1. Civil Rights Sit-In: On March 21, 1960, a group of African American students from Tennessee State University in Nashville staged a sit-in at a segregated lunch counter in downtown Nashville. This event helped spark the nationwide Civil Rights Movement, and inspired similar protests in other cities.

2. Andrew Jackson's Birthday: March 21 is the birthday of former U.S. President Andrew Jackson, who was born in 1767 in the Waxhaws region on the border of North and South Carolina. Jackson was a hero of the War of 1812 and the founder of the Democratic Party, but his legacy is also marred by his role in the forced removal of Native Americans from their lands in the Southeast.

3. Tennessee Statehood: On March 21, 1804, the territory of Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state. The state's name comes from the Cherokee word "Tana-see," meaning "The Meeting Place," reflecting the area's importance as a crossroads for trade and exchange.

4. Battle of Shiloh: On March 21-22, 1862, the Union and Confederate armies clashed in the Battle of Shiloh, which took place near Pittsburgh Landing in southwestern Tennessee. The battle resulted in a Union victory, but with heavy casualties on both sides. The bloody conflict marked a turning point in the Civil War, and led to a renewed commitment on both sides to the continuation of the conflict.

5. Tennessee Waltz Scandal: On March 21, 2005, official investigations were launched into a bribery scandal in the Tennessee state government, known as the Tennessee Waltz. The investigation led to the indictment of several state officials and lobbyists on charges of accepting bribes in exchange for political favors. The scandal rocked the state government and led to a wave of political reforms.