On This Day

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What Happened in March 1921

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Historical Events

  • Mar 1 Rwanda ceded to Great Britain
  • Mar 1 Sailors revolt in Kronstadt, Russia
  • Mar 1 Spin bowler Arthur Mailey takes 5 for 119 (record 36 wickets for series) to lead Australia to a 9 wicket 5th Test win over England in Sydney; first ever, 5-0 Ashes cricket series win for Australia
  • Mar 3 The Asiatic Inquiry Commission, established by the South African Government, proposes a system of voluntary repatriation and segregation of Indians and prohibits Indians from buying agricultural land in a specified area along the coast
  • Mar 4 Hot Springs National Park created in Arkansas

Warren G. Harding

Mar 4 Warren G. Harding is inaugurated as the 29th President of the United States

29th US President Warren G. Harding
  • Mar 5 The Durban Land Alienation Ordinance passes, enabling the Durban City Council to exclude Indians from ownership or occupation of property in white areas, South Africa
  • Mar 5 The US warns Costa Rica and Panama to settle disputes peacefully
  • Mar 6 Police in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, issue an edict requiring Women to wear skirts at least 4 inches below the knee
  • Mar 6 The Natal Indian Congress is resuscitated and reorganised at a meeting in Durban, with Ismail Gora as President

Red Army Attacks Naval Base

Mar 7 Red Army under Trotsky attacks sailors of Kronstadt naval base near St Petersburg, Russia

Marxist Revolutionary Leon Trotsky
  • Mar 8 Spanish Premier Eduardo Dato Iradier is assassinated while exiting the parliament building in Madrid.

Cairo Conference

Mar 12 Cairo Conference begins, British meeting to determine Middle Eastern policies, Gertrude Bell and T. E. Lawrence attend

Archaeologist and Writer Gertrude Bell
Soldier and Writer T. E. Lawrence
  • Mar 13 Mongolia (formerly Outer Mongolia) declares independence from China
  • Mar 16 Britain signs a trade agreement with the USSR and sends a trade mission to Moscow: this goes against the US, who in the same month refused to sign a trade agreement
  • Mar 17 Dr Marie Stopes opens Britain's 1st birth control clinic in London

Albert Anastasia Convicted

Mar 17 NY gangster Albert Anastasia is convicted of murdering longshoreman George Turino

Gangster Albert Anastasia
  • Mar 17 Sailors revolt in Kronstadt (thousands die)
  • Mar 17 The Second Republic of Poland adopts the March Constitution

Lenin's Economic Policy

Mar 17 Vladimir Lenin proclaims the New Economic Policy to help the country recover from Russian Civil War

Marxist Revolutionary and Soviet Leader Vladimir Lenin
  • Mar 18 2nd Peace of Riga, Poland enlarged
  • Mar 18 80th Grand National: Fred Rees wins aboard 100/9 bet Shaun Spadah; winner is only horse to complete the course without falling
  • Mar 18 Steamer "Hong Koh" runs aground off Swatow China killing 1,000
  • Mar 19 Italian Fascists shoot from the Parenzana train at a group of children in Strunjan (Slovenia): two children are killed, two mangled and three wounded
  • Mar 20 Upper Silesia votes for amalgamation with Germany in a plebiscite that is 63% in favor
  • Mar 21 Walter Kerr Theater (Ritz, CBS, NBC, ABC) opens at 223 W 48th St NYC
  • Mar 23 Germany announces it will be unable to meet its Great War reparation payments
  • Mar 31 British coal miners goes on strike
Events in 1921

Famous Birthdays

  • Mar 1 Cameron Argetsinger, American auto racing executive (created Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course; F1 US Grand Prix 1961-80), born in Youngstown, Ohio (d. 2008)
  • Mar 1 Jack Clayton, English film director (The Great Gatsby), born in Brighton, England (d. 1995)
  • Mar 1 Richard Wilbur, 2nd US Poet Laureate (Ceremony, Walking to Sleep), born in New York City (d. 2017)
  • Mar 1 Terrence Cooke, American Roman Catholic Cardinal, Archbishop of New York, born in New York City (d. 1983)
  • Mar 2 Norman T. Hatch, American oscar-winning marine cinematographer during WWII (With the Marines at Tarawa), born in Boston (d. 2017)
  • Mar 2 Robert Simpson, British classical composer, and broadcaster (BBC), born in Leamington, Warwickshire, England (d. 1997)
  • Mar 2 Wilhelm Büsing, German equestrian (Olympic silver team eventing, bronze Individual eventing 1952) and coach (Olympics 1956, 60, 64), born in Jade, Germany (d. 2023)
  • Mar 3 Diana Barrymore, American actress (Nightmare, Lady Courageous, Fired Wife), born in New York City (d. 1960)
  • Mar 4 Dinny Pails, Australian tennis player (Australian C'ship 1947), born in Nottingham, England (d. 1986)
  • Mar 4 Halim El-Dabh, Egyptian-American pianist, darabukha drummer, and composer (Martha Graham ballet scores), born in Cairo, Egypt (d. 2017)
  • Mar 4 Joan Greenwood, British actress and director (Kind Hearts and Coronets, Amorous Mr Prawn), born in London, England (d. 1987)
  • Mar 5 Berkley Bedell, American politician (Rep-D-IA, 1975-87), born in Spirit Lake, Iowa (d. 2019)
  • Mar 5 Elmer Valo, American baseball outfielder (one of only 4, four-decade MLB players 1939-61; Philadelphia, KC Athletics), born in Rybník Czechoslovakia (d. 1998)
  • Mar 6 Julius Rudel, Austrian-American conductor (NYC Opera, 1944-79), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2014)
  • Mar 6 Oliver Wright, British diplomat, UK Ambassador to Germany and the US, born in London, England (d. 2009) [1]
  • Mar 6 Ross Hunter, American film producer (Airport, Madame X, Pillow Talk), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 1996) date of birth disputed)

