarren G. Hardingdelivers the first speech by a sitting U.S. president againstlynchingin theDeep South.
• 1931– A secret society in theImperial Japanese Armylaunches an abortivecoup d'état attempt.
• 1940– The first edition of theErnest HemingwaynovelFor Whom the Bell Tollsis published.
• 1941–World War II:TheKragujevac massacreagainst Serbian men and boys takes place.
• 1943– World War II: TheProvisional Government of Free Indiais formally established inJapanese-occupied Singapore.
• 1944– World War II: The first kamikaze attack damagesHMASAustraliaas theBattle of Leyte Gulfbegins.
• 1944 – World War II: TheNemmersdorf massacreagainst German civilians takes place.
• 1944 – World War II: The city ofAachen fallsto American forces after three weeks of fighting, the first German city to fall to the Allies.
• 1945– In the1945 French legislative electionFrench women vote for the first time.
• 1950– Korean War: Heavy fighting begins between British and Australian forces and North Koreans during theBattle of Yongju.
• 1956– TheMau Mau Uprisingin Kenya is defeated.
• 1959– In New York City, theSolomon R. Guggenheim Museumopens to the public.
• 1959 – PresidentDwight D. Eisenhowerapproves the transfer of allUS Armyspace-related activities toNASA,including most of theArmy Ballistic Missile Agency.
• 1965–Comet Ikeya–Sekiapproaches perihelion, passing 450,000 kilometers (279,617 miles) from the sun.
• 1966– A colliery spoil tipslips onto houses and a school in the village of Aberfanin Wales, killing 144 people, 116 of whom were schoolchildren.
• 1967– TheNational Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnamorganizes a march of fifty thousand people from the Lincoln Memorial to the Pentagon.
• 1969– The1969 Somali coup d'étatestablishes a Marxist–Leninist administration.
• 1971– Agas explosionkills 22 people at a shopping centre near Glasgow, Scotland.
• 1973–Fred Dryerof the Los Angeles Rams becomes the first player in NFL history to score two safeties in the same game.
• 1978– Australian civilian pilotFrederick Valentich vanishesover theBass Straitsouth ofMelbourne,after reporting contact with an unidentified aircraft.
• 1979–Moshe Dayanresigns from the Israeli government because of strong disagreements with Prime MinisterMenachem Beginover policy towards the Arabs.
• 1981–Andreas Papandreoubecomes Prime Minister of Greece, ending an almost 50-year-long system of power dominated by conservative forces.
• 1983– Themetreis defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.
• 1984–Niki Laudaclaims his third and finalFormula OneDrivers' Championship Titleby half a point ahead ofMcLarenteam-mateAlain Prostat thePortuguese Grand Prix.
• 1986– In Lebanon, pro-Iran kidnappers claim to haveabductedAmerican writer Edward Tracy (he is released in August 1991).
• 1987– TheJaffna hospital massacreis carried out by Indian peacekeeping forces in Sri Lanka, killing 70 Tamil patients, doctors and nurses.
• 1989– InHonduras,131 people are killed when aBoeing 727crasheson approach toToncontín International Airportnear the nation's capitalTegucigalpa.
• 1994– North Korea and the United States sign anAgreed Frameworkthat requires North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons program and agree to inspections.
• 1994 – In Seoul, South Korea, 32 people are killed when a span of theSeongsu Bridge collapses.
• 2005– Images of the dwarf planetErisare taken and subsequently used in documenting its discovery.
• 2011–Iraq War:PresidentBarack Obamaannounces that thewithdrawal of United States troops from Iraqwill be complete by the end of the year.
• 2019– Thirty people are killed in a fiery bus crash in westernDemocratic Republic of the Congo.
• 2019 – InCanada,the2019 Canadian federal electionends, resulting in incumbent Prime MinisterJustin Trudeauremaining in office, albeit with theLiberal Partyin aminority government.
• 2021– Ashootingoccurs on the set of the filmRust,in which actorAlec Baldwindischarged a prop weapon which had been loaded, killing the director of photography,Halyna Hutchins,and injuring directorJoel Souza.

