Nicosia, Cyprus. The following are some of the major events that occurred on April 21, spanning literature, war, political change, public protests, and notable deaths.
Literature
In 1910, American novelist Mark Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, died. His works “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” were drawn from his boyhood experiences.
World War One
In 1918, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, Germany’s top aviator in World War One, was killed in action. Known as “The Red Baron”, he shot down 80 enemy aircraft.
Government and political change
In 1960, Brasilia became Brazil’s new capital.
In 1967, a military coup in Athens established the regime of the “Greek Colonels”.
Deaths and leadership
In 1971, Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier, president of Haiti since 1957, died. He ran the country as a dictatorship and created a gangster militia known as the Tontons Macoutes.
Public protests
In 1989, tens of thousands of students and workers gathered in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in defiance of official warnings against anti-government protests.
In 2002, thousands protested after far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen achieved a shock success in the first round of the French presidential election.
Music
In 2003, American singer Nina Simone died aged 70. Her smoky tones gave voice to the American civil rights movement and her repertoire ranged from gospel to George Gershwin.
Israel
In 2004, nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu was freed after 18 years in an Israeli jail, saying he was proud to have revealed secrets exposing the Jewish state as an atomic power.
Which of these April 21 events do you want to learn more about?
