1553
Politics
First Act of Repeal restores pre-Edwardian religious settlement
Parliament passed the First Act of Repeal, restoring religious practices to pre-Edwardian form.
View detailsThis Day
21October
26 indexed achievements across recorded history.
1890
Medicine
Patent granted for combined clothes and dishwashing machine
U.S. Patent No. 426,486 was granted to Wilcox for a combined clothes and dishwashing machine.
View details1904
Exploration
Death of Isabelle Eberhardt
Isabelle Eberhardt died on October 21, 1904, in Aïn Sefra, Algeria.
View details1911
Arts
Birth of Mary Blair
Birth of Mary Browne Robinson (Mary Blair) in McAlester, Oklahoma, future Disney concept artist and designer.
View details1916
Science
Press reports Brownsville clinic as first open birth control clinic
By October 21, 1916, newspapers described Sanger's Brownsville operation as the first out-and-out birth control clinic in the U.S.
View details1921
Science
Birth of Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld
Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld was born on October 21, 1921.
View details1924
Sports
Birth of LaVonne "Pepper" Paire
LaVonne "Pepper" Paire was born on October 21, 1924, in Los Angeles, California.
View details1925
Activism
Birth of Dedé Mirabal
Birth of Bélgica Adela "Dedé" Mirabal Reyes in Salcedo, Dominican Republic.
View details1928
Science
Birth of Margaret G. Kivelson
Birth of Margaret G. Kivelson in New York City, USA.
View details1929
Literature
Born in Berkeley, California
Ursula Kroeber Le Guin was born in Berkeley, California, to anthropologist Alfred L. Kroeber and writer Theodora Kroeber.
View details1938
Arts
First Black woman to front a white big band with Artie Shaw
Becomes the first Black woman to front a white big band as featured singer with Artie Shaw’s Orchestra.
View details1940
Politics
Birth of Marita Petersen in Vágur
Born in Vágur, Faroe Islands, Marita Petersen would become the first female Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands and a landmark figure in Faroese politics.
View details1942
Arts
Wins Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater
Vaughan won first prize at the Apollo Theater's Amateur Night, launching her professional career.
View details1946
Arts
Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman launches stardom
Pearl Bailey made her Broadway debut in 'St. Louis Woman,' winning a Donaldson Award for Best Newcomer and launching her stage career.
View details1969
Arts
"Wrapped Coast" opens at Little Bay, Sydney
Their monumental work wrapping a mile of Australian coastline in fabric officially opened, one of the earliest and largest landscape-scale art interventions ever attempted.
View details1976
Science
Inspiration for Illusion Transmitter
Observes concave-mirror demonstration on Oct 21, 1976, inspiring her invention of the Illusion Transmitter.
View details1979
Sports
Fraudulent qualifying time in NYC Marathon 1979
Ruiz qualified for the 1980 Boston Marathon using a dishonest time in the 1979 NYC Marathon.
View details1980
Science
U.S. Patent granted for Illusion Transmitter
Granted U.S. Patent 4,229,761 for the Illusion Transmitter on Oct 21, 1980.
View details1994
Science
Kilby International Award awarded
Kwolek received the Kilby International Award for her work in polymer science.
View details2005
Arts
Rolf Schock Prize in Visual Arts
Sejima and Nishizawa were awarded the Rolf Schock Prize in Visual Arts by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
View details2005
Arts
Unveiling of 'Battle of London' sculpture
The 'Battle of London' sculpture was unveiled at the October Gallery, focusing on global political themes.
View details2009
Arts
Praemium Imperiale in Architecture awarded to Zaha Hadid
On October 21, 2009, Zaha Hadid was awarded the Praemium Imperiale in Architecture.
View details2011
Science
Awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation
Arnold received the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation for her work in directed evolution and green chemistry.
View details2011
Arts
Mary Blair Google Doodle tribute
Google honors Mary Blair with a centennial Google Doodle, boosting public awareness of her influence on Disney art.
View details2011
Activism
Per Anger Prize award ceremony
Narges Mohammadi received the Per Anger Prize in Sweden on October 21, 2011, for her human rights efforts.
View details2018
Science
Donation of Breakthrough Prize funds to establish scholarship fund
Announced donation of Breakthrough Prize funds to PhD scholarships.
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