# On this day: December 21

December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years), with 10 days left until the end of the year.

## December 21 in one line

Headline entries for December 21, from Wikipedia: in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length cel-animated feature in film history, premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles; born 1977: Emmanuel Macron, French politician, 25th President of France; died 1375: Giovanni Boccaccio, Italian author and poet (born 1313). In 2026 it is a Monday, in 2027 a Tuesday.

## Events on December 21

- 69 The Roman Senate declares Vespasian emperor of Rome, the last in the Year of the Four Emperors. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_of_the_Four_Emperors)
- 1124 Lamberto Scannabecchi was elected pope, taking the name Honorius II. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1124_papal_election)
- 1620 The Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower landed at present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, to establish the Plymouth Colony. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Colony)
- 1826 Settlers from the United States in Mexican Texas made the first attempt to secede from Mexico, establishing the short-lived Republic of Fredonia. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredonian_Rebellion)
- 1844 The Rochdale Pioneers opened their store in Rochdale, England, forming the basis for the modern co-operative movement. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochdale_Society_of_Equitable_Pioneers)
- 1861 Medal of Honor: Public Resolution 82, containing a provision for a Navy Medal of Valor, is signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln)
- 1872 HMS Challenger departed Portsmouth on a scientific expedition that laid the foundations of oceanography. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Challenger_(1858))
- 1879 the fictional character of Nora Helmer is first portrayed by Betty Hennings at a showing of A Doll's House at the Royal Danish Theatre. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Doll's_House)
- 1907 The Chilean Army commits a massacre of at least 2,000 striking saltpeter miners in Iquique, Chile. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Mar%C3%ADa_School_massacre)
- 1911 Moscow's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was consecrated. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_the_Immaculate_Conception_(Moscow))
- 1919 After serving two years in prison for encouraging people to resist military conscription, anarchist Emma Goldman was deported from the United States to Russia. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Goldman)
- 1923 Nepal and the United Kingdom signed the first treaty that defined the international status of Nepal as an independent and a sovereign nation. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal%E2%80%93Britain_Treaty_of_1923)
- 1934 Lieutenant Kijé, the first film composition by Sergei Prokofiev, premiered. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_Kij%C3%A9_(Prokofiev))
- 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length cel-animated feature in film history, premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_(film))
- 1963 An attempt by Greek Cypriot police to search certain Turkish Cypriot women in Nicosia escalated into island-wide violence, leading to 538 deaths and the displacement of nearly 27,000 people. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Christmas_(1963))
- 1965 The United Nations adopted the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which 88 member states have since signed. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Convention_on_the_Elimination_of_All_Forms_of_Racial_Discrimination)
- 1968 Apollo 8 launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a trajectory to the Moon; its crew became the first humans to visit another celestial body. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_8)
- 1988 The world's heaviest aircraft, the Antonov An-225 Mriya, made its first flight. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-225_Mriya)
- 1988 A bomb on board Pan Am Flight 103 detonated over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_Flight_103)
- 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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Independent_States)
- 1992 A Dutch DC-10, flight Martinair MP 495, crashes at Faro Airport, Portugal, killing 56. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinair_Flight_495)
- 1994 Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano, dormant for 47 years, began erupting, and is now one of the nation's most active volcanoes. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popocat%C3%A9petl)
- 1995 In accordance with the Oslo II Accord, Israeli troops withdrew from Bethlehem in preparation for the transfer of control to the Palestinian National Authority. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo_II_Accord)
- 2012 Countries that were part of the Maya civilization celebrated the end-date of a 5,126-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon)
- 2018 Operatives of the British Special Boat Service boarded the container ship Grande Tema in the Thames Estuary to detain four stowaways who had threatened the crew. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_Tema_incident)
- 2023 Fourteen people are killed and 25 others injured during a mass shooting at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Prague_shootings)

## Born on December 21

- 1401 Masaccio, Italian painter (died 1428) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaccio)
- 1795 Leopold von Ranke, German historian, author, and academic (died 1886) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_von_Ranke)
- 1804 Benjamin Disraeli, English lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died 1881) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Disraeli)
- 1890 Hermann Joseph Muller, American geneticist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1967) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_Joseph_Muller)
- 1892 Rebecca West, English journalist and author (died 1983) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_West)
- 1896 Konstantin Rokossovsky, Marshal of the Soviet Union during World War II (died 1968) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konstantin_Rokossovsky)
- 1917 Heinrich Böll, German novelist and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1985) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_B%C3%B6ll)
- 1918 Kurt Waldheim, Austrian colonel and politician; 9th President of Austria (died 2007) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Waldheim)
- 1937 Jane Fonda, American actress and activist [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Fonda)
- 1940 Frank Zappa, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer and producer (died 1993) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zappa)
- 1942 Hu Jintao, Chinese engineer and politician, 5th Paramount leader of China [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hu_Jintao)
- 1947 Paco de Lucía, Spanish guitarist, songwriter, and producer (died 2014) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paco_de_Luc%C3%ADa)
- 1948 Samuel L. Jackson, American actor and producer [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_L._Jackson)
- 1949 Thomas Sankara, Burkinabé captain and politician, 5th President of Burkina Faso (died 1987) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Sankara)
- 1954 Chris Evert, American tennis player and coach [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Evert)
- 1959 Florence Griffith Joyner, American sprinter and actress (died 1998) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Griffith_Joyner)
- 1965 Andy Dick, American actor and comedian [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Dick)
- 1966 Kiefer Sutherland, British-Canadian actor, director, and producer [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiefer_Sutherland)
- 1966 William Ruto, 5th President of Kenya [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ruto)
- 1967 Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgian lawyer and politician, 3rd President of Georgia [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikheil_Saakashvili)
- 1969 Julie Delpy, French model, actress, director, and screenwriter [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Delpy)
- 1977 Emmanuel Macron, French politician, 25th President of France [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuel_Macron)

