August 21: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

August 21^st is officially Poet’s Day as well as Senior Citizen’s Day.

Today marks day 233 of the year, and we have 132 days left of the year.

Today has had a significant role in history, and that’s exactly what we’re going to look at here! Find out all about what events happened on August 21 throughout history.

Did you know that on this day in 1841, the Venetian blind was patented by John Hampton? The original design has come from Venetians bringing the design from Persia to Venice.

Keep reading for more interesting facts about August 21^st in history!

What Events Happened On August 21 In History?

2015 A 108-year-old message in a bottle washed up on a beach in Amrum, Germany.

The bottle was one of around 1,000 released in the UK as part of an experiment run by the Marine Biological Association of the UK.

1993 NASA lost contact with the Mars Observer spacecraft.

1969 Donald and Doris Fisher opened the first Gap store in San Francisco, California.

OTD in 1969: Donald and Doris Fisher opened the first Gap store in San Francisco

Men's Levi's jeans and record tapes were the only items for sale.

1913 The first female students were enrolled at a University in Japan.

Tohoku University accepted Chika Kuroda, Ume Tange, and Raku Makita, the first female students in a Japanese educational facility, which paved the way for women's education in Japan. Kuroda and Tange studied chemistry, and Makita studied mathematics.

1911 Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa painting was stolen from the Louvre, Paris, by Vincenzo Perugia.

OTD in 1911: Leonardo da Vinci's famous Mona Lisa painting was stolen from the Louvre

The painting was retrieved in November 1913, and Perugia pleaded guilty, spending eight months behind bars.

1901 American baseball player Joe McGinnity was suspended after a brawl in which he punched and spit at umpire Tom Connolly.

1841 The venetian blind was patented by John Hampton.

Within the patent, Hampton noted three benefits of the blinds; greater durability, easier operation, and more economical.

1821 British ship Eliza Frances discovered the island of Jarvis in the South Pacific Ocean.

1760 The church “Our Lady of Candlemas of Mayagüez” was founded.

It was also known as "Puerto Rico," which is where the city of Puerto Rico later got its name from.

1673 The naval battle of Texel took place in the North Sea.

The battle was between the Dutch Republic and the combined Engish and French fleets. The winner was unclear, but the fight claimed 3,000 lives.

1560 A solar eclipse occurred on this day which started Tycho Brahe’s interest in the world of astronomy.

1264 The Khagan-emperor, Kublai Khan of the Mongol Empire, accepted the surrender from his younger brother Ariq Böke, which ended the Toluid Civil War.

August 20 Aug 20 August 22 Aug 22

Famous People Born On August 21

Are you celebrating your birthday today? If so, did you know that you share the same birthday as Hayden Panettiere? See what other famous people were born on this day.

1986 Usain Bolt

Jamaican Sprinter

Age:: 35 years old
Born In:: Sherwood Content, Jamaica

1990 Bo Burnham

American Comedian

Age:: 31 years old
Born In:: Massachusetts, USA

1989 Hayden Panettiere

American Actress

Age:: 32 years old
Born In:: New York, USA

Special Holidays On August 21

Are you looking for something to do today? Then why not find time today to celebrate the following special holidays.

Poet’s Day

World Senior Citizen’s Day

August 21 Birthday Facts, Zodiac & Birthstone

If you were born on August 21, you have the Leo star sign.

People born under the sign of Leo are natural-born leaders. They love to be in charge of their own lives but hate being bossed around.

Those of you that were born in August have the Peridot birthstone. The peridot is often a light green color, and it symbolizes good fortune, health & peacefulness. Periodt is known as the gem of compassion, and wearing it helps calm anger and lift moods.

People born on this day were likely conceived the previous year on November 28^th.