21th January In History

January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 344 days remain until the end of the year (345 in leap years).

So, What happened on 21st January in history

What happened today in history (21st January): The first American novel was printed in Boston, Louis XVI of France was executed, 1st edition of Charles Dickens’ newspaper “The Daily News”, Vladimir Lenin’s Testament is handed over to the Communist Party and more.

It may not mean much to you right now, but by the end of this article, you will have learned that January 21 holds a significant place in history.

From execution of French king and printing of first American novel to first commercial Concorde flight many important events took place on 21st January.

Dive in to know what happened on this day (Jan. 21) in sports, politics and art, along with famous birthdays and deaths in world history.

Early Events

In 763 – Following the Battle of Bakhamra between Alids and Abbasids near Kufa, the Alid rebellion ends with the death of Ibrahim, brother of Isa ibn Musa
In 1535 – Following the Affair of the Placards, the French king leads an anti-Protestant procession through Paris.
In 1720 – Sweden and Prussia sign the Treaty of Stockholm.
In 1774 – Abdul Hamid I becomes Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and Caliph of Islam.
In 1789 – The first American novel, The Power of Sympathy or the Triumph of Nature Founded in Truth by William Hill Brown, is printed in Boston.
In 1793 – After being found guilty of treason by the French National Convention, Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine.
In 1854 – The RMS Tayleur sinks off Lambay Island on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Australia with great loss of life.
In 1861 – American Civil War: Jefferson Davis resigns from the United States Senate.

Relatively New Events On This Day

In 1908, New York City passes the Sullivan Ordinance, making it illegal for women to smoke in public, only to have the measure vetoed by the mayor.
In 1911, The first Monte Carlo Rally takes place.
In 1913, Aristide Briand forms French government for the second time.
In 1915, Kiwanis International is founded in Detroit.
In 1919, A revolutionary Irish parliament is founded and declares the independence of the Irish Republic. One of the first engagements of the Irish War of Independence takes place.
In 1921, British crime writer Agatha Christie publishes her first novel “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” introducing the character Hercule Poiro.
In 1921, Italian Communist Party founded at Livorno by Amadeo Bordiga and Antonio Gramsci.
In 1924, Vladimir Lenin’s Testament is handed over to the Communist Party; it calls for changes to the Soviet governing structure and criticizes Joseph Stalin, Leon Trotsky and other members
In 1925, Albanian parliament announces itself a republic; Ahmed Zogoe president
In 1932, Finland and the Soviet Union sign a non-aggression treaty.
In 1939, George Kaufman and Moss Hart’s “American Way” premieres in NYC
In 1941, 1st anti-Jewish measures in Bulgaria.
In 1942, The Jewish resistance organization, Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye, based in the Vilna Ghetto was established.
In 1942, Tito’s partisans occupy Foca
In 1944, 447 German bombers attack London
In 1944, Chi649 British bombers attack Magdeburg.
In 1948, Three of the greats of cricket make their debut in a drawn 1st Test match at Bridgetown, Barbados; Sir Clyde Walcott and Sir Everton Weekes for the West Indies, and Jim Laker for England.
In 1951, The catastrophic eruption of Mount Lamington in Papua New Guinea claims 2,942 lives.
In 1952, Twenty minutes after Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States of America, Iran releases 52 American hostages.Jawaharlal Nehru’s Congress party wins general election in India.
In 1954, USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine, launched on the Thames River in Connecticut.
In 1968, US B-52 bomber with nuclear bomb on board crashes in Greenland. One of the four bombs remains unaccounted for after the cleanup operation is complete.
In 2004, NASA’s MER-A (the Mars Rover Spirit) ceases communication with mission control. The problem lies in the management of its flash memory and is fixed remotely from Earth on February 6.
In 2008, Black Monday in worldwide stock markets. FTSE 100 had its biggest ever one-day points fall, European stocks closed with their worst result since 9/11, and Asian stocks drop as much as 15%.
In 2008, The Eyak language in Alaska becomes extinct as its last native speaker dies.
In 2017, More than 2 million people protest worldwide in the ‘Women’s March’ against Donald Trump, with 500,000 marching in Washington, D.C.
In 2017, Rocket Lab’s Electron becomes the first rocket to reach orbit using an electric pump-fed engine and deploys three CubeSats.
In 2020, World’s oldest asteroid impact at 2.2 billion years old found in Yarrabubba, Western Australia, may have ended an ice age, reported in “Nature Communications”.

Sports Events On This Day

In 1920 14th Davis Cup: Australasia beats Great Britain in Sydney (4-1)
In 1990 John McEnroe becomes 1st ever player to be expelled from the Australian Open.
In 2010 LA Lakers forward Kobe Bryant becomes the youngest NBA player to reach 25,000 career points at 31 years, 151 days; beats Wilt Chamberlain by 35 days.

Water Sort Puzzle – Brain Game

Art and Culture Events – What Happened on 21st January

In 1903 Magician and Escape Artist Harry Houdini escapes from Halvemaansteeg police station in Amsterdam.
In 1951 T.S. Eliot’s acclaimed play “The Cocktail Party” premiered in New York City.
In 1982 Chinese martial artist and actor Jet Li made his film debut in the film Shaolin Temple, which was the first Hong Kong film shot in China.
In 1996 53rd Golden Globes: “Sense and Sensibility”, Nicolas Cage, & Sharon Stone win.

Famous Birthdays On 21st January

Sr No	Birth Year	Personality
1	1824	Stonewall Jackson, American general
2	1905	Christian Dior, French fashion designer, founded S.A.
3	1940	Jack Nicklaus, American golfer
4	1941	Plácido Domingo, Spanish tenor, conductor
5	1963	Hakeem Olajuwon, Nigerian/American basketball player

Notable Deaths On 21st January

Sr No	Death Year	Personality
1	1683	Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, English politician
2	1924	Vladimir Lenin, Russian politician
3	1938	Georges Méliès, French director
4	1950	George Orwell, English author
5	1997	Colonel Tom Parker, Dutch/American talent manager