4 National Days to Celebrate on August 21, 2026

Born on August 21

People born on August 21

1936

Wilt Chamberlain

One of the greatest NBA players of all time. He is the only player to average 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in a season.

1958

Steve Case

Co-founder of AOL.

1961

Stephen Hillenburg

Marine biologist and animator who created SpongeBob SquarePants.

1856

Medora de Vallombrosa

Heiress who married rancher Marquis de Morès, who named the city of Medora, North Dakota after her.

1938

Kenny Rogers

Country music legend who had over 120 hit singles across multiple genres, selling over 100 million records.

1904

Count Basie

Critically-acclaimed jazz musician who was a skilled jazz pianist and organist.

Historical Events on August 21

Events that occurred on August 21 throughout history

1680

August 21, 1680

Pueblo Indians capture Santa Fe from the Spanish during the Pueblo Revolt.

1770

August 21, 1770

James Cook formally claims eastern Australia for Great Britain, naming it New South Wales.

1831

August 21, 1831

Nat Turner leads black slaves and free blacks in a rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia. The uprising resulted in the deaths of 55 white people. Turner was captured and executed for causing the rebellion.

1878

August 21, 1878

The American Bar Association is founded in Saratoga Springs, New York. The Association was created to set rules and set regulations for attorneys across the country.

1883

August 21, 1883

An F5 tornado strikes Rochester, Minnesota, leading to the creation of the Mayo Clinic. The town lacked the ability to treat the injured and care for the dead, sparking the need for a permanent hospital to be built.

1888

August 21, 1888

The first successful adding machine is patented in the U.S. William Seward Burroughs' machine design corrected problems in previous-patented adding machines.

1897

August 21, 1897

The Olds Motor Vehicle Co. manufactures the first Oldsmobile. The company produced only four vehicles that year. By 1903, Oldsmobile became the top-selling car company in the U.S.

1911

August 21, 1911

The Mona Lisa is stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia, a Louvre employee. He travelled to Italy to try to sell the painting, but the buyer called the police after verifying its authenticity. Peruggia later claimed he was returning the painting to Italy because he believed Napoleon Bonaparte stole it.

1959

August 21, 1959

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs an executive order proclaiming Hawaii as the 50th state of the union.

1968

August 21, 1968

James Anderson Jr. becomes the first African American U.S. Marine to receive the Medal of Honor posthumously. Private First Class Anderson used his own body to shield his comrades from an explosion near Cam Lo in the Quang Tri Province, Vietnam.

1980

August 21, 1980

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is founded by Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco. The organization has grown into the largest animal rights organization in the world.