February 21 in history stands as one of the most eventful dates on the calendar, marked by turning points in politics, war, science, literature, and civil rights. From the publication of a document that changed the world’s political order to the assassination of one of America’s most electrifying voices, this day has witnessed both creation and destruction in equal measure. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply curious about what unfolded on this date across the centuries, the events of February 21 offer a vivid cross-section of the human experience. You can also explore more dates using this On This Day in History tool to uncover what else happened throughout the year.
Major Political Events on February 21
1848 — The Communist Manifesto Is Published
On February 21, 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published The Communist Manifesto in London on behalf of the Communist League. Written in German and titled Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei, the pamphlet laid out a sweeping theory of history as driven by class struggle and called upon the working class to rise against capitalist oppression. Few texts in world history have had a more profound and polarizing impact — inspiring revolutions across Russia, China, Cuba, and beyond, while also provoking fierce ideological opposition throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The document remains one of the most widely read and debated political tracts ever written.
1972 — Nixon Arrives in China
On February 21, 1972, President Richard Nixon stepped off Air Force One in Beijing, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to set foot in the People’s Republic of China. The visit, which lasted seven days, ended more than two decades of diplomatic hostility between the two nations and sent a seismic shockwave through the Cold War’s ideological landscape. Nixon’s handshake with Premier Zhou Enlai was broadcast on American television to a stunned public. The trip led to the Shanghai Communiqué, a joint statement laying the groundwork for normalized U.S.–China relations — a geopolitical realignment whose effects are felt to this day.
1965 — Assassination of Malcolm X
On this day in 1965, Malcolm X — born Malcolm Little, later known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz — was shot and killed at the Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights, New York City, while preparing to address the Organization of Afro-American Unity. He was 39 years old. Three members of the Nation of Islam were convicted of his murder, though debates about the full circumstances of his death have persisted for decades. His autobiography, co-written with Alex Haley and published posthumously, became a cornerstone of African American literature and a defining document of the civil rights era. His fiery advocacy for Black self-determination continues to inspire generations of activists worldwide.
Warfare and Military History on February 21
1916 — The Battle of Verdun Begins
The Battle of Verdun, one of the most catastrophic military engagements in human history, began on February 21, 1916, when German forces launched a massive assault on French positions in northeastern France. German Chief of Staff Erich von Falkenhayn designed the offensive to “bleed France white” by attacking a position the French would feel compelled to defend at all costs. The battle raged for ten brutal months, ultimately resulting in approximately 700,000 casualties — dead, wounded, and missing — on both sides. Though the French ultimately held Verdun, the battle became synonymous with the horrific, grinding attrition of World War I trench warfare and left a permanent scar on the French national consciousness.
1916 — The Battle of Verdun and Its Broader Impact
Beyond its staggering human cost, the Battle of Verdun transformed military tactics, national memory, and European politics. The forests and hills around Verdun remain so contaminated by unexploded ordnance and toxic chemical agents that the “Zone Rouge” — the Red Zone — is still off-limits to the public over a century later. The battle also drained German offensive strength at a critical moment, contributing to their inability to mount decisive campaigns on other fronts. For France, Verdun became a symbol of national resilience and sacrifice, commemorated annually to this day.
Scientific Breakthroughs and Discoveries
1838 — The Telegraph Wire Patented
On February 21, 1838, Samuel Morse gave the first public demonstration of his electric telegraph in Morristown, New Jersey. While the formal patent came later, this demonstration marked a watershed moment in the history of communication. Morse transmitted the message “A patient waiter is no loser” through wire, amazing onlookers who had never conceived that messages could travel faster than a horse could carry them. The telegraph would go on to revolutionize journalism, business, military strategy, and global commerce, compressing space and time in ways previously unimaginable. It was the forerunner of every modern communication technology we rely on today.
1953 — Watson and Crick Announce DNA Structure Discovery
On February 21, 1953, Francis Crick reportedly told patrons at The Eagle pub in Cambridge, England, that he and James Watson had “found the secret of life” — referring to their discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA. While the formal publication in Nature came in April of that year, this moment is widely recognized as the breakthrough point of one of the 20th century’s greatest scientific achievements. Their model of DNA, built with crucial contributions from Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray diffraction images, unlocked the molecular basis of heredity and launched the modern era of genetics, biotechnology, and genomic medicine.
Cultural Milestones on February 21
1885 — The Washington Monument Is Dedicated
On February 21, 1885, the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., was officially dedicated in a ceremony attended by President Chester A. Arthur and thousands of spectators. Standing at 555 feet and 5 inches (169.3 meters), it was the world’s tallest man-made structure at the time of its completion. Construction had begun in 1848 but was halted for more than two decades due to a lack of funding and the disruption of the Civil War, leaving the obelisk half-built for years. Its dedication represented both the healing of a fractured nation and a triumphant celebration of its first president’s enduring legacy. The monument remains one of the most recognized architectural landmarks in the world.
