Did you know
Trotsky and Vladimir Lenin were widely considered the two most prominent figures in the Soviet state from 1917 until Lenin's death in 1924.
Notable Deaths on August 21
1940 — Leon Trotsky
Russian theorist and politician, founded the Red Army (born 1879)
August 21 has 103 recorded notable deaths across history, from 672 to 2024. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Notable Deaths
103 source records
672 – 2024
Today in history
Major events on August 21
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 1791 Enslaved Africans in Saint-Domingue, led by Dutty Boukman, held a Vodou ceremony that became a pivotal act of resistance. This gathering sparked a mass uprising against slavery, marking the beginning of the Haitian Revolution. Source
- 1831 Nat Turner leads black slaves and free blacks in a rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia, which will claim the lives of 55 to 65 whites and about twice that number of blacks. Source
- 1982 Lebanese Civil War: The first troops of a multinational force lands in Beirut to oversee the Palestine Liberation Organization's withdrawal from Lebanon. Source
- 1772 King Gustav III completes his coup d'état by adopting a new Constitution, ending half a century of parliamentary rule in Sweden and installing himself as an enlightened despot. Source
Did you know
John Amos's other well known roles were as the adult Kunta Kinte in the landmark miniseries Roots and for portraying Captain Meissner in Lock Up (1989) and Major Grant in Die Hard 2 (1990).
Did you know
At the international level, he led Italy to win two consecutive World Cups: in 1934 on home soil, and in 1938 as captain, being named to the All-star Team.
Did you know
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar shared the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his theoretical studies of the physical processes of importance to the structure and evolution of the stars.
Did you know
Aquino was the husband of Corazon Aquino, who became the 11th president of the Philippines after his assassination, and father of Benigno Aquino III, who became the 15th president of the Philippines.
More major people who died on August 21
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
2024
John Amos
American actor (born 1939)
John Allen Amos Jr. was an American actor. He was best known for his role as James Evans Sr. on the CBS television series Good Times.
1979
Giuseppe Meazza
Italian footballer and manager (born 1910)
Giuseppe Meazza was an Italian football manager and player. Throughout his career, he played mainly for Inter Milan in the 1930s, scoring 284 goals in 408 games for the club, and winning three Serie A titles, as well as…
1995
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
Indian-American astrophysicist and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1910)
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was an Indian-American theoretical physicist.
1983
Benigno Aquino Jr.
Filipino journalist and politician (born 1932)
Benigno Simeón "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., was a Filipino politician and journalist who served as a senator of the Philippines (1967–1972) and governor of the province of Tarlac (1963–1967).
1131
King Baldwin II of Jerusalem
Baldwin II, also known as Baldwin of Bourcq, was the count of Edessa from 1100 to 1118 and the king of Jerusalem from 1118 until his death.
1964
Palmiro Togliatti
Italian journalist and politician, Italian Minister of Justice (born 1893)
Palmiro Michele Nicola Togliatti was an Italian politician and statesman who led the Italian Communist Party for nearly forty years, from 1927 until his death.
1762
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
English author, poet, and playwright (born 1689)
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was an English aristocrat, medical pioneer, writer, and poet. Born in 1689, Lady Mary spent her early life in England.
1989
Raul Seixas
Brazilian singer-songwriter and producer (born 1945)
Raul Santos Seixas was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, considered the "Father of Brazilian Rock". His musical work consists of seventeen albums released during his 26-year career.
1960
David B. Steinman
American engineer, designed the Mackinac Bridge (born 1886)
David Barnard Steinman was an American civil engineer. He was the designer of the Mackinac Bridge and many other notable bridges, and a published author.
1943
Henrik Pontoppidan
Danish journalist and author, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1857)
Henrik Pontoppidan was a Danish realist writer who shared with Karl Gjellerup the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1917 for "his authentic descriptions of present-day life in Denmark." Pontoppidan's novels and short…
672
Emperor Kōbun of Japan (born 648)
Prince Ōtomo (648–672), also known under the posthumous title Emperor Kōbun (弘文天皇), was a Japanese noble who briefly ruled over the imperial court in 672, during the Jinshin War of the late Asuka period.
1157
Alfonso VII of León and Castile (born 1105)
Alfonso VII, called the Emperor, became the King of Galicia in 1111 and King of León and Castile in 1126.
1978
Charles Eames
American architect, co-designed the Eames House (born 1907)
Charles Eames Jr. and Ray-Bernice Eames were an American married couple of industrial designers who made significant historical contributions to the development of modern architecture and furniture through the work of…
1988
Ray Eames
American architect, co-designed the Eames House (born 1912)
Charles Eames Jr. and Ray-Bernice Eames were an American married couple of industrial designers who made significant historical contributions to the development of modern architecture and furniture through the work of…
1854
Thomas Clayton
American lawyer and politician (born 1777)
Thomas Clayton was an American lawyer and politician from Dover in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party and later the National Republican Party and the Whig Party.
1614
Elizabeth Báthory
Hungarian countess and purported serial killer (born 1560)
Countess Elizabeth Báthory of Ecsed was a Hungarian noblewoman and alleged serial killer from the powerful House of Báthory, who owned land in the Kingdom of Hungary.
1568
Jean Parisot de Valette
49th Grandmaster of the Knights Hospitaller (born 1495)
Fra' Jean "Parisot" de (la) Valette was a French nobleman and 49th Grand Master of the Order of Malta, from 21 August 1557 to his death in 1568.
2008
Jerry Finn
American engineer and producer (born 1969)
Jermone Gregory Finn, sometimes credited as "Huckle" Jerry Finn, was an American record producer and mix engineer.
2005
Robert Moog
American businessman, founded Moog Music (born 1934)
Robert Arthur Moog was an American electronics engineer and electronic music pioneer.