Births

Pre-1600

• 1328–Hongwu Emperorof China (d. 1398)
• 1409–Alessandro Sforza,Italian condottiero (d. 1473)
• 1449–George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence,Irish-English son ofCecily Neville, Duchess of York(d. 1478)
• 1527–Louis I, Cardinal of Guise(d. 1578)
• 1536–Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt(d. 1586)
• 1581–Domenichino,Italian painter (d. 1641)

1601–1900

• 1650–Jean Bart,French admiral (d. 1702)
• 1658–Henri de Boulainvilliers,French nobleman (d. 1722)
• 1675–Emperor Higashiyamaof Japan (d. 1710)
• 1687–Nicolaus I Bernoulli,Swiss mathematician and theorist (d. 1759)
• 1712–James Steuart,Scottish economist and author (d. 1780)
• 1725–Franz Moritz von Lacy,Austrian field marshal (d. 1801)
• 1757–Pierre Augereau,French general (d. 1816)
• 1762–Herman Willem Daendels,Dutch general, lawyer, and politician, 36thGovernor-General of the Dutch East Indies(d. 1818)
• 1772–Samuel Taylor Coleridge,English poet, philosopher, and critic (d. 1834)
• 1775–Giuseppe Baini,Italian priest, composer, and critic (d. 1844)
• 1790–Alphonse de Lamartine,French poet and politician,French Head of State(d. 1869)
• 1809–James Clark,American Jesuit (d. 1885)
• 1811–Filippo Colini,Italian operatic baritone (d. 1863)
• 1821–Sims Reeves,English tenor and actor (d. 1900)
• 1833–Alfred Nobel,Swedish chemist and engineer, inventeddynamiteand founded theNobel Prize(d. 1896)
• 1845–Will Carleton,American poet and journalist (d. 1912)
• 1847–Giuseppe Giacosa,Italian poet and playwright (d. 1906)
• 1851–George Ulyett,English cricketer and footballer (d. 1898)
• 1868–Ernest Swinton,British Army officer (d. 1951)
• 1874–Tan Kah Kee,Chinese businessman, community leader, communist and philanthropist (d. 1961)
• 1877–Oswald Avery,Canadian-American physician and microbiologist (d. 1955)
• 1884–Claire Waldoff,German singer and actress (d. 1957)
• 1886–Eugene Burton Ely,American soldier and pilot (d. 1911)
• 1887–Krishna Singh,Indian lawyer and politician, 1stChief Minister of Bihar(d. 1961)
• 1894–Edogawa Ranpo,Japanese author and critic (d. 1965)
• 1895–Paavo Johansson,Finnish javelin thrower and decathlete (d. 1983)
• 1895 –Edna Purviance,American actress (d. 1958)
• 1896–Esther Shumiatcher-Hirschbein,Russian-Canadian poet and screenwriter (d. 1985)
• 1898–Eduard Pütsep,Estonian wrestler and actor (d. 1960)
• 1900–Andrée Boisson,French Olympic fencer (d. 1973)

