Thursday, March 21, 1850

A major explosion at a chemical plant in Yancheng, China, killed 78 people and injured 640 others.

A man smashed the statue of Phra Phrom at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, with a hammer, and was subsequently beaten to death by bystanders.

Jack Dorsey sent the first message on the social-media network Twitter.

In the West Bank, a number of Palestinian girls complained of breathing difficulties due to strange odors, leading to accusations of poison gas.

The American soap opera Dallas aired the episode "A House Divided", which led to eight months of international speculation on "Who shot J.R.?"

War of Attrition: The Battle of Karameh took place between the Israel Defense Forces and allied troops of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Jordanian Armed Forces.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons closed Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary on Alcatraz Island (pictured) in San Francisco Bay, California.

Police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire on a group of unarmed black demonstrators who were protesting pass laws, killing 69 people and wounding 180 others.