- Martin Agricola [Sohr], German Renaissance composer, cantor, and music theorist, born in Świebodzin, Bohemian Silesia (d. 1556)
- Thomas Chittenden, American politician (1st Governor of Vermont, 1791-97; Governor of Vermont Republic, 1778-89 and 1790-91), born in East Guilford, British Colony of Connecticut (d. 1797)
- John Calvin Brown, Major General (Confederate Army), born in Giles County, Tennessee (d. 1889)
- Finn Einar Mortensen, Norwegian composer, born in Oslo, Norway (d. 1983)
- Paul Wilson, American doo-wop baritone singer (Flamingos, 1953-64 - "I Only Have Eyes For You"; "Lovers Never Say Goodbye"), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1988)
- Barry John, Welsh rugby union fly-half (25 Tests Wales, 5 British and Irish Lions; Cefneithin RFC, Llanelli RFC, Cardiff RFC, Barbarian FC), born in Cefneithin, Wales (d. 2024)
- Kathy Sledge, American vocalist (Sister Sledge - "We are Family"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Howie Long, American NFL tackle/actor/broadcaster (Broken Arrow), born in Somerville, Massachusetts
- Bronze memorial statue of explorer Henry Hudson erected in the Bronx, New York
- The beginning of the first GPS epoch
- Israel begins an assault on the Gaza Strip
- The NHL reaches an agreement to end a 113 day lockout
- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un says country's five-year economic plan has failed at opening of a rare meeting of the Workers' Party
- Claude Favre de Vaugelas, Savoyard grammarian and man of letters, born in Meximieux, Duchy of Savoy (d. 1650)
- Clement Reid, English geologist and paleobotanist, first to suggest a drowned land bridge between Britain and Europe (now called Doggerland), born in London (d. 1916)
- Sophie-Carmen "Sonia" Eckhardt-Gramatté, Russian-Canadian pianist and composer, born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1974)
- John Gerak, NFL tight end/guide (Minnesota Vikings, St Louis Rams), born in Youngstown, Ohio
- Gilbert Arenas, American basketball player, born in Tampa, Florida