1901–present

• 1902–Eddy Hamel,American footballer (d. 1943)
• 1907–Nikos Engonopoulos,Greek painter and poet (d. 1985)
• 1908–Niyazi Berkes,Cypriot-English sociologist and academic (d. 1988)
• 1911–Mary Blair,American illustrator and animator (d. 1978)
• 1912–Don Byas,American saxophonist and educator (d. 1972)
• 1912 –Alfredo Pián,Argentinian race car driver (d. 1990)
• 1912 –Georg Solti,Hungarian-English conductor and director (d. 1997)
• 1914–Martin Gardner,American mathematician and author (d. 2010)
• 1915–Owen Bradley,American country music record producer (d. 1998)
• 1917–Dizzy Gillespie,American trumpet player, composer, and bandleader (d. 1993)
• 1918–Milton Himmelfarb,American sociologist and author (d. 2006)
• 1918 –Albertina Sisulu,South African anti-apartheid activist (d. 2011)
• 1919–Jim Wallwork,English-Canadian sergeant and pilot (d. 2013)
• 1921–Malcolm Arnold,English composer (d. 2006)
• 1921 –Bruce Beeby,Australian-English actor (d. 2013)
• 1921 –Robert Clothier,Canadian actor (d. 1999)
• 1921 –Jim Shumate,American fiddler and composer (d. 2013)
• 1921 –Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld,Dutch astronomer and academic (d. 2015)
• 1922–Liliane Bettencourt,French businesswoman and philanthropist (d. 2017)
• 1923–Samuel Khachikian,Iranian director, screenwriter, and author (d. 2001)
• 1924–Joyce Randolph,American actress (d. 2024)
• 1924 –Julie Wilson,American actress and singer (d. 2015)
• 1925–Celia Cruz,Cuban-American singer (d. 2003)
• 1925 –Virginia Zeani,Romanian soprano and educator (d. 2023)
• 1926–Bob Rosburg,American golfer (d. 2009)
• 1926 –Leonard Rossiter,English actor (d. 1984)
• 1927–Fritz Wintersteller,Austrian mountaineer (d. 2018)
• 1927 –Howard Zieff,American director and photographer (d. 2009)
• 1928–Whitey Ford,American baseball player and coach (d. 2020)
• 1928 –Eudóxia Maria Froehlich,Brazilian zoologist (d. 2015)
• 1928 –Vern Mikkelsen,American basketball player and coach (d. 2013)
• 1929–Pierre Bellemare,French radio and television host (d. 2018)
• 1929 –Fritz Hollaus,Austrian footballer (d. 1994)
• 1929 –Ursula K. Le Guin,American author and critic (d. 2018)
• 1929 –George Stinney Jr.,wrongfully convicted African-American inmate; second youngest person in the U.S. to be executed (d. 1944)
• 1930–Ivan Silayev,Russian engineer and politician, 19thPrime Minister of Russia(d. 2023)
• 1931–Shammi Kapoor,Indian actor and director (d. 2011)
• 1931 –Jim Parks Jr.,English cricketer and manager (d. 2022)
• 1932–Pál Csernai,Hungarian footballer and manager (d. 2013)
• 1933–Maureen Duffy,English author, poet, playwright and activist
• 1933 –Francisco Gento,Spanish footballer and manager (d. 2022)
• 1935–Derek Bell,Irish harp player, pianist, and songwriter (d. 2002)
• 1935 –Mel Street,American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1978)
• 1937–Said Afandi al-Chirkawi,Russian spiritual leader and scholar (d. 2012)
• 1937 –Hank Nelson,Australian historian and academic (d. 2012)
• 1938–Carl Brewer,Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2001)
• 1940–Geoffrey Boycott,English cricketer and sportscaster
• 1940 –Frances FitzGerald,American journalist and author
• 1940 –Rhoda Gemignani,American actress
• 1940 –Manfred Mann,South African-English keyboard player and producer
• 1940 –Marita Petersen,Faroese educator and politician,Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands(d. 2001)
• 1941–Steve Cropper,American guitarist, songwriter, producer, and actor
• 1942–Elvin Bishop,American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1942 –Allan Grice,Australian race car driver and politician
• 1942 –Lou Lamoriello,American ice hockey player, coach, and manager
• 1942 –Judy Sheindlin,American judge and television host
• 1942 –Christopher A. Sims,American economist and statistician,Nobel Prizelaureate
• 1942 –John Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington,English police officer and academic
• 1943–Tariq Ali,Pakistani historian and author
• 1943 –Ron Elliott,American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and composer
• 1944–Mandy Rice-Davies,English model and actress (d. 2014)
• 1944 –Michael Tugendhat,English lawyer and judge
• 1945–Everett McGill,American actor
• 1945 –Nikita Mikhalkov,Russian filmmaker
• 1945 –Michael White,English journalist
• 1946–Jane Heal,English philosopher and academic
• 1946 –Jim Hill,American football player and sportscaster
• 1946 –Lux Interior,American singer-songwriter (d. 2009)
• 1946 –Lee Loughnane,American singer-songwriter and trumpet player
• 1948–Shaye J. D. Cohen,American historian and academic
• 1948 –Allen Henry Vigneron,American archbishop
• 1949–Michel Brière,Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1971)
• 1949 –Mike Keenan,Canadian ice hockey player and coach
• 1949 –Benjamin Netanyahu,Israeli captain and politician, 9thPrime Minister of Israel
• 1950–Ronald McNair,American physicist and astronaut (d. 1986)
• 1950 –Leela Vernon,Belizean musician and cultural conservationist (d. 2017)
• 1952–Patti Davis,American actress and author
• 1952 –Allen Hoey,American poet and author (d. 2010)
• 1952 –Brent Mydland,German-American keyboard player (d. 1990)
• 1953–Charlotte Caffey,American guitarist and songwriter
• 1953 –Eric Faulkner,Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1953 –Keith Green,American singer-songwriter, pianist, and minister (d. 1982)
• 1953 –Marc Johnson,American bassist, composer, and bandleader
• 1953 –Peter Mandelson,English journalist and politician,Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• 1954–Brian Tobin,Canadian journalist and politician, 6thPremier of Newfoundland
• 1955–Dick DeVos,American businessman
• 1955 –Catherine Hardwicke,American film director, producer, and screenwriter
• 1955 –Fred Hersch,American pianist and composer
• 1955 –Rich Mullins,American singer-songwriter (d. 1997)
• 1956–Carrie Fisher,American actress and screenwriter (d. 2016)
• 1956 –Mike Tully,American pole vaulter
• 1957–Julian Cope,English singer-songwriter
• 1957 –Irene Edgar,Scottish lawn bowler
• 1957 –Wolfgang Ketterle,German physicist and academic,Nobel Prizelaureate
• 1957 –Steve Lukather,American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
• 1958–Andre Geim,Russian-English physicist and academic,Nobel Prizelaureate
• 1959–George Bell,Dominican baseball player
• 1959 –Rose McDowall,Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1959 –Andy Picheta,English director, producer, and screenwriter
• 1959 –Kevin Sheedy,Welsh-Irish footballer and manager
• 1959 –Ken Watanabe,Japanese actor and producer
• 1960–Melora Walters,American actress, director, and writer
• 1962–David Campese,Australian rugby player and coach
• 1964–Jon Carin,American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
• 1965–Ion Andoni Goikoetxea,Spanish footballer and manager
• 1965 –Horace Hogan,American wrestler
• 1965 –Hisashi Imai,Japanese singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1966–Phillip Price,Welsh golfer
• 1966 –Igor Prins,Estonian footballer and manager
• 1966 –Arne Sandstø,Norwegian footballer and manager
• 1967–Georgi Dakov,Bulgarian high jumper (d. 1996)
• 1967 –Paul Ince,English footballer and manager
• 1967 –Gavin Lovegrove,New Zealand javelin thrower and graphic designer
• 1968–Alexandros Alexandris,Greek footballer and manager
• 1968 –Kerstin Andreae,German politician
• 1969–Michael Hancock,Australian rugby league player
• 1969 –Mo Lewis,American football player
• 1970–Louis Koo,Hong Kong actor and singer
• 1971–Hal Duncan,Scottish author and poet
• 1971 –Damien Martyn,Australian cricketer
• 1971 –Nick Oliveri,American singer-songwriter and bass player
• 1971 –Conor O'Shea,Irish rugby player and coach
• 1971 –Paul Telfer,Scottish footballer and coach
• 1971 –Thomas Ulsrud,Norwegian curler
• 1972–Ashutosh Agashe,Indian businessman and cricketer
• 1972 –Matthew Friedberger,American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1972 –Orlando Thomas,American football player (d. 2014)
• 1972 –Evhen Tsybulenko,Ukrainian scholar and academic
• 1973–Lera Auerbach,Russian-American pianist and composer
• 1973 –Charlie Lowell,American pianist and songwriter
• 1974–Costel Busuioc,Romanian tenor
• 1975–Toby Hall,American baseball player
• 1975 –Henrique Hilário,Portuguese footballer
• 1976–Henrik Gustavsson,Swedish footballer
• 1976 –Jeremy Miller,American actor and singer
• 1976 –Lavinia Miloșovici,Romanian gymnast
• 1976 –Josh Ritter,American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1976 –Andrew Scott,Irish actor
• 1976 –Mélanie Turgeon,Canadian skier
• 1978–Will Estes,American actor
• 1978 –Joey Harrington,American football player and sportscaster
• 1978 –Henrik Klingenberg,Finnish singer and keyboard player
• 1978 –Michael McMillian,American actor
• 1979–Khalil Greene,American baseball player
• 1979 –Gabe Gross,American baseball player
• 1980–Kim Kardashian,American reality television personality, actress, model, businesswoman and socialite
• 1980 –Brian Pittman,American bass player
• 1981–Martin Castrogiovanni,Argentinian-Italian rugby player
• 1981 –Nemanja Vidić,Serbian footballer
• 1982–Matt Dallas,American actor
• 1982 –Jim Henderson,American baseball player
• 1982 –Antony Kay,English footballer
• 1982 –Hari Kondabolu,American comedian, actor, and podcaster
• 1982 –Ray Ventrone,American football player
• 1982 –Lee Chong Wei,Malaysian badminton player
• 1982 –James White,American basketball player
• 1983–Casey Fien,American baseball player
• 1983 –Zack Greinke,American baseball player
• 1983 –Brent Hayden,Canadian swimmer
• 1983 –Gonzalo Klusener,Argentinian footballer
• 1983 –Andy Marte,Dominican baseball player (d. 2017)
• 1983 –Amber Rose,American model
• 1983 –Chris Sherrington,English-Scottish martial artist
• 1983 –Charlotte Sullivan,Canadian actress
• 1983 –Ninet Tayeb,Israeli singer
• 1983 –Shelden Williams,American basketball player
• 1984–Anna Bogdanova,Russian heptathlete
• 1984 –Tom Brandstater,American football player
• 1984 –Kenny Cooper,American soccer player
• 1984 –Anouk Leblanc-Boucher,Canadian speed skater
• 1984 –José Lobatón,Venezuelan baseball player
• 1984 –Marvin Mitchell,American football player
• 1984 –Kieran Richardson,English footballer
• 1985–Simone Bracalello,Italian footballer
• 1985 –Dean Collis,Australian rugby league player
• 1986–Almen Abdi,Swiss footballer
• 1986 –Chibuzor Chilaka,Nigerian footballer
• 1986 –Scott Rendell,English footballer
• 1987–Tonje Brenna,Norwegian politician
• 1987 –Justin De Fratus,American baseball player
• 1987 –Andrey Grechin,Russian swimmer
• 1988–Ricki Olsen,Danish footballer
• 1988 –Glen Powell,American actor
• 1988 –Daniel Schorn,Austrian cyclist
• 1989–Mads Dahm,Norwegian footballer
• 1989 –Festus Ezeli,Nigerian-American basketball player
• 1989 –Luke Murphy,English footballer
• 1989 –Jonathan Viera,Spanish footballer
• 1989 –Sam Vokes,English-Welsh footballer
• 1990–Bengali-Fodé Koita,French footballer
• 1990 –Mathieu Peybernes,French footballer
• 1990 –Ricky Rubio,Spanish basketball player
• 1991–Alexander Burmistrov,Russian ice hockey player
• 1991 –Tom Eastman,English footballer
• 1991 –Geoffry Hairemans,Belgian footballer
• 1991 –Rob Keogh,English cricketer
• 1991 –Vadaine Oliver,English footballer
• 1991 –Harry Pell,English footballer
• 1992–Natasha Bassett,Australian actress
• 1992 –Marzia Kjellberg,Italian businessperson and former YouTuber
• 1992 –Damion Lee,American basketball player
• 1992 –Bernard Tomic,German-Australian tennis player
• 1993–Kane Brown,American singer and songwriter
• 1995–Cameron Burgess,Scottish-Australian footballer
• 1995 –Doja Cat,American rapper, singer and songwriter
• 1995 –Antoinette Guedia Mouafo,Cameroonian swimmer

