April 21

Thursday 21, 2005:

John Negroponte becomes the first United States Director of National Intelligence.

Thursday 21, 1994:

The first discoveries of extrasolar planets are announced by astronomer Alexander Wolszczan.

Tuesday 21, 1992:

U.S. death penalty: After 13 years on death row, convicted murderer Robert Alton Harris is executed in California's gas chamber.

Friday 21, 1989:

Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989: In Beijing, around 100,000 students gather in Tiananmen Square to commemorate the late Chinese reform leader Hu Yaobang.

Monday 21, 1986:

Geraldo Rivera opens Al Capone's vault on live television and finds nothing.

Sunday 21, 1985:

Ayrton Senna wins the first of 41 Formula One championship races at the Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril.

Monday 21, 1975:

Vietnam War: President of South Vietnam Nguyen Van Thieu flees Saigon, as Xuan Loc, the last South Vietnamese outpost blocking a direct North Vietnamese assault on Saigon, falls.

Friday 21, 1967:

A few days before the general election in Greece, Colonel George Papadopoulos leads a coup d'état, establishing a military regime that lasts for seven years.

Thursday 21, 1966:

Rastafari movement: Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visits Jamaica, an event now celebrated as Grounation Day.

Wednesday 21, 1965:

The 1964-1965 New York World's Fair opens for its second and final season.

Thursday 21, 1960:

Founding of the Orthodox Baha'i faith in Washington, DC.

Saturday 21, 1956:

Elvis Presley's song "Heartbreak Hotel" becomes the "King's" first song to reach the top of the Cash Box magazine http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/randypny/cashbox/1956.html music charts.

Thursday 21, 1955:

Bob Hope's radio program airs its last segment.

Monday 21, 1952:

Secretaries Day (now Administrative Professionals' Day) is first celebrated.

Saturday 21, 1945:

World War II: Soviet Union forces south of Berlin at Zossen attack the German High Command headquarters.

Friday 21, 1944:

Women in France receive the right to vote.

Monday 21, 1930:

A fire at a Columbus, Ohio, USA, penitentiary kills 320 people.

Sunday 21, 1918:

World War I: German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, known as "The Red Baron," is shot down and killed by Allied fire over Vaux sur Somme in France.

Sunday 21, 1912:

The New York Giants and New York Yankees play an exhibition game to benefit survivors of the RMS Titanic.

Thursday 21, 1898:

Spanish-American War: The U.S. Congress, on April 25, recognizes that a state of war exists between the United States and Spain as of this date.

Saturday 21, 1894:

Norway formally adopts the Krag-Jørgensen rifle as the main arm of its armed forces, a weapon that would remain in service for almost 50 years.

Tuesday 21, 1863:

Quantrill's Raiders launch a reprisal raid Lawrence, Kansas in the Battle of Lawrence, killing a number of civilians.

Thursday 21, 1836:

Texas Revolution: Battle of San Jacinto – Republic of Texas forces under Sam Houston defeat troops under Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna.

Saturday 21, 1792:

Tiradentes, a revolutionary who was leading a movement for Brazil's independence, is hanged.

Sunday 21, -753:

Romulus founds Rome (traditional).

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