## Died on December 21

- 72 Thomas the Apostle, Roman martyr and saint (born 1 AD) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_the_Apostle)
- 1375 Giovanni Boccaccio, Italian author and poet (born 1313) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Boccaccio)
- 1549 Marguerite de Navarre, queen of Henry II of Navarre (born 1492) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marguerite_de_Navarre)
- 1935 Kurt Tucholsky, German-Swedish journalist and author (born 1890) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Tucholsky)
- 1937 Frank B. Kellogg, American lawyer and politician, 45th United States Secretary of State, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1856) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_B._Kellogg)
- 1940 F. Scott Fitzgerald, American novelist and short story writer (born 1896) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Scott_Fitzgerald)
- 1945 George S. Patton, American general (born 1885) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_S._Patton)
- 1958 Lion Feuchtwanger, German-American author and playwright (born 1884) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Feuchtwanger)
- 1968 Vittorio Pozzo, Italian footballer, coach, and manager (born 1886) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vittorio_Pozzo)
- 1988 Nikolaas Tinbergen, Dutch-English ethologist and ornithologist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1907) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaas_Tinbergen)
- 2006 Saparmyrat Nyýazow, Turkmen engineer and politician, 1st President of Turkmenistan (born 1940) (date death announced) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saparmurat_Niyazov)
- 2009 Edwin G. Krebs, American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1918) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_G._Krebs)
- 2010 Enzo Bearzot, Italian footballer and manager (born 1927) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzo_Bearzot)
- 2014 Udo Jürgens, Austrian-Swiss singer-songwriter and pianist (born 1934) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udo_J%C3%BCrgens)

## Holidays and observances

- Armed Forces Day (Philippines) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Forces_Day)
- Christian feast day: O Oriens [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Antiphons)
- Christian feast day: Peter Canisius [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Canisius)
- Christian feast day: Thomas the Apostle [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_the_Apostle)
- Christian feast day: December 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_21_(Eastern_Orthodox_liturgics))
- Forefathers' Day (Plymouth, Massachusetts) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forefathers'_Day)
- São Tomé Day (São Tomé and Príncipe) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_S%C3%A3o_Tom%C3%A9_and_Pr%C3%ADncipe)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — “December 21”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_21) — events, births, deaths and observances (text under CC BY-SA 4.0) (checked 2026-10-15)
- [Wikipedia — “Selected anniversaries/December 21”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_21) — the anniversaries editors chose for the date and the article each one is about (checked 2026-10-15)
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/) — in how many language editions each entry's own article exists, used to fill the lists (CC0) (checked 2026-10-15)
- [vacanza/holidays (open-source holiday rules, MIT licence)](https://github.com/vacanza/holidays) — holiday rules used to build the lists (checked 2026-10-15)

The events, births, deaths and observances above are from the English Wikipedia article [“December 21”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_21) and the articles it links to ([authors and history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_21?action=history)), retrieved 2026-10-15 through the Wikimedia “On this day” feed. They are licensed under [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/); this selection is shared under the same licence. Every anniversary that Wikipedia's editors selected for December 21 stays on the list; the remaining places, up to 26 events, 22 births and 14 deaths, go to the entries whose own article — about the event itself, or else the person or thing it is about — appears in the most language editions (counted from Wikidata); an article about a person or thing, which covers far more than one day, counts half. An entry with no article of its own counts, also at half, by the least covered article it links, and one that links only places counts for nothing. Each list runs by year, and the wording is unchanged apart from removing references to pictures, audio and video.

## December 21 in the calendar

| Year | Weekday | ISO week | Moon (UTC) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026 | Monday | 2026-W52 | 🌔 Waxing Gibbous |
| 2027 | Tuesday | 2027-W51 | 🌘 Waning Crescent |
| 2028 | Thursday | 2028-W51 | 🌒 Waxing Crescent |
| 2029 | Friday | 2029-W51 | 🌖 Waning Gibbous |
| 2030 | Saturday | 2030-W51 | 🌘 Waning Crescent |

Moon phases are for the day in UTC; at the edges of a phase your local date can differ.

## Public holidays on December 21

None of the 28 countries we track has a public holiday on December 21 in 2026 or 2027.

[Today's holidays in 28 countries →](https://whathappen.today/holidays/)

## Nearby dates

[← December 20](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/december-20/) · [December 22 →](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/december-22/)

[All 366 days](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/)

Last updated: 15 October 2026

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Web page: https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/december-21/