Alan Hale Jr. (1921-1990)

Mar 8 American actor (Skipper-Gilligan's Island), born in Los Angeles, California

Alan Hale Jr.
  • Mar 8 Egbert George "Pete" Pitterson, Jamaican-British jazz trumpeter, born in Kingston, Jamaica, British West Indies (d. 1994)
  • Mar 9 Carl Betz, American actor (The Donna Reed Show; Love of Life), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 1978)
  • Mar 9 Dimitris Horn, Greek actor (A Girl in Black), born in Athens, Greece (d. 1998)
  • Mar 10 Cecil "Cec" Linder, Polish-Canadian actor (Goldfinger, Quatermass and the Pit), born in Galicia, Poland (d. 1992)
  • Mar 10 Paul Coates, American columnist (Tonight! America After Dark), born in New York City (d. 1968)
  • Mar 11 Astor Piazzolla, Argentinian bandoneon player, and composer (Tango Nuevo), born in Mar del Plata, Argentina (d. 1992)
  • Mar 11 Frank Harary, American mathematician (d. 2005)
  • Mar 12 (Giovanni) "Gianni" Agnelli, Italian industrialist, executive (President of Fiat Automobiles, 1966-96), and Italian Senator-for-life (1991-2003), born in Turin, Italy (d. 2003)
  • Mar 12 Gordon MacRae, American singer and actor (Oklahoma!; Carousel), born in East Orange, New Jersey (d. 1986)
  • Mar 12 Max de Metz, Dutch publisher and translator (d. 1993)
  • Mar 12 Ralph Shapey, American composer (Fantasy; Rituals), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2002)
  • Mar 12 Ülo Jõgi, Estonian freedom fighter (d. 2007)
  • Mar 13 Al Jaffee, American comic strip cartoonist and illustrator (MAD Magazine, 1955-2020), born in Savannah, Georgia (d. 2023) [1]
  • Mar 13 Carlo Prosperi, Italian composer, born in Florence, Italy (d. 1990)
  • Mar 13 Cyril Poole, English cricket batsman (3 Tests, 2 x 50; Nottinghamshire CCC), born in Mansfield, England (d. 1996)
  • Mar 14 Frank Ottersen, Norwegian jazz violinist and saxophonist (Ding, Dong, Dang), born in Oslo, Norway (d. 1971)
  • Mar 14 Lis Hartel, Danish equestrian dressage (Olympic silver 1952, 56; permanently paralyzed her below her knees from polio), born in Hellerup, Denmark (d. 2009)
  • Mar 14 S. Truett Cathy, American businessman (founder of Chick-fil-A), born in Eatonton, Georgia (d. 2014)
  • Mar 15 Madelyn Pugh, American television writer (I Love Lucy), born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 2011)
  • Mar 15 Stafford Smythe, Canadian NHL executive (President Toronto Maple Leafs 1961–69, 1970-71), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 1971)
  • Mar 16 Anne Truitt [Anne Dean], American sculptor, born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2004)
  • Mar 16 Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia (1982-2005), born in Riyadh, Sultanate of Nejd (d. 2005)
  • Mar 17 Donald Barron, Scottish accountant and CEO (Midland Bank), born in Gorebridge, Midlothian, Scotland (d. 2015)
  • Mar 17 Mick Harvey, Australian cricketer (in Newcastle Brother of Neil Test umpire), born in Newcastle, Australia (d. 2016)
  • Mar 19 Harry Babasin, American jazz bassist and cellist (Dodo Marmarosa Trio), and archivist (Los Angeles Theaseum), born in Dallas, Texas (d. 1988)
  • Mar 19 Robert McFerrin, Sr., American operatic baritone (Metropolitan Opera, 1955-58; singing voice for Sidney Poitier in film "Porgy and Bess"), born in Marianna, Arkansas (d. 2006) [1]
  • Mar 19 Tommy Cooper, British comedian and magician (d. 1984)
  • Mar 20 Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow, Senegalese UNESCO Director General UNESCO (1974-87), born in Dakar, French West Africa
  • Mar 20 Primož Ramovš, Slovenian avant-garde composer (Za Harmoniko; Tryptychon), pedagogue, and library director (Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 1945-87), born in Ljubljana, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (d. 1999)
  • Mar 21 Abdul Salam Arif, Iraqi politician and President of Iraq (1963-66), born in Baghdad, Mandatory Iraq (d. 1966)
  • Mar 21 Antony Hopkins [Reynolds], British composer, pianist, conductor (Intimate Opera Company, 1954-62), writer, and radio broadcaster (Talking About Music, 1954-92), born in London, England (d. 2014)
  • Mar 21 Arthur Grumiaux, Belgian concert violinist, born in Villers-Perwin, Belgium (d. 1986)
  • Mar 21 Joe Sutter, American engineer and head of the Boeing 747 program, born in Seattle, Washington (d. 2016)
  • Mar 21 Logan Ramsey, American actor (Head, Joy Sticks, Say Yes), born in Long Beach, California (d. 2000)
  • Mar 22 Saturnino "Nino" Manfredi, Italian actor (Between Miracles), born in Castro dei Volsci, Italy (d. 2004)
  • Mar 22 Wilhelmus Norbert Schmelzer, Dutch foreign minister (KVP), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2008)
  • Mar 23 Donald Campbell, English boat and land racer (world land and water records 1964; only person to complete in same year), born in Kingston upon Thames, England (d. 1967)
  • Mar 23 Ian Todd, English surgeon, President of the Royal College of Surgeons (1986-89), born in London, England (d. 2015)
  • Mar 24 Sir Wilson Harris, Guyanese author (Palace of the Peacock:; Jonestown; The Ghost of Memory), born in New Amsterdam, British Guiana (d. 2018)
  • Mar 25 Alexandra of Greece and Denmark, Queen of Yugoslavia (d. 1993)
  • Mar 25 Nancy Kelly, American child actress and model (The Bad Seed, Double Exposure, Jesse James), born in Lowell, Massachusetts (d. 1995)