Deaths

Pre-1600

• 645–Zhenzhu Khan,khan ofXueyantuo
• 1023–Gero,Archbishop of Magdeburg
• 1096–Walter Sans Avoir,a leader of theFirst Crusade
• 1125–Cosmas of Prague,Bohemian priest and historian (b. 1045)
• 1204–Robert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Leicester,English politician
• 1221–Alix, Duchess of Brittany(b. 1201)
• 1266–Birger Jarl,Swedish politician (b. 1210)
• 1314–Geoffrey de Geneville, 1st Baron Geneville
• 1422–Charles VI of France(b. 1368)
• 1500–Emperor Go-Tsuchimikadoof Japan (b. 1442)
• 1505–Paul Scriptoris,German mathematician and educator (b. 1460)
• 1556–Pietro Aretino,Italian author (b. 1492)
• 1558–Julius Caesar Scaliger,Italian physician and scholar (b. 1484)
• 1600–Ōtani Yoshitsugu,Japanese samurai (b. 1558)

1601–1900

• 1623–William Wade,English politician and diplomat,Lieutenant of the Tower of London(b. 1546)
• 1662–Henry Lawes,English composer (b. 1595)
• 1687–Edmund Waller,English poet and politician (b. 1606)
• 1765–Giovanni Paolo Panini,Italian painter and architect (b. 1691)
• 1775–Peyton Randolph,American lawyer and politician, 1stPresident of the Continental Congress(b. 1721)
• 1777–Samuel Foote,English actor and playwright (b. 1720)
• 1805–John Cooke,English captain (b. 1763)
• 1805 –George Duff,Scottish captain (b. 1764)
• 1805 –Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson,English admiral (b. 1758)
• 1821–Dorothea Ackermann,German actress (b. 1752)
• 1835–Muthuswami Dikshitar,Indian poet and composer (b. 1775)
• 1861–Edward Dickinson Baker,American congressman and colonel (b. 1811)
• 1872–Jacques Babinet,French physicist, mathematician, and astronomer (b. 1794)
• 1873–Johan Sebastian Welhaven,Norwegian author, poet, and critic (b. 1807)
• 1896–James Henry Greathead,South African-English engineer (b. 1844)

