December 21 in History
December 21 is the birthday of Cooper Flagg (2006) and the anniversary of the death of Michelle Botes (2024). Below are famous birthdays, deaths, events for December 21, plus editor's picks and genealogy records.
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Minamoto no Yorinobu, Japanese samurai was born in 968, while Thomas the Apostle, Roman martyr and saint died in AD 72.
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Famous people born on December 21
Famous people who died on December 21
2013
John Eisenhower (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
United States Army general, military historian, diplomat (1922–2013)
1965
Claude Champagne (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
French Canadian composer, teacher, pianist and violinist (1891–1965)
What happened on December 21
- 2023
Fourteen people are killed and 25 others injured during a mass shooting at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2022
A Vega C rocket carrying two Pléiades Neo satellites fails after liftoff.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2020
A great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurs, with the two planets separated in the sky by 0.1 degrees. This is the closest conjunction between the two planets since 1623.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2012
2012 phenomenon: Festivities are held in parts of Mesoamerica to commemorate the conclusion of b'ak'tun 13, a roughly 5,126-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar whose passing many New Age spiritualists had earlier held to portend a variety of cataclysmic or transformative events.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2004
Iraq War: A suicide bomber kills 22 at the forward operating base next to the main U.S. military airfield at Mosul, Iraq, the single deadliest suicide attack on American soldiers in Iraq.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1999
The Spanish Civil Guard intercepts a van loaded with 950 kg of explosives that ETA intended to use to blow up Torre Picasso in Madrid, Spain.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1999
Cubana de Aviación Flight 1216 overshoots the runway at La Aurora International Airport, killing 18.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1995
The city of Bethlehem passes from Israeli to Palestinian control.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1992
A Dutch DC-10, flight Martinair MP 495, crashes at Faro Airport, Portugal, killing 56.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1991
Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The leaders of 11 now effectively autonomous Soviet republics sign the Alma-Ata Protocol establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States in place of the collapsing Soviet Union.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1988
A bomb explodes on board Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, killing 270. This is to date the deadliest air disaster to occur on British soil.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1979
Lancaster House Agreement: An independence agreement for Rhodesia is signed in London by Lord Carrington, Sir Ian Gilmour, Robert Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo, Bishop Abel Muzorewa and S.C. Mundawarara.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1973
The Geneva Conference on the Arab–Israeli conflict opens.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1968
Apollo program: Apollo 8 is launched from the Kennedy Space Center, placing its crew on a lunar trajectory for the first visit to another celestial body by humans.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1967
Louis Washkansky, the first man to undergo a human-to-human heart transplant, dies in Cape Town, South Africa, having lived for 18 days after the transplant.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab)
Births, deaths and events from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab).
Editor's picks
Born on December 21
- 968 — Minamoto no Yorinobu, Japanese samurai (died 1048)
- 1401 — Masaccio, Italian painter (died 1428)
- 1468 — William Conyers, 1st Baron Conyers, English baron (died 1524)
Died on December 21
- AD 72 — Thomas the Apostle, Roman martyr and saint (born 1 AD)
- 882 — Hincmar, French archbishop and historian (born 806)
- 956 — Sun Sheng, Chinese chancellor
Source: Wikipedia historical listings for December 21
Quick answers
Who was born on December 21? Cooper Flagg (2006), Clara Tauson (2002), Madelyn Cline (1997).
Who died on December 21? Michelle Botes (2024), Art Evans (actor) (2024), Andrew Clennel Palmer (2019).
Explore genealogy records
Researching someone born in December? Search birth records
Live genealogy events
This calendar is live and has its own date controls; it is separate from the December 21 historical article above.
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