JULY 21 | Birthdays and Events
Famous Birthdays
People born on July 21
Ernest Hemingway
Died: July 2, 1961
Acclaimed novelist and short story author of The Old Man and the Sea and A Farewell to Arms.
Roy Neuberger
Died: December 21, 2010
Roy Neuberger (1903-2010) - Co-founder of the investment management firm Neuberger Berman.
Don Knotts
Died: February 24, 2006
Actor and comedian fondly remembered for his role as Barney Fife in The Andy Griffith Show.
Vera Rubin
Died: December 25, 2016
Astronomer who pioneered work on galaxy rotation rates.
Plas Johnson
Died: July 15, 2026
Saxophonist who played the The Pink Panther Theme.
Garry Trudeau
Cartoonist who created the comic strip Doonesbury.
Robin Williams
Died: August 11, 2014
Critically acclaimed actor and comedian with starring roles in Popeye, Good Will Hunting, Good Morning, Vietnam, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, and The Birdcage, Jack, to name a few.
Jon Lovitz
Comedian best known for his time on Saturday Night Live.
Historical Events on July 21
Events that occurred on July 21 throughout history
Wild Bill Hickok shoots and kills Davis Tutt in the first dual in the wild west.
Wild Bill Hickok shoots and kills Davis Tutt in the first dual in the wild west. The shootout happened after Wild Bill couldn't pay his debts so Davis stole Wild Bill's gold pocket watch as collateral. The dual was considered to be the first true one-on-one quick-draw duel of the American Old West.
Wild Bill Hickok shoots and kills Davis Tutt in the first dual in the wild west.
Wild Bill Hickok shoots and kills Davis Tutt in the first dual in the wild west. The shootout happened after Wild Bill couldn't pay his debts so Davis stole Wild Bill's gold pocket watch as collateral. The dual was considered to be the first true one-on-one quick-draw duel of the American Old West.
Jesse James and the James–Younger Gang pull off the first successful train robbery.
Jesse James and the James–Younger Gang pull off the first successful train robbery in the American Old West. The robbers stole around $3,000 in currency.
Louise Blanchard Bethune becomes the first female architect in the U.S.
Louise Blanchard Bethune becomes the first female architect in the U.S. She designed or remodeled roughly 150 to 180 buildings in her career.
President Herbert Hoover signs Executive Order 5398, forming the Veterans Administration.
President Herbert Hoover signed Executive Order 5398, establishing the Veterans Administration (VA). The Order consolidated the Veterans' Bureau, the Pension Bureau, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers into a single federal organization to manage benefits and care for former service members.
The U.S. Senate ratifies the North Atlantic Treaty.
The U.S. Senate ratifies the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO). The Treaty stipulates that an armed attack against one or more member states in Europe or North America is considered an attack against all. In the event of an attack, NATO members will assist by taking whatever action is deemed necessary, including the use of armed force.