Today in History, February 21: Civil rights activist Malcolm X shot dead

Today in history: Saturday, February 21, the 52nd day of 2026. There are 313 days left in the year. On February 21, 1965, civil rights activist Malcolm X, 39, was shot to death inside Harlem’s Audubon Ballroom in New York. Three men identified as members of the Nation of Islam were convicted of murder and imprisoned; all were eventually paroled. The convictions of two of the men were dismissed in November 2021, when prosecutors said new evidence had undermined the case against them.

Also on this date:

In 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published “The Communist Manifesto” in London.


In 1885, President Chester Arthur dedicated the Washington Monument.

In 1911, composer Gustav Mahler, despite a fever, conducted the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall in what turned out to be his final concert. He died the following May.

In 1916, the Battle of Verdun, the longest battle of World War I, began in northeastern France.

In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon began a historic visit to China, where he met with Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

In 1973, Israeli fighter planes shot down Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 after it strayed into Israeli-controlled airspace over the Sinai Desert, killing all but five of the 113 people on board.

In 1975, former Attorney General John N. Mitchell, former White House Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, and former White House Domestic Affairs Adviser John D. Ehrlichman were sentenced to 2 1/2 to 8 years in prison for their roles in the Watergate cover-up. Each ended up serving less than two years.

In 1992, Kristi Yamaguchi of the United States won the gold medal in women's figure skating at the Albertville Winter Olympics; Midori Ito of Japan won the silver, and American Nancy Kerrigan the bronze.

In 1995, American adventurer Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean by balloon, landing in Saskatchewan, Canada, after a 5,400-mile, four-day flight from South Korea.

Today’s birthdays: Film and music executive David Geffen is 83. Actor Tyne Daly is 80. Actor Anthony Daniels is 80. Actor William Petersen is 73. Actor Kelsey Grammer is 71. Country musician Mary Chapin Carpenter is 68. Baseball Hall of Famer Alan Trammell is 68. Actor William Baldwin is 63. Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona is 62. Actor Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is 57. Musician Rhiannon Giddens is 49. Actor Tituss Burgess is 47. Actor Jennifer Love Hewitt is 47. Filmmaker-comedian Jordan Peele is 47. Singer Charlotte Church is 40. Actor Joe Alwyn is 35.