1901–present

• 1903–Jinmaku Kyūgorō,Japanese sumo wrestler, the 12thYokozuna(b. 1829)
• 1904–Isabelle Eberhardt,Swiss explorer and journalist (b. 1877)
• 1907–Jules Chevalier,French priest, founded theMissionaries of the Sacred Heart(b. 1824)
• 1931–Arthur Schnitzler,Austrian author and playwright (b. 1862)
• 1938–Dorothy Hale,American actress (b. 1905)
• 1939–Hendrik Wortman,Dutch civil engineer (b.1859)
• 1940–William G. Conley,American journalist, lawyer, and politician, 18thGovernor of West Virginia(b. 1866)
• 1941–Alexander Greenlaw Hamilton,Australian biologist (b. 1852)
• 1944–Alois Kayser,German-French missionary (b. 1877)
• 1952–Hans Merensky,South African geologist and philanthropist (b. 1871)
• 1963–Józef Franczak,Polish sergeant (b. 1918)
• 1965–Bill Black,American bass player and bandleader (b. 1926)
• 1969–Jack Kerouac,American novelist and poet (b. 1922)
• 1969 –Wacław Sierpiński,Polish mathematician and academic (b. 1882)
• 1970–Li Linsi,Chinese educator and diplomat (b. 1896)
• 1971–Minnie Evans,American artist (b. 1888)
• 1973–Nasif Estéfano,Argentinian race car driver (b. 1932)
• 1975–Charles Reidpath,American runner and general (b. 1887)
• 1977–Ferit Tüzün,Turkish composer (b. 1929)
• 1978–Anastas Mikoyan,Armenian-Russian civil servant and politician (b. 1895)
• 1980–Hans Asperger,Austrian physician and psychologist (b. 1906)
• 1982–Radka Toneff,Norwegian singer-songwriter (b. 1952)
• 1983–Joseph P. Lordi,American government official (b. 1919)
• 1984–François Truffaut,French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1932)
• 1985–Dan White,American assassin and politician (b. 1946)
• 1986–Lionel Murphy,Australian jurist and politician, 22ndAttorney-General of Australia(b. 1922)
• 1989–Jean Image,Hungarian-French director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1910)
• 1990–Dany Chamoun,Lebanese engineer and politician (b. 1934)
• 1990 –Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar,Indian spiritual guru, philosopher and author (b. 1921)
• 1991–Lorenc Antoni,Albanian composer, conductor, and musicologist (b. 1909)
• 1992–Ante Ciliga,Croatian politician, writer and publisher (b. 1898)
• 1992 –Jim Garrison,American lawyer and judge (b. 1921)
• 1993–Sam Zolotow,American journalist and critic (b. 1899)
• 1995–Maxene Andrews,American singer (b. 1916)
• 1995 –Jesús Blasco,Spanish author and illustrator (b. 1919)
• 1995 –Nancy Graves,American sculptor and painter (b. 1939)
• 1995 –Shannon Hoon,American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1967)
• 1996–Georgios Zoitakis,Greek general and politician (b. 1910)
• 1998–Francis W. Sargent,American soldier and politician, 64thGovernor of Massachusetts(b. 1915)
• 1999–Lars Bo,Danish author and illustrator (b. 1924)
• 1999 –Ahmet Taner Kışlalı,Turkish political scientist, lawyer, and politician (b. 1939)
• 2002–Edward J. Mortola,American academic and president of Pace University (b. 1917)
• 2003–Louise Day Hicks,American politician (b. 1916)
• 2003 –Luis A. Ferré,Puerto Rican engineer and politician, 3rdGovernor of Puerto Rico(b. 1904)
• 2003 –Elliott Smith,American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1969)
• 2006–Sandy West,American singer-songwriter and drummer (b. 1959)
• 2007–Paul Fox,English singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1951)
• 2010–A. Ayyappan,Indian poet and translator (b. 1949)
• 2011–Hikmet Bilâ,Turkish journalist and author (b. 1954)
• 2011 –Tone Pavček,Slovenian poet and author (b. 1928)
• 2012–Yash Chopra,Indian director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1932)
• 2012 –Antoni Dobrowolski,Polish educator (b. 1904)
• 2012 –Jaroslav Kozlík,Czech volleyball player and educator (b. 1907)
• 2012 –Alf Kumalo,South African photographer and journalist (b. 1930)
• 2012 –George McGovern,American historian, lieutenant, and politician (b. 1922)
• 2013–Bud Adams,American businessman (b. 1923)
• 2013 –Gianni Ferrio,Italian composer and conductor (b. 1924)
• 2013 –Rune T. Kidde,Danish author, poet, and illustrator (b. 1957)
• 2013 –Colonel Robert Morris,American singer-songwriter and drummer (b. 1954)
• 2013 –Major Owens,American librarian and politician (b. 1936)
• 2013 –Tony Summers,Welsh swimmer (b. 1924)
• 2013 –Oscar Yanes,Venezuelan journalist and author (b. 1927)
• 2014–Ben Bradlee,American journalist and author (b. 1921)
• 2014 –Nelson Bunker Hunt,American businessman (b. 1926)
• 2014 –Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani,Iranian cleric and politician,Prime Minister of Iran(b. 1931)
• 2014 –Edith Kawelohea McKinzie,Hawaiian genealogist, author, and hula expert (b. 1925)
• 2014 –Gough Whitlam,Australian lieutenant, lawyer, and politician, 21stPrime Minister of Australia(b. 1916)
• 2015–France Bučar,Slovenian lawyer and politician (b. 1923)
• 2015 –Marty Ingels,American actor (b. 1936)
• 2015 –Norman W. Moore,English conservationist and author (b. 1923)
• 2015 –Sheldon Wolin,American philosopher, theorist, and academic (b. 1922)
• 2020–Frank Bough,English television presenter (b. 1933)
• 2021–Bernard Haitink,Dutch conductor and violinist (b. 1929)
• 2023–Bobby Charlton,English footballer and manager (b. 1937)
• 2023 –Bobi,Portuguese dog (b. 1992)
• 2023 –Bill Hayden,Australian politician, 21stGovernor General of Australia(b. 1933)

Holidays and observances

• Armed Forces Day(Honduras)
• Christianfeast day:
  • Asterius of Ostia
  • Berthold of Parma
  • BlessedCharles of Austria(Roman Catholic Church)
  • Fintán of Taghmon
  • Hilarion
  • John of Bridlington
  • Laura of Saint Catherine of Siena
  • Leticia
  • Malchus of Syria
  • Peter Yu Tae-chol
  • Severinus of Bordeaux
  • Tuda of Lindisfarne
  • Ursula
  • Viator of Lyons
  • October 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Egyptian Naval Day(Egypt)
• Indian Police Commemoration Day(India)
• National Nurses' Day(Thailand)
• Ndadaye Day(Burundi)
• Overseas Chinese Day(Republic of China)
• Trafalgar Day(theBritish Empirein the 19th and early 20th century)
• Birth of the Báb (2017)(Baháʼí Faith)

External links

• "On This Day".BBC.
• The New York Times:On This Day
• "Historical Events on October 21".OnThisDay.