Simone Signoret (1921-1985)

Mar 25 German-French BAFTA, Emmy, and Academy Award- winning actress (Room at Top; Diabolique), born in Wiesbaden, Germany

Simone Signoret
  • Mar 26 George Jefferson, English engineer who oversaw privatisation of British Telecom, born in Kent, England (d. 2012) [1]
  • Mar 26 Joe Loco [José Esteves, Jr], American Latin jazz pianist and arranger, born in New York City (d. 1988) [some sources give day as 27th]
  • Mar 27 Harold Nicholas, American dancer known as one of the world's greatest dancers (Nicholas Brothers), born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (d. 2000)
  • Mar 27 Tom Bevill, American Democratic fifteen-term U.S. congressman, born in Townley, Alabama (d. 2005)
  • Mar 28 Dirk Bogarde [Derek van den Bogaerde] British writer and actor (Death in Venice, Servant), born in London, England (d. 1999)
  • Mar 29 Sam Loxton, Australian cricket batsman (12 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 101; Victoria; National team selector 1970-81), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2011)
  • Mar 30 Elizabeth Sutherland, Countess of Sunderland, Scottish aristocrat, head of Clan Sunderland, born in London, England (d. 2019)
  • Mar 30 Kan Ishii, Japanese composer (Marimo), born in Tokyo, Japan (d. 2009)
  • Mar 30 Oto Ferenczy, Slovak composer, born in Brezovica, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (now Kosovo) (d. 2000)
  • Mar 31 Lowell Fulson, Choctaw-Cherokee-American blues guitarist and songwriter (“3 O’Clock Blues”; “Reconsider Baby”), born in Atoka, Oklahoma (d. 1999)
Born in 1921

Famous Weddings

Oliver Hardy

Mar 24 Comedian Oliver Hardy (29) marries actress Myrtle Reeves (24)

Oliver Hardy

Famous Deaths

  • Mar 1 Nicholas I, last and only King of Montenegro (1910-18), dies in exile at 79
  • Mar 2 Champ Clark, American politician (b. 1850)
  • Mar 2 Henryk Pachulski, Polish pianist, composer, and educator (Moscow Conservatory, 1886-1917), dies at 61
  • Mar 3 P.J.H. [Pierre] Cuypers, Dutch architect (Amsterdam museum), dies at 93
  • Mar 11 Sherburne Wesley Burnham, American astronomer (binary stars), dies at 83
  • Mar 12 Isabella Caroline Somerset, British philanthropist, temperance leader and campaigner for women's rights, dies at 69
  • Mar 24 Déodat de Séverac, French composer (Cerdaña), dies at 48
  • Mar 24 James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, dies at 86
  • Mar 29 John Burroughs, American writer and nature enthusiast (Burroughs Medal namesake), dies at 83


What Happened in 1921

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