At A Glance

21 August 1979 at a glance

Day of the week
21 August 1979 was a Tuesday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “We Don't Talk Anymore” by Cliff Richard.
Top Film of 1979
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1979 was Moonraker.
Star sign
The star sign for 21 August is Leo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 21 August 1979 fell in the Year of the Goat.
Birthstone
The birthstone for August is Peridot.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 21 August 1979 was Waning Crescent.

On this day: 21 August

  • 1968 Cold War: Nicolae Ceaușescu, leader of the Socialist Republic of Romania, publicly condemns the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, encouraging the Romanian population to arm itself against possible Soviet reprisals.
  • 1968 James Anderson Jr. posthumously receives the first Medal of Honor to be awarded to an African American U.S. Marine.
  • 1982 Lebanese Civil War: The first troops of a multinational force lands in Beirut to oversee the Palestine Liberation Organization's withdrawal from Lebanon.
  • 1991 Latvia declares renewal of its full independence after its occupation by the Soviet Union since 1940.
  • 1991 Coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev collapses.

Famous people born on 21 August

  • Hayden Panettiere, American actress (1989–2026)
  • Kenny Rogers, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor (1938–2020)
  • Robert Lewandowski, Polish footballer (born 1988)
  • Zion Suzuki, Japanese footballer (born 2002)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1979 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1979 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 22 February – Saint Lucia becomes independent of the United Kingdom.
  • 3 May – 1979 general election.
  • 7 June – European Parliament election, the first direct election to the European Parliament; the turnout in Britain is low at 32%. The Conservatives have the most MEPs at 60, while Labour only have 17.

Life in 1979

Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

38p

Loaf of Bread

27p

Average House

£19,925

Weekly Wage

£101.00

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1970s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

About The Day You Were Born

Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.

About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →