Black History Knowledge
Black History Knowledge — August 21
Aug
What happened on this day. These are the August 21 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.
1831 — Nat Turner’s rebellion against slavery begins
On Aug 21, 1831, Nat Turner and a group of enslaved people began an armed rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia. After authorities crushed the revolt, white militias and mobs killed scores of Black people, and Southern lawmakers imposed harsher restrictions on Black education, worship, and movement.
1971 — Prison activist and author George Jackson is killed at San Quentin
On Aug 21, 1971, guards shot and killed Black revolutionary writer George Jackson during a violent uprising and reported escape attempt at San Quentin State Prison. Jackson’s death and writings intensified debate about racism, punishment, and political organizing inside American prisons.
1986 — Lake Nyos disaster kills nearly 1,800 people in Cameroon
On Aug 21, 1986, a sudden release of carbon dioxide from Lake Nyos swept through villages in northwestern Cameroon. The invisible cloud suffocated nearly 1,800 people and thousands of animals, leading scientists and engineers to develop systems that reduce gas buildup in the lake.
