Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons In the Sharpeville massacre, South African police opened fire on Black demonstrators protesting pass laws, killing 69 people; the date is now Human Rights Day in South Africa.
PoliticsOn this day — March 21 in African history
Real events, births and milestones from Africa and the diaspora.
Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 
SVG by Vzb83~commonswiki et al. — Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons Namibia became independent after 75 years of South African administration.
Independence
Los Angeles Daily News — CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons 1946 Kenny Washington signed with the Los Angeles Rams, becoming the first African-American player in the modern National Football League.
SportsDebi Thomas became the first African-American to win the World Figure Skating Championships.
Sports
Carlo Bavagnoli — Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 2013 Chinua Achebe, Nigerian novelist celebrated for 'Things Fall Apart,' died.
Death
Gigi Ibrahim — CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons 2021 Nawal El Saadawi, Egyptian feminist writer and physician, died.
Death