Tukuk-OS📅 May 21
18 events · 12 births · 12 deaths
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What happened on May 21? Below are the notable events chosen by Wikipedia’s editors for this date, followed by celebrated births, deaths and the observances recognised around the world.
Events
- 2024 — The Greenfield tornado, estimated to have produced winds in excess of 309 miles per hour (497 km/h), moved across Iowa.
- 2015 — Islamic State militants entered the ancient city of Palmyra.
- 2014 — A Taiwanese man carried out a stabbing spree on a Taipei Metro train, killing four people and injuring 24 others.
- 2005 — The world's tallest roller coaster, Kingda Ka, opened at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, U.S.
- 1998 — Indonesian president Suharto resigned after a collapse of support for his presidency amid economic and political crises, ending 32 years in power.
- 1991 — Former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide bomber in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
- 1946 — While working with a mass of plutonium known as the demon core, Manhattan Project physicist Louis Slotin accidentally exposed himself to a lethal dose of hard radiation, making him the second victim of a criticality accident in history.
- 1927 — Aboard the Spirit of St. Louis, American aviator Charles Lindbergh (pictured) completed the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight, flying from Roosevelt Field near New York City to Paris–Le Bourget Airport.
- 1925 — The opera Doktor Faust, unfinished when composer Ferruccio Busoni (pictured) died, was premiered in Dresden.
- 1924 — University of Chicago students Nathan Leopold Jr. and Richard Loeb (both pictured) murdered a 14-year-old boy in a thrill killing out of a desire to commit a "perfect crime".
- 1917 — The Imperial War Graves Commission was established by royal charter to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of British Empire military forces.
Commonwealth War Graves CommissionRoyal charterBritish Empire
- 1911 — Mexican president Porfirio Díaz and the revolutionary Francisco I. Madero signed the Treaty of Ciudad Juárez to end hostilities between each other's forces, concluding the initial phase of the Mexican Revolution.
- 1864 — American Civil War: The inconclusive Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in Virginia ended with combined Union and Confederate casualties totaling around 31,000.
American Civil WarBattle of Spotsylvania Court HouseVirginia
- 1856 — A crowd of about 800 pro-slavery Americans ransacked the town of Lawrence, Kansas.
- 1851 — The Congress of Colombia passed a law abolishing slavery in the country, to take effect at the beginning of the new year.
- 1703 — English writer Daniel Defoe was imprisoned for seditious libel after publishing a pamphlet that was perceived to satirise the Tory publications about Dissenters.
Daniel DefoeSeditious libelThe Shortest Way with the Dissenters
- 1138 — The Crusades: The siege of Shaizar ended, and the Emir of Shaizar became a vassal of the Byzantine Empire.
- 878 — Arab–Byzantine wars: The city of Syracuse was captured by the Aghlabids (pictured) as part of the Muslim conquest of Sicily.
Arab–Byzantine warsSyracuse, SicilySiege of Syracuse (877–878)
Births
- 2007 — El Ma, Bulgarian singer-songwriter
- 2002 — Elena Huelva, Spanish cancer activist and influencer (died 2023)
- 1997 — Ivan De Santis, Italian footballer
- 1997 — Sisca Folkertsma, Dutch footballer
- 1997 — Viktoria Petryk, Ukrainian singer-songwriter
- 1997 — Kevin Quinn, American actor and singer
- 1996 — Josh Allen, American football player
- 1996 — Indy de Vroome, Dutch tennis player
- 1996 — Karen Khachanov, Russian tennis player
- 1995 — Diego Loyzaga, Filipino actor
- 1994 — Tom Daley, English diver
- 1993 — Grete Gaim, Estonian biathlete
Deaths
- 2026 — Kyle Busch, American race car driver and owner (born 1985)
- 2025 — Gerry Connolly, American politician, U.S. Representative from Virginia's 11th congressional district (born 1950)
Gerry ConnollyUnited States House of RepresentativesVirginia's 11th congressional district
- 2024 — Jan A. P. Kaczmarek, Polish composer (born 1953)
- 2020 — Alan Merten, fifth President of George Mason University (born 1941)
- 2019 — Rik Kuypers, Belgian film director (born 1925)
- 2019 — Binyavanga Wainaina, Kenyan writer (born 1971)
- 2016 — Nick Menza, American drummer and songwriter (born 1964)
- 2015 — Annarita Sidoti, Italian race walker (born 1969)
- 2015 — Twinkle, English singer-songwriter (born 1948)
- 2015 — Jassem Al-Kharafi, Kuwaiti businessman and politician, 8th Kuwaiti Speaker of the National Assembly (born 1940)
Jassem Al-KharafiList of speakers of Kuwait National Assembly
- 2015 — Fred Gladding, American baseball player and coach (born 1936)
- 2015 — Louis Johnson, American bass player and producer (born 1955)
Observances & holidays
- Afro-Colombian Day (Colombia)
- Christian feast day: Blessed Adílio Daronch and Manuel Gómez González
- Christian feast day: Blessed Franz Jägerstätter
- Christian feast day: Earliest day on which Corpus Christi can fall, while June 24 is the latest; held on Thursday after Trinity Sunday (often locally moved to Sunday). (Roman Catholic Church)
- Christian feast day: Eugène de Mazenod
- Christian feast day:
Helena of Constantinople, also known as "Feast of the Holy Great Sovereigns Constantine and Helen, Equal-to-the-Apostles." (Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion)
Helena, mother of Constantine IEqual-to-apostlesEastern Orthodox Church
- Christian feast day: Blessed Hemming of Turku
- Christian feast day: John Elliot (Episcopal Church)
- Christian feast day: Saints of the Cristero War, including Christopher Magallanes
- Christian feast day: May 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Circassian Day of Mourning (Circassians)
- Day of Patriots and Military (Hungary)
- Independence Day, celebrates the Montenegrin independence referendum in 2006, celebrated until the next day. (Montenegro)
Independence Day (Montenegro)2006 Montenegrin independence referendumMontenegro
- International Tea Day (International)
- Navy Day (Chile)
- Saint Helena Day, celebrates the discovery of Saint Helena in 1502. (Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha)
Public holidays in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint HelenaSaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
- World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (International)
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and DevelopmentLists of holidays
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