Summary of the Day ✨ 21 May (21/05)
A devastating tornado struck rural Iowa, killing 5 and injuring 35 with record-breaking wind speeds exceeding 300 mph, while separately, mass transit attacks in Taiwan claimed 4 lives and injured 28 people. Across the globe, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus concluded its final performance, and a bus crash in Albania resulted in 13 fatalities and 21 injuries.
Historical Events 📜
- 2024: The Greenfield tornado kills 5 and injures 35 across rural Iowa, United States. Wind speeds in excess of 480 kilometres per hour (300 mph) are estimated from measurements for the third time in history.
- 2024: A stabbing spree on the Green line of the Taichung MRT injures four people, including the perpetrator.
- 2017: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performed their final show at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
- 2014: Random killings occurred on the Bannan Line of the Taipei MRT, killing four and injuring 24.
- 2012: A bus accident near Himara, Albania kills 13 people and injures 21 others.
- 2012: A suicide bombing kills more than 120 people in Sanaa, Yemen.
- 2011: Radio broadcaster Harold Camping predicted that the world would end on this date.
- 2010: JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, launches the solar-sail spacecraft IKAROS aboard an H-IIA rocket. The vessel would make a Venus flyby late in the year.
- 2006: The Republic of Montenegro holds a referendum proposing independence from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro; 55% of Montenegrins vote for independence.
- 2005: The tallest roller coaster in the world, Kingda Ka opens at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey.
- 2003: The 6.8 Mw Boumerdès earthquake shakes northern Algeria with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). More than 2,200 people were killed and a moderate tsunami sank boats at the Balearic Islands.
- 2001: French Taubira law is enacted, officially recognizing the Atlantic slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity.
- 2000: Nineteen people are killed in a plane crash in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
- 1998: In Miami, five abortion clinics are attacked by a butyric acid attacker.
- 1998: President Suharto of Indonesia resigns following the killing of students from Trisakti University earlier that week by security forces and growing mass protests in Jakarta against his ongoing corrupt rule.
Famous Births 👶
- 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
- 1993: Luke Garbutt, English footballer
- 1993: Matías Kranevitter, Argentine footballer
- 1993: Lynn Williams, American soccer player
- 1992: Hutch Dano, American actor
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2025: Gerry Connolly, American politician, U.S. Representative from Virginia’s 11th congressional district (born 1950)
- 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)
- 2015: Fred Gladding, American baseball player and coach (born 1936)
- 2015: Louis Johnson, American bass player and producer (born 1955)
- 2014: Tunku Annuar, Malaysian son of Badlishah of Kedah (born 1939)
- 2014: Johnny Gray, American baseball player (born 1926)
- 2014: Jaime Lusinchi, Venezuelan physician and politician, President of Venezuela (born 1924)
- 2014: Alireza Soleimani, Iranian wrestler (born 1956)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Afro-Colombian Day (Colombia)
- Christian feast day:
Arcangelo Tadini - 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:
Emperor Constantine I - 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) - 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)
- International Tea Day (International)