2003 – Coup in São Tomé and Príncipe
Fernando Pereira staged a military coup against the elected government of Fradique de Menezes.
1994 – Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 collides with Jupiter
The Jupiter orbiting comet collided with Jupiter. It was the first time in recorded history that astronomers had observed a collision between two celestial objects.
1981 – Mahathir bin Mohamad takes office for the first time
Mohmad, took office as the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia and remained in the position until 2003, becoming Malayasia's longest serving prime minister and Asia's longest serving politician.
1979 – Iraqi president, Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr resigns
The fourth president of Iraq resigned from his post citing health reasons and promoted his Vice President, Saddam Hussein to the post of President.
1951 – The Catcher in the Rye is published
The book, written by J.D. Salinger is considered to be one of the top 100 works of fiction of the 20th century.
1967 – Will Ferrell
American comedian, actor
1947 – Assata Shakur
American activist, criminal
1907 – Orville Redenbacher
American farmer, businessman
1872 – Roald Amundsen
Norwegian explorer
1862 – Ida B. Wells
American civil rights activist
1960 – Albert Kesselring
German field marshal
1915 – Ellen G. White
American author, co-founder of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church
1882 – Mary Todd Lincoln
American wife of Abraham Lincoln, 17th First Lady of the United States
1747 – Giuseppe Crespi
Italian painter
1557 – Anne of Cleves
Change Date: