Discover what happened on July 21 in history as remarkable achievements, historic milestones, technological advances, and unforgettable moments helped shape the world we know today.
What Happened on July 21 in History?
Important events on this day include Willis Carrier inventing the modern air conditioner, Apollo 11 lifting off from the Moon to begin its journey home, NASA concluding the Space Shuttle program with the landing of Atlantis, and Jesse James carrying out his first train robbery.
JULY 21 – TODAY IN HISTORY:
1873 – Jesse James & the James Gang staged their first train robbery, the Rock Island Express, near Adair, IA. It was reported they stole $6,000, but a gang insider said it was $65,000.
1902 – Willis Carrier designed the first modern air conditioning system in Buffalo, NY.
1930 – The Veterans Administration of the United States was established.
1959 – A U.S. District Court judge in New York, NY ruled that “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” was not a dirty book.
1961 – Captain Virgil “Gus” Grissom became the second American to rocket into a sub-orbital pattern around the Earth. He was flying on the Liberty Bell 7.
1968 – Arnold Palmer became the first golfer to make a million dollars in career earnings after he tied for second place at the PGA Championship.
1969 – Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin lifted off from the Moon after spending more than 21 hours on the lunar surface and reunited with Michael Collins in lunar orbit.
1972 – Comedian George Carlin was arrested for disorderly conduct in Milwaukee, WI for saying on stage the seven words performers were prohibited from saying on television.
1980 – Draft registration began in the United States for 19 and 20-year-old men.
1983 – The world’s lowest temperature in an inhabited location was recorded at Vostok Station, Antarctica at -128.6 F.
1987 – Mary Hart, of TV’s “Entertainment Tonight”, had her legs insured by Lloyd’s of London for $2 million.
1998 – The roof at the Saline County Library collapsed in Benton, AR, from the weight of what apparently was years of accumulated pigeon poop.
2000 – The movie “What Lies Beneath”, starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer, premiered in theaters.
2004 – White House officials were briefed on the September 11 commission’s 575 page final report. The report was released to the public the next day.
2006 – The movie “Clerks II” premiered in theaters.
2007 – The seventh, and last, book of the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” was released.
2009 – The iTunes Music Store reached 8 billion songs sold.
2011 – NASA’s Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-135) landed at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the last flight of the Space Shuttle program.
2014 – The movie “Guardians of the Galaxy” premiered in theaters.
2023 – The “Barbenheimer” phenomenon began as Barbie and Oppenheimer were released in theaters on the same day, inspiring moviegoers to watch both films as a double feature.
2024 – President Joe Biden announced he would no longer seek a second term and withdrew from the 2024 election.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON JULY 21:
Helen Merrill – 96 years old (1930) – Singer
Jamey Aebersold – 87 years old (1939) – Saxophonist and educator
John Negroponte – 87 years old (1939) – English-American diplomat, 23rd United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Jim Clyburn – 86 years old (1940) – Politician, former House Majority Whip
Robert Shrum – 83 years old (1943) – Author and political advisor
Timothy Harris – 80 years old (1946) – Author, screenwriter and producer
Garry Trudeau – 78 years old (1948) – Cartoonist
Christina Hart – 77 years old (1949) – Playwright and actress
John Barrasso – 74 years old (1952) – Physician and politician
Eric Bazilian – 73 years old (1953) – Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer
Dannel Malloy – 71 years old (1955) – Lawyer and politician, 88th Governor of Connecticut
Michael Connelly – 70 years old (1956) – Author
Jon Lovitz – 69 years old (1957) – Comedian, actor, and producer
Jim Martin – 65 years old (1961) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Mike Bordick – 61 years old (1965) – Baseball player, coach, and sportscaster
Arija Bareikis – 60 years old (1966) – Actress
Brandi Chastain – 58 years old (1968) – Soccer player and sportscaster
Godfrey – 57 years old (1969) – Comedian and actor
Emerson Hart – 57 years old (1969) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
Michael Fitzpatrick – 56 years old (1970) – Singer-songwriter
Korey Cooper – 54 years old (1972) – Singer and guitarist
Geoff Jenkins – 52 years old (1974) – Baseball player and coach
Christopher Barzak – 51 years old (1975) – Author and educator
David Dastmalchian – 51 years old (1975) – Actor
Mike Sellers – 51 years old (1975) – Football player
Cori Bush – 50 years old (1976) – Politician
Justin Bartha – 48 years old (1978) – Actor
Josh Hartnett – 48 years old (1978) – Actor
David Carr – 47 years old (1979) – Football player
Tamika Catchings – 47 years old (1979) – Basketball player
Jon Dorenbos – 46 years old (1980) – Football player
Justin Griffith – 46 years old (1980) – Football player
CC Sabathia – 46 years old (1980) – Baseball player
Blake Lewis – 45 years old (1981) – Musician, American Idol contestant
Romeo Santos – 45 years old (1981) – Singer-songwriter
Kellen Winslow II – 43 years old (1983) – Football player
Von Wafer – 41 years old (1985) – Basketball player
Rebecca Ferguson – 40 years old (1986) – American-English singer-songwriter
Jason Thompson – 40 years old (1986) – Basketball player
Betty Gilpin – 40 years old (1986) – Actress
Peter Doocy – 39 years old (1987) – Journalist
KB – 38 years old (1988) – Rapper
DeAndre Jordan – 38 years old (1988) – Basketball player
Rory Culkin – 37 years old (1989) – Actor
Jude Adjei-Barimah – 34 years old (1992) – Italian-American football player
Da$H – 34 years old (1992) – Rapper
Rachael Flatt – 34 years old (1992) – Figure skater
Jonathon Jennings – 34 years old (1992) – Canadian football player
Dante Marini – 34 years old (1992) – Soccer player
Henry Owens – 34 years old (1992) – Baseball pitcher
Miles Ukaoma – 34 years old (1992) – American-born Nigerian hurdler
Maggie Lindemann – 28 years old (1998) – Singer-songwriter
Evan McPherson – 27 years old (1999) – Football player
Bub Carrington – 21 years old (2005) – Basketball player
DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR JULY 21:
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