Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 21 March, throughout history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.
ON THIS DAY: 21 MARCH
2019 | At least 47 people were killed and 640 injured when the Jiangsu Tianjiayi chemical plant in China exploded.
2009 | Four police officers were shot and killed and a fifth was injured in two shootings in Oakland, California.
2006 | The social media site Twitter was founded in San Francisco, California, United States.
2000 | On this day, Pope John Paul II made his first-ever pontifical visit to Israel.
1999 | Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones became the first to travel around the globe with a hot air balloon.
ALSO READ: What happened on 20 March?
BIRTHDAYS
1946 | English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Mungo Jerry), Ray Dorset.
1950 | English singer-songwriter and keyboard player, Roger Hodgson.
1993 | Finnish football player, Jesse Joronen.
1972 | Ethiopian runner, Derartu Tulu.
1980 | Norwegian skier, Marit Bjørgen.
ON THIS DAY: DEATHS
2014 | American football player and soldier, Bill Boedeker, 90.
2012 | American sociologist, author, and academic, Irving Louis Horowitz, 83.
2008 | Chilean architect and academic, Guillermo Jullian de la Fuente, 77.
2015 | Nigerian general and politician, Governor of Benue State, Ishaya Bakut, 68.
2007 | Norwegian hurdler and journalist, Sven O. Høiby, 71.
2015 | Canadian actress, Alberta Watson, 60.
SPORTS
1992 | Chelsea’s Vinnie Jones was shown a red card after just 3 seconds on this day for fouling Sheffield United’s Dane Whitehouse in a First Division match at Stamford Bridge.
ENTERTAINMENT
2019 | On this day, “On My Way†was released. It was sung by English-Norwegian DJ Alan Walker, American singer Sabrina Carpenter and Puerto Rican singer Farruko.
AFRICA FACT
The Amphitheatre of El Jem in Tunisia is the largest Colosseum in North Africa. It was built by the Romans around 238 AD.
