May 21, 1981 (Thursday)
- The World Health Organization approved the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes by a vote of 118 to 1. The lone vote against the code came from the United States.
- François Mitterrand was inaugurated as President of France for the first of two terms of seven years each.
- The New York Islanders won their second consecutive Stanley Cup, beating the Minnesota North Stars 5-1 in Game 5 of the series.
- The mysterious death of a 15 month old infant became the first sign that ICU Nurse Genene Jones was murdering her young patients.
- Born: Anna Rogowska, Polish pole vaulter, in Gdynia; and Josh Hamilton, American baseball player, in Raleigh, NC
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