Emirates Airline Flight EK407 makes an emergency landing in Australia after enduring a tailstrike during takeoff from Melbourne Airport. //news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7956541.stm (BBC)
The 66th Academy Awards, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, are held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. Steven Spielberg's Holocaust drama, "Schindler's List", wins 7 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director (Spielberg).
After 75 years of South African rule, Namibia becomes independent.
Thursday, March 21, 1985
Canadian paraplegic athlete and activist Rick Hansen sets out on his 40,000 km, 26 month Man in Motion tour which raises $26M for spinal cord research and quality of life initiatives.
"Non ho l'età" by Gigliola Cinquetti (music by Nicola Salerno, text by Mario Panzeri) wins the Eurovision Song Contest 1964 for Italy.
Thursday, March 21, 1963
The Alcatraz Island federal penitentiary in San Francisco Bay closes the last 27 prisoners are transferred elsewhere at the order of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.
Monday, March 21, 1960
The Sharpeville massacre in South Africa results in more than 69 dead, 300 injured.
Tennessee Governor Austin Peay signs the Butler Act, prohibiting the teaching of evolution in the state's public schools.
Friday, March 21, 1919
The Hungarian Soviet Republic is established by Béla Kun.
Thursday, March 21, 1918
In London at the Wood Green Empire, Chung Ling Soo (William E Robinson, U.S.-born magician) dies during his trick where he is supposed to catch two separate bullets – but one of them perforates his lung. He dies the following morning in a hospital.
A syzygy of planets occurs as Mercury transits the Sun as seen from Venus, and Mercury and Venus both transit the Sun as seen from Saturn. But no two of the transits are simultaneous.
The bulk of the 900 strong Jewish community of Erfurt (Germany) is murdered by the rest of the population which accuses the minority to be the underlying cause of the Black Death.
April ndash The Goths capture the "Portus Claudii" at Ostia, the harbour is left unguarded by the Romans. Belisarius is forced to unload his supplies at Antium (modern Anzio), he sends urgent messages for reinforcements to Constantinople.Procopius, "De Bello Gothico" I.XXVII
Vitiges attemps to assault the northern and eastern city walls with four siege towers, but is repulsed at the Praenestine Gate, known as the "Vivarium", by the defenders under the Byzantine generals Bessas and Peranius.Procopius, "De Bello Gothico" I.XXIII