This Day in History on March 21st

A Brief History

This article presents a chronological list of notable events that happened on March 21st. For each date below, please click on the date to be taken to an article covering that date’s event.

Digging Deeper

On March 21, 630, Emperor Heraclius of the Byzantine Empire returned what he believed to be the “True Cross” (the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified) to Jerusalem to its current place in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre.

On March 21, 1800, Pius VII was crowned Pope of the Roman Catholic Church in Venice, Italy.

On March 21, 1801, French forces fought the British outside of Alexandria, Egypt in one of the many epic battles that have taken place at Alexandria over the centuries.

On March 21, 1804, the Code Napoleon became the law of France, and went on to influence legal reforms in many other countries.

On March 21, 1871, New York Herald journalist Henry Morton Stanley set off on his famous African expedition to find missionary and explorer David Livingstone who had not been heard from in years.

On March 21, 1952, disc jockey Alan Freed (inventor of the term “rock and roll”) and record store owner Leo Mintz staged the first rock concert in Cleveland, Ohio!

On March 21, 1986, Debra Janine Thomas made athletic history by becoming the first African American woman to take the Gold Medal at the World Figure Skating Championships.

The United States Senate approved the observance of a National Rosie the Riveter Day on March 21 in 2017.

Question for students (and subscribers): Which event that occurred on today’s date would you like to learn more about? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.

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