Bangladesh Air Force
A Bangladesh Air Force Chengdu FT-7BGI crashes shortly after takeoff into Milestone School campus in Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing 35 people and injuring 173.
What happened on July 21
37 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 230 to 2025.
Standout on July 21
2024
Joe Biden
U.S. President Joe Biden announces he will no longer seek a second term and withdraws from the 2024 election, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as she launches her own presidential campaign.
About July 21
July 21 is the 202nd day of the year. These facts are computed from the calendar, not copied from anywhere.
- Day of the year
- Day 202 of 365 (203 in leap years)163 days left in the year (163 in leap years)
- Falls on
- Tuesday in 2026, Wednesday in 2027, Friday in 2028, Saturday in 2029, Sunday in 2030
- Week
- ISO week 30 of 2026 · Q3
- Zodiac sign
- ♋ Cancer (June 21 – July 22)Cusp date — the exact boundary shifts by a day in some years.
- Season
- Summer in the north · Winter in the south
- July birthstone
- Rubypassion, vitality and protection
- July birth flower
- Larkspur / Water lilypositivity, grace and an open heart
- Next occurrence
- In 267 days
- Roman numerals
- XXI.VIIday.month — see the Roman numeral date tool
Anniversaries in 2026
- 80th1946 La Paz riots1946
- 50thChristopher Ewart-Biggs1976
- 30thMikael Ingebrigtsen1996
- 25thAkashi, Hyōgo2001
- 20thEndrick2006
- 10thDennis Green2016
- 1stBangladesh Air Force2025
- 1stPau Alsina2025
July 21 through the years
- 10 years ago2016
- Dennis Green
- 25 years ago2001
- Akashi, Hyōgo
- 50 years ago1976
- Christopher Ewart-Biggs
- 100 years ago1926
- Nothing recorded
- 200 years ago1826
- Nothing recorded
Born on July 21 — ages this year
- 2006Endrickturns 20
- 2005Bub Carringtonturns 21
- 2000Lia (South Korean singer)turns 26
- 2000Erling Haalandturns 26
- 1999Evan McPhersonturns 27
- 1998Marie Bouzkováturns 28
Historical events 37
A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Joe Biden
U.S. President Joe Biden announces he will no longer seek a second term and withdraws from the 2024 election, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as she launches her own presidential campaign.
Barbenheimer
The Barbenheimer phenomenon begins as two major motion pictures, Greta Gerwig's fantasy comedy Barbie and Christopher Nolan's epic biographical thriller Oppenheimer, are released in theaters on the same day and audiences, instead of creating a rivalry between the extremely dissimilar films, instead attend and praise both as an informal, surreal double feature.
2019 Yuen Long attack
Yuen Long attack or "721 incident" in Hong Kong. Triad members indiscriminately beat civilians returning from protests while police failed to take action.
2019–2020 Hong Kong protests
People returning from anti–extradition bill protests in Hong Kong were attacked (pictured) by suspected triad members in Yuen Long, leaving 45 people injured.
2013 Iranian diplomat kidnapping
Nour Ahmad Nikbakht, an Iranian diplomat in Yemen, was kidnapped by al-Qaeda militants and held hostage for the next two years.
Erden Eruç
Erden Eruç completes the first solo human-powered circumnavigation of the world.
NASA
NASA's Space Shuttle program ends with the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-135 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
Barack Obama
U.S. President Barack Obama signs the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Ram Baran Yadav
Ram Baran Yadav is declared the first President of Nepal.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the popular Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, was released and sold 15 million copies in its first 24 hours, making it the fastest-selling book in history.
21 July 2005 London attempted bombings
Four attempted bomb attacks by Islamist extremists disrupt part of London's public transport system.
Akashi, Hyōgo
At the conclusion of a fireworks display on Okura Beach in Akashi, Hyōgo, Japan, 11 people are killed and more than 120 are injured when a pedestrian footbridge connecting the beach to JR Asagiri Station becomes overcrowded and people leaving the event fall down in a domino effect.
Third Taiwan Strait Crisis
Third Taiwan Strait Crisis: The People's Liberation Army begins firing missiles into the waters north of Taiwan.
Republic of China Military Police
Taiwan's military police forces mainland Chinese illegal immigrants into sealed holds of a fishing boat Min Ping Yu No. 5540 for repatriation to Fujian, causing 25 people to die from suffocation.
Republic of China Armed Forces
The Taiwanese military ordered the deportation of dozens of illegal immigrants from mainland China in sealed boat holds, causing 25 deaths due to suffocation.
Lowest temperature recorded on Earth
The world's lowest temperature in an inhabited location is recorded at Vostok Station, Antarctica at −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F).
