- Alexander Jagiellon, Grand Duke of Lithuania (1492-1506) and King of Poland (1501-6), born in Kraków, Poland (d. 1506)
- Anne Le Fèvre Dacier, French scholar, classicist, and the first woman to translate Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey", born in Preuilly-sur-Claise, France (d. 1720)
- Tom Thomson, Canadian painter, born in Claremont, Ontario (d. 1917)
- Ralph Baruch [Rudolph Maximilian Baruch], German-American media executive and the founding president of Viacom (1971-83), born in Frankfurt, Germany (d. 2016)
- Gay Byrne, Irish radio and television host (The Late Late Show 1962-99), born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 2019)
- Rodney Pattison, British yachtsman (Olympic gold Flying Dutchman class 1968, 72; silver 1976), born in Campbeltown, Scotland
- David Hungate, American rock bassist (Toto, 1976-1982 and 2014-15, "Rosanna", "Africa"), and Nashville session musician, born in Troy, Missouri
- Kō Shibasaki, Japanese singer and actress (47 Ronin), born in Toshima, Japan
- Battle of Mobile Bay won by the Union Navy, led by Rear Admiral David Farragut with the cry "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"
- Stevie Wonder signs a 7-year, 7-album contract with a $13 million advance with Motown Records
- British rocker Billy Idol admitted to the hospital after drug overdose in Los Angeles, California
- Discovery of Skull 5, the earliest complete Homo erectus skull aged 1.8 million years, at Dmanisi, Georgia, by archaeologist David Lordkipanidze, site of the first known hominins to leave Africa
- British graffiti artist Banksy begins a series of animal artworks around London with a goat near Kew Bridge
- William Allen, American loyalist, Chief Justice of the Province of Pennsylvania and Mayor of Philadelphia, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1780)
- Bodi Rapp [Johanna Goetmakers], Dutch mezzo-soprano and teacher, born in Almelo, Netherlands (d. 1977)
- Anita Colby, American model, author and actress (Mary of Scotland, Cover Girl, Pepsi Cola Playhouse), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 1992)
- Mark Strong [Marco Salussolia], English stage and screen actor (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; A View from a Bridge; 1917), born in Islington, London
- Yungblud [Dominic Harrison], English singer-songwriter (Weird!) and actor, born in Doncaster, England
