Today in History for 21st July 2026

Historical Events

1960 - Sirimavo Bandaranaike becomes the world's first female elected head of government, as Prime Minister of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
1972 - Bloody Friday: within the space of 75 minutes, the Provisional Irish Republican Army explode twenty-two bombs in Belfast; six civilians, two British Army soldiers and one UDA volunteer were killed, 130 injured
1976 - 9th San Diego Comic-Con International opens at El Cortez Hotel
1976 - Christopher Ewart-Biggs, British Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, and his secretary Judith Cook are assassinated by a bomb planted by the Provisional IRA in his car in Dublin
1977 - Sanjiva Reddy is elected sixth President of India unopposed

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1895 - H G "Nummy" Deane, South African cricket batsman (17 Tests [12 as captain], 3 x 50; Natal, Transvaal), born in Eshowe, South Africa (d. 1939)
1926 - Queenie Watts [Mary Spenton], British singer and actress (Up the Junction, Holiday on the Buses), born in London, England (d. 1980)
1935 - Julian Pettifer, English TV journalist, born in Malmesbury, Wiltshire
1947 - Jimmy Duncan, American politician (Rep-R-Tennessee 1988-2019), born in Lebanon, Tennessee
1963 - Giant Silva [Paulo Silva], Brazilian mixed martial artist and 7ft 2in professional wrestler, born in São Paulo, Brazil

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1880 - Hiram Walden, American politician, dies at 79
1979 - Ludwig Renn, German writer, dies at 90
1986 - Virginia Hewitt, American actress (Carol-Space Patrol), dies of cancer at 60
1995 - Edwin "Russell" House, American saxophonist, dies at 65
2010 - Luis Corvalán, Chilean communist leader (b. 1916)

More Famous Deaths »

from Today in History | OnThisDay.com https://ift.tt/R9VESrC
https://ift.tt/7X3aOwM
July 21, 2026 at 09:32AM
https://ift.tt/f6EQsiH