Jay Silverheels
Jay Silverheels, a Mohawk actor, becomes the first Native American to have a star commemorated in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Sallum
Libyan forces carried out a raid at Sallum, sparking a four-day war with Egypt.
Egyptian–Libyan War
The start of the four-day-long Libyan–Egyptian War.
Christopher Ewart-Biggs
Christopher Ewart-Biggs, the British ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, is assassinated by the Provisional IRA.
Lillehammer affair
In Lillehammer, Norway, Mossad agents kill a waiter whom they mistakenly thought was involved in the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre.
The Troubles
The Troubles: The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated twenty-two bombs throughout Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Aswan High Dam
After 11 years of construction, the Aswan High Dam in Egypt is completed.
Apollo program
Apollo program: At 02:56 UTC, astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to walk on the Moon, followed 19 minutes later by Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin.
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Bandaranaike (pictured) was sworn in as prime minister of Ceylon, becoming the world's first democratically elected female head of government.
International Mathematical Olympiad
The inaugural International Mathematical Olympiad, the leading mathematical competition for pre-university students, began in Romania.
1952 Kern County earthquake
An earthquake registering 7.3 Mw struck the southern San Joaquin Valley in California, causing 12 deaths and an estimated $60 million in property damage.
1946 La Paz riots
After weeks of unrest, rioters lynched Bolivian president Gualberto Villarroel, desecrating and hanging his corpse in the streets of La Paz.
John T. Scopes
American high-school biology teacher John T. Scopes was found guilty of violating Tennessee's Butler Act which forbade teaching evolution in class.
World War I
World War I: An Imperial German Navy U-boat opened fire on a small convoy of barges and defending aircraft near the American town of Orleans, Massachusetts.
Pittsburgh
Much of central Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was burned and looted during the Great Railroad Strike of 1877.
Ciompi Revolt
Unrepresented labourers revolted and violently took over the government of the Republic of Florence (depicted), demanding that they be granted political office.
Louis the Blind
Louis III, Holy Roman Emperor, was captured and blinded during his attempt to restore Carolingian power over Italy by King Berengar I.
Paulinus of York
Paulinus was consecrated as the first bishop of York by Justus, the archbishop of Canterbury.
AD 365
A large earthquake occurred near Crete, triggering a tsunami, and causing widespread destruction around the eastern Mediterranean region.
Pope Pontian
Pope Pontian began his pontificate, succeeding Urban I.
Births 20
A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
Deaths 20
A notable person who died on this day.
E. L. Doctorow
E. L. Doctorow, American novelist, short story writer, and playwright (born 1931)
Louise Abeita
Louise Abeita, Isleta Pueblo (Native American) writer, poet, and educator (born 1926)
Kevin Skinner (rugby union)
Kevin Skinner, New Zealand rugby player and boxer (born 1927)
Holidays & observances 8
A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
Lawrence of Brindisi
Christian feast day: Lawrence of Brindisi
Carlos Duarte Costa
Christian feast day: Carlos of Brazil (Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church)
Albert Luthuli
Christian feast day: Albert John Luthuli (Episcopal Church)
Barhadbshabba
Christian feast day: Barhadbesciabas
Saint Arbogast
Christian feast day: Arbogast
Alberic Crescitelli
Christian feast day: Alberic Crescitelli
Praxedes
Christian feast day: Praxedes
Daniel (biblical figure)
Christian feast day: Daniel (Catholic Church)
Spread across the centuries
- 3rd century1
- 4th century1
- 7th century1
- 10th century1
- 14th century1
- 19th century1
- 20th century36
- 21st century35
Earliest: Pope Pontian (230). Most recent: Bangladesh Air Force (2025).
What the categories mean, and how the standout is chosen
- Historical events
- A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
- Births
- A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
- Deaths
- A notable person who died on this day.
- Milestones
- A first, a founding or a turning point our editors flagged as a landmark moment.
- Holidays & observances
- A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
- Standout / notable
- Editor-written entries come first, then entries covered by the most Wikipedia language editions. For the standout tile we prefer an entry that has a picture.
Nearby and related
Questions about July 21
What day of the year is July 21?
July 21 is the 202nd day of the year, with 163 days left after it.
What star sign is July 21?
July 21 falls under Cancer (June 21 – July 22), a water sign ruled by Moon. The birthstone for the month is Ruby.
How many things happened on July 21?
We record 85 entries for July 21: 37 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 230 to 2025.
Who was born on July 21?
Endrick (2006) is among the notable births on July 21. The births section lists the rest.
How often is the July 21 page updated?
The day is filled the first time anyone opens it and then re-checked for new entries about every 90 days. Computed facts such as the weekday and the anniversaries update every year.
Get a daily entry like July 21
One short email a day from this calendar. Kept for this site only.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.