Skip to main content
Low Graphics
Access keys help
Home
Explore the BBC
21 May
Search ON THIS DAY by date
Day
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Front Page
|
Years
|
Themes
|
Witness
About This Site
|
Text Only
1991: Bomb kills India's former leader Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi, the former Indian prime minister, is assassinated in a bomb attack in Tamil Nadu.
1961: Freedom Riders spark Montgomery riots
Martial law is imposed in the town of Montgomery, Alabama, after violent racial clashes.
1966: Cooper loses to world champ Clay
American Cassius Clay beats Britain's Henry Cooper in the sixth round at the Arsenal football ground, North London.
1950: Tornado sweeps southern England
Two people die and more are injured as violent storms and a tornado sweep through counties around London.
1958: Trunk dialling heralds cheaper calls
Automated telephone connection making calls easier and cheaper will be introduced in December.
Around this Day
18 May
Top Story
1944: Monte Cassino falls to the Allies
19 May
Top Story
1980: Nine dead after Mount St Helens eruption
20 May
Top Story
1983: Car bomb in South Africa kills 16
22 May
Top Story
1981: Yorkshire Ripper jailed for life
23 May
Top Story
1998: Leaders welcome 'yes' vote for N Ireland
24 May
Top Story
2001: Israel wedding party tragedy
Witness memories
Looking back
A selection of the best of your memories
World War II - 1939 to 1945
A compilation of key stories as they broke throughout the war
On This Day
Headlines delivered to your desktop - find out about RSS
BBC History>>
Articles, biographies and multimedia on historical events
BBC Radio 4 History>>
Find out what Radio 4 has to offer history lovers
Search ON THIS DAY by date
Day
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
^^
back to top
Front Page
|
Years
|
Themes
|
Witness
©MMVIII
|
News Sources
|
Privacy & Cookies Policy
You might also like:
news
|
sport
|
weather
|
worklife
|
travel
|
future
|
culture
|
world
|
business
|
technology
Home
A compilation of key stories as they broke throughout the war
Headlines delivered to your desktop - find out about RSS 
Articles, biographies and multimedia on historical events
Find out what Radio 4 has to offer history lovers