Notable Births on February 21
Several remarkable individuals entered the world on February 21, each leaving a distinctive mark on their respective fields:
- W.H. Auden (1907) — The Anglo-American poet Wystan Hugh Auden was born on February 21, 1907, in York, England. One of the defining literary voices of the 20th century, Auden produced works of extraordinary range — from politically charged verse written during the Spanish Civil War to deeply personal meditations on love, mortality, and faith. His poem “Funeral Blues” became widely known through its use in the 1994 film Four Weddings and a Funeral, introducing his work to a new generation of readers.
- Carl Peter Thunberg (1743) — Born in Jönköping, Sweden, on February 21, 1743, Carl Peter Thunberg was a student of the great taxonomist Carl Linnaeus and became one of the most important botanists of the 18th century. He traveled extensively through Japan, South Africa, and the Dutch East Indies, collecting thousands of plant specimens and describing hundreds of new species. His monumental work Flora Japonica (1784) was the first comprehensive scientific description of Japanese flora written for a Western audience.
- Nina Simone (1933) — Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933, in Tryon, North Carolina, Nina Simone became one of the most celebrated musicians and civil rights activists of the 20th century. Her voice, piano mastery, and willingness to confront racism and injustice through art — in songs like “Mississippi Goddam” and “Strange Fruit” — made her a towering cultural figure. She was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
Notable Deaths on February 21
- Malcolm X (1965) — As described above, the assassinated civil rights leader died on this day at just 39 years old, cutting short a life of extraordinary intellectual and activist energy. His influence on Black consciousness, identity politics, and global anti-colonialism only grew stronger after his death.
- Robert Mugabe (2019) — The former president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, died on February 21, 2019, at age 95 in Singapore. He had governed Zimbabwe from its independence in 1980 until he was ousted in a military coup in November 2017. His legacy remains deeply contested — celebrated by some as a liberation hero who ended white minority rule, condemned by others for the economic collapse, land seizures, and human rights abuses that marked his later decades in power.
Why February 21 Matters in the Broader Arc of History
Looking across the span of events on February 21, a clear pattern emerges: this is a date defined by confrontation — of ideas, armies, nations, and individuals against systems of power. The Communist Manifesto confronted capitalism; Verdun confronted the limits of human endurance; Nixon confronted decades of Sino-American hostility; Malcolm X confronted racial injustice until his enemies silenced him. Even the Washington Monument and the story of Nina Simone are about a nation confronting its contradictions and finding ways to memorialize, celebrate, or protest the distance between its ideals and its realities.
History is not a passive record — it is an ongoing argument about who we are and what we value. The events of February 21, drawn from across centuries and continents, remind us that the forces shaping our world today were set in motion long before any of us arrived. If you’d like to explore how historical dates connect to the present, try the Days from Today Calculator to see how far in the past or future these landmark moments fall.
Frequently Asked Questions About February 21 in History
What major events happened on February 21?
February 21 has been the stage for a remarkable range of historical events. The Communist Manifesto was published by Marx and Engels on this day in 1848. The Battle of Verdun — one of World War I’s most devastating engagements — began on February 21, 1916. Civil rights leader Malcolm X was assassinated in New York City on February 21, 1965. And in 1972, President Richard Nixon made his historic arrival in China, breaking a 25-year diplomatic freeze between the two nations.
What historical figures were born on February 21?
A number of significant historical figures were born on February 21. Poet W.H. Auden was born on this date in 1907, going on to become one of the most celebrated English-language poets of the 20th century. Nina Simone, the legendary singer, pianist, and civil rights activist, was born on February 21, 1933, in Tryon, North Carolina. Swedish botanist Carl Peter Thunberg was born on this date in 1743 and became a pioneering figure in natural history and plant taxonomy.
Why is February 21 historically significant?
February 21 is historically significant because it concentrates an extraordinary density of world-changing moments across multiple domains. In politics, it saw the publication of the Communist Manifesto and Nixon’s opening of China. In warfare, it marked the beginning of the Battle of Verdun. In civil rights history, it was the day Malcolm X was killed. In science and culture, it brought us W.H. Auden and Nina Simone. Together, these events reflect the full complexity and contradictions of the modern world.
What happened on February 21, 1965?
On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X — the influential Black nationalist leader and civil rights activist — was assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights, New York City. He had just begun addressing a crowd gathered for an Organization of Afro-American Unity meeting when gunmen opened fire. Three members of the Nation of Islam were convicted of the murder. Malcolm X’s death shocked the world and elevated his autobiography, published later that year, to the status of a classic of American literature and political thought.
What happened on February 21, 1848?
On February 21, 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published The Communist Manifesto in London. Written as a political pamphlet for the Communist League, the document argued that all of human history was the history of class struggle and called on the international working class to overthrow capitalist systems. Its final rallying cry — “Workers of the world, unite!” — became one of the most repeated phrases in modern political history. The Manifesto would go on to inspire revolutions and political movements on every inhabited continent.