- Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Taishōgun, the first ruling shogun in the history of Japan and de facto ruler
- Federal troops occupy Helena, Arkansas
- Frederick McKinley Jones receives a patent for an air conditioning unit for trucks, helping to change long-haul carriage of food and blood
- “Disco Demolition Night” at Comiskey Park: fans go wild destroying disco records and cause the White Sox to forfeit the second game of a doubleheader to the Detroit Tigers
- World's longest fingernails are cut off; Indian man Shridhar Chillal's left-hand nails measured a combined total of 909.6 cm (358.1 inches) after growing for 66 years
- Barbara Cowsill, American singer and rock band mother (The Cowsills - "Hair"; "We Can Fly"), born in Cranston, Rhode Island (d. 1985)
- Brian Cant, British stage and screen actor and children's television presenter (Play School, 1964-85), born in Ipswich, Suffolk, England (d. 2017)
- Hans Tilkowski, German soccer goalkeeper (39 caps, West Germany; Westfalia Herne, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt), born in Husen, Germany (d. 2020)
- Mel Harris [Mary Ellen], American actress (Hope-30 Something), born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
- (Christopher) "Topher" Grace, American stage and screen actor (That '70s Show -"Eric"; In Good Company; Home Economics), born in New York City