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Born on This Day: October 21

Discover the notable figures from history born on October 21st — from artists and inventors to leaders who shaped the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834)

English poet and critic whose imagination and literary theory helped define Romanticism.

Alfred Nobel (1833–1896)

Swedish inventor and philanthropist whose fortune established the Nobel Prizes.

Georg von Békésy (1899–1972)

Hungarian-American biophysicist whose research transformed understanding of hearing.

Dizzy Gillespie (1917–1993)

American trumpeter whose innovations helped create bebop and modern jazz.

Celia Cruz (1925–2003)

Cuban-American singer whose voice and recordings made her a defining figure in salsa music.

Ursula K. Le Guin (1929–2018)

American author whose speculative fiction transformed fantasy, science fiction, and social imagination.

Benjamin Netanyahu (b. 1949)

Israeli political leader whose long tenure has significantly shaped the country’s security, diplomacy, and domestic politics.

Carrie Fisher (1956–2016)

American actor and writer whose work influenced science-fiction culture and public discussion of mental health.

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