Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on August 21st?

The Louvre announces the theft of the Mona Lisa. painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1507. It was recovered two years later in Italy on December 1913. More

Hawaii is admitted to the union becoming the 50th State.

Filipino opposition leader Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., was assassinated at the Manila airport while leaving his plane. Public outcry ultimately led to the collapse of the government of Ferdinand E. Marcos and the inauguration of Corazon C. Aquino, widow of the slain man, as president.

A total solar eclipse, visible across a large portion of the United States, captivates millions of people.