What Happened on June 21
Historical Events
- 1788 US Constitution comes into effect when New Hampshire is the 9th state to ratify it
- 1854 First Victoria Cross won during bombardment of Bomarsund in the Aland Islands (Crimean War)
- 1948 Lord Mountbatten resigns as Governor General of India (formerly the last Viceroy)
- 1990 7.7 Manjil-Rudbar Earthquake with hundreds of aftershocks hits Iran; killing about 50,000
- 1993 English mathematician Andrew Wiles proves last theorem of French mathematician Pierre de Fermat after 356 years, the world's most difficult maths problem
- More Historical Events
Jun 21 in Film & TV
- 1966 "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", film directorial debut of Mike Nichols, based on Edward Albee's 1962 play of the same name, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, is released (Academy Awards Best Actress, 1967)
Jun 21 in Music
- 1948 Columbia Records unveil the 33-1/3 rpm LP phonograph record invented by Peter Carl Goldmark, allowing up to 20 minutes per side (available in 10 and 12 inch diameters), at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, NYC; over the next decade the popularity and profitability of the LP pushed the 78 rpm out of production [1]
- 1978 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical "Evita", starring Elaine Page, premieres at the Prince Edward Theatre, London
Jun 21 in Sport
- 1970 FIFA World Cup Final, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City: Brazil and Pelé become first team and player to win World Cup 3 times, beating Italy, 4-1 in front of 107,412
Did You Know?
American inventor and businessman Cyrus McCormick patents the reaping machine
On June 21, 1834
Jean-Paul Sartre
Benazir Bhutto
Michel Platini
Chris Pratt
Prince William
Lana Del ReyWould You Believe?
Frank Winfield Woolworth opens his 1st successful "Woolworth's Great Five Cent Store" on North Queen Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
On June 21, 1879
Famous Weddings
- 1810 American army officer and future US President Zachary Taylor (25) weds Margaret Smith (21) near Louisville, Kentucky, at the bride's sister's home
- 1924 Inventor Robert H. Goddard (41) weds secretary Esther Christine Kisk (23) at St. John's Episcopal Church in Worcester
- 1930 "Titanic" actress Gloria Stuart (19) weds sculptor Blair Gordon Newell
More Weddings
Edward III
Niccolo Machiavelli
John Smith
Leland Stanford
Maureen Connolly
SukarnoArticles, Photos and Quiz
St Paul's Defies Bombing Conflagration
There had been a church on this London spot for well over 1,000 years but it seemed only a miracle could save it from the inferno caused by 100,000 bombs.
June 21, 1675
Scuttling at Scapa Flow
German Navy ship SMS Bayern after being scuttled on the orders of German Admiral Ludwig von Reuter
June 21, 1919
Weekly Quiz for June 15-21
Test your knowledge of historical events and famous people in our multi-choice, weekly history quiz for June 15-21. Then challenge your friends!
