Osun Defender History Corner: March 21 In Focus

Today, on the history corner, we take a trip in the realm of flashbacks and recall some events that marked this day.

March 21, 630

Byzantine Emperor Heraclius returns the True Cross, one of the holiest Christian relics, to Jerusalem.

March 21, 1556

Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer is burned at the stake for heresy under Queen Mary I of England.

March 21, 1801

The Battle of Alexandria is fought between British and French forces during the French campaign in Egypt and Syria.

March 21, 1844

The original date predicted by William Miller for the return of Christ in the Millerite movement, known as the Great Disappointment.

March 21, 1871

Otto von Bismarck is appointed Chancellor of the German Empire.

March 21, 1919

The Hungarian Soviet Republic is established in Budapest, Hungary.

March 21, 1935

Shah Reza Pahlavi formally asks the international community to call Persia by its native name, Iran, meaning “Land of the Aryans.”

March 21, 1945

World War II: British troops liberate Mandalay, Burma, from Japanese occupation.

March 21, 1963

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San Francisco Bay closes.

March 21, 1965

Civil rights activists led by Martin Luther King Jr. successfully complete the Selma to Montgomery marches in Alabama.

March 21, 1970

The first Earth Day proclamation is issued by San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto.

March 21, 1980

US President Jimmy Carter announces a boycott of the Moscow Olympics in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

March 21, 1990

Namibia becomes independent after 75 years of South African rule.

March 21, 2006

The social media platform Twitter is founded.

March 21, 2010

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is signed into law by US President Barack Obama.

March 21, 2014

A mudslide in Oso, Washington, kills 43 people.

March 21, 2017

The United Nations’ International Day of Forests is observed worldwide to raise awareness of the importance of forests and trees.

March 21, 2018

Four explosions, believed to be the work of a serial bomber, occur in Austin, Texas, killing two people and injuring five others.

March 21, 2019

Special Counsel Robert Mueller submits his report on Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections to Attorney General William Barr.

March 21, 2021

The United Nations observes the International Day of Nowruz, celebrating the arrival of spring and the New Year in various cultures.

Please note that these are just a few historical events that happened on March 21. History is full of numerous other significant events on this day, ranging from politics and warfare to cultural and scientific milestones.