21 March

Across recorded history, 1,607 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 21 March. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

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Chinua Achebe

1930–2013

Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic

Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist who wrote works examining the impact of colonialism on traditional African society.

Nawal El Saadawi

1931–2021

Egyptian feminist writer

Nawal El Saadawi was an Egyptian writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights.

George Foreman

1949–2025

American professional boxer

George Foreman is an American professional boxer who achieved success in the heavyweight division.

Robert Southey

1774–1843

English romantic poet

Robert Southey was an English romantic poet who produced a diverse body of literary work throughout his career.

James Black

1924–2010

Scottish doctor and pharmacologist

Pharmacologist James Black developed beta-blockers and H2 receptor antagonists to treat heart disease and stomach ulcers.

Frederick Winslow Taylor

1856–1915

American mechanical engineer

Frederick Winslow Taylor was a mechanical engineer who pioneered the principles of scientific management to improve industrial efficiency.

Alexander Glazunov

1865–1936

Russian composer, music teacher and conductor

Alexander Glazunov was a Russian composer who served as a music educator and conductor.

Michael Redgrave

1908–1985

English actor

Michael Redgrave was an English actor who performed extensively in both theatre and film productions.

Leo Fender

1909–1991

American inventor and founder of the Fender company

Leo Fender was an American inventor who founded the Fender company and manufactured musical instruments.

Pietro Mennea

1952–2013

Italian sprinter and politician

Pietro Mennea was an Italian sprinter and politician who competed in athletics.

Annibale de Gasparis

1819–1892

Italian astronomer

Annibale de Gasparis was an Italian astronomer who discovered numerous asteroids.

Galina Ulanova

1910–1998

Soviet ballet dancer

Galina Ulanova was a Soviet ballet dancer who performed extensively throughout her career.

Adam Zagajewski

1945–2021

Polish poet

Adam Zagajewski was a Polish poet known for his literary contributions to contemporary poetry.

Andrew Grove

1936–2016

Hungarian-born American businessman, engineer and author

Andrew Grove was an engineer and businessman who served as a key executive at Intel.

Martin McGuinness

1950–2017

Sinn Féin politician and deputy First Minister

Martin McGuinness was a politician who served as the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.

Jean-Baptiste Greuze

1725–1805

French painter (1725 – 1805)

Jean-Baptiste Greuze was a French painter known for his genre scenes and portraits.

Joseph E. Johnston

1807–1891

Confederate general

Joseph E. Johnston was a Confederate general who served as an army officer.

John Bates Clark

1847–1938

American neoclassical economist

John Bates Clark was an American neoclassical economist who contributed to the development of marginal productivity theory.

Colin Dexter

1930–2017

British writer

Colin Dexter was a British novelist best known for creating the Inspector Morse series of detective stories.

Lorenzo Sanz

1943–2020

Spanish businessman

Lorenzo Sanz was a Spanish businessman who served as the president of Real Madrid.

Willis Reed

1942–2023

American basketball player

Willis Reed was an American basketball player who competed in the National Basketball Association.

Olha Kobylianska

1863–1942

Ukrainian writer and feminist

Olha Kobylianska was a Ukrainian writer and feminist who advocated for the advancement of women's rights.

Mary Ainsworth

1913–1999

American-Canadian psychologist & scholar

Mary Ainsworth was an American-Canadian psychologist who conducted research on attachment theory.

Evald Aav

1900–1939

Estonian composer and choirmaster

Evald Aav was an Estonian composer who served as a choirmaster.

Source: Wikidata, released into the public domain under CC0. Snapshot: 2026-07. Names, dates and roles come from Wikidata; summaries are condensed from it. Nothing here is generated to fill a gap.