Events
January
*
January 1
January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian Calendar; 364 days remain until the end of the year (365 in leap years). This day is also known as New Year's Day since the day marks the beginning of the year. __TOC__
Events ...
**
United Nations Secretary-General
The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or UNSECGEN) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the United Nations System#Six principal organs, six principal organs of ...
Kurt Waldheim
Kurt Josef Waldheim (21 December 1918 – 14 June 2007) was an Austrian politician and diplomat. Waldheim was the Secretary-General of the United Nations#List of secretaries-general, secretary-general of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981 a ...
heralds the start of the ''
International Year of the Child
UNESCO proclaimed 1979 as the International Year of the Child. The proclamation was signed on January 1, 1979, by United Nations Secretary General Kurt Waldheim. A follow-up to the 1959 Declaration of the Rights of the Child, the proclamation ...
''. Many musicians donate to the ''
Music for UNICEF Concert
The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song was a benefit concert of popular music held in the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on January 9, 1979. It was intended to raise money for UNICEF world hunger programs and to mark the ...
'' fund, among them
ABBA
ABBA ( ) were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the List ...
, who write the song ''
Chiquitita
"Chiquitita" ("Little Girl" in Spanish) is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in January 1979 as the first single from '' Voulez-Vous'' (1979), the group's sixth album. Agnetha Fältskog performs the lead vocals. Origin ...
'' to commemorate the event.
** In 1979, the United States officially severed diplomatic ties with the
Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
(
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
). This decision marked a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, turning to view the People's Republic of
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
as the sole legitimate representative of China.
** The United States and the People's Republic of China establish full
diplomatic relations
Diplomacy is the communication by representatives of state, intergovernmental, or non-governmental institutions intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern Diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. ...
.
** Following a deal agreed during 1978,
French
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band), ...
carmaker
Peugeot
Peugeot (, , ) is a French automobile brand owned by Stellantis.
The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was established in 1810, making it the oldest car company in the world. On 20 November 1858, Émile Peugeot applie ...
completes a takeover of American manufacturer
Chrysler
FCA US, LLC, Trade name, doing business as Stellantis North America and known historically as Chrysler ( ), is one of the "Big Three (automobile manufacturers), Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn H ...
's
European operations, which are based in
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales
* The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...
's former
Rootes Group
The Rootes Group was a British automobile manufacturer and, separately, a major motor distributors and dealers business. From headquarters in the West End of London, the manufacturer was based in the English Midlands, Midlands and the distribu ...
factories, as well as the former
Simca
Simca (; Mechanical and Automotive Body Manufacturing Company) was a French automaker, founded in November 1934 by Fiat S.p.A. and directed from July 1935 to May 1963 by Italy, Italian Henri Pigozzi. Simca was affiliated with Fiat and, after Simc ...
factories in
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
.
*
January 6
Events Pre-1600
* 1066 – Following the death of Edward the Confessor on the previous day, the Witan meets to confirm Harold Godwinson as the new King of England; Harold is crowned the same day, sparking a succession crisis that will ...
–
Geylang Bahru family murders
The Geylang Bahru family murders occurred in Singapore on 6 January 1979. All four children in the Tan family were found dead in their flat, at Block 58 Geylang Bahru. They were hacked, stabbed and slashed to death and their bodies were left pil ...
: Four children, aged five to ten, are brutally killed in
Geylang Bahru
Geylang Bahru is a subzone within the planning area of Kallang, Singapore, as defined by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). It is bounded by the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) in the east; the Pelton Canal in the south; the Kallang River in ...
,
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
.
*
January 7
Events Pre-1600
*49 BC – The Senate of the Roman Republic, Senate of Rome says that Caesar will be declared a public enemy unless he disbands his army, prompting the tribunes who support him to flee to where Caesar is waiting in Ravenna ...
–
Cambodian–Vietnamese War
The Cambodian–Vietnamese War was an armed conflict between Democratic Kampuchea, controlled by Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge, and the Vietnam, Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It began in December 1978, with a Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia which to ...
: The
People's Army of Vietnam
The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), officially the Vietnam People's Army (VPA; , , ), also recognized as the Vietnamese Army (), the People's Army () or colloquially the Troops ( ), is the national Military, military force of the Vietnam, S ...
and Vietnamese-backed
Cambodian insurgents announce the fall of
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...
,
Cambodia
Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
, and the collapse of the
Pol Pot
Pol Pot (born Saloth Sâr; 19 May 1925 – 15 April 1998) was a Cambodian politician, revolutionary, and dictator who ruled the communist state of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976 until Cambodian–Vietnamese War, his overthrow in 1979. During ...
regime. Pol Pot and the
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), and by extension to Democratic Kampuchea, which ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. The name was coined in the 1960s by Norodom Sihano ...
retreat west to an area along the
Thai border, ending large-scale fighting.
*
January 8
Events Pre-1600
* 307 – Emperor Huai of Jin, Sima Chi becomes emperor of the Jin dynasty (266–420), Jin dynasty in succession to his brother, Emperor Hui of Jin, Sima Zhong, despite a challenge from his other brother, Sima Ying.
* 871 ...
–
Whiddy Island Disaster
The Whiddy Island disaster, also known as the ''Betelgeuse'' incident or ''Betelgeuse'' disaster, occurred on 8 January 1979, around 1:00 am, when the oil tanker ''Betelgeuse'' exploded in Bantry Bay, at the offshore jetty for the oil term ...
: The French tanker ''Betelgeuse'' explodes at the Gulf Oil terminal at
Bantry
Bantry () is a town in the civil parish of Kilmocomoge in the barony of Bantry on the southwest coast of County Cork, Ireland. It lies in West Cork at the head of Bantry Bay, a deep-water gulf extending for to the west. The Beara Peninsula i ...
, Ireland; 50 people are killed.
*
January 9
Events Pre-1600
* 681 – Twelfth Council of Toledo: King Erwig of the Visigoths initiates a council in which he implements diverse measures against the Jews in Spain.
* 1038 – An earthquake in Dingxiang, China kills an estimate ...
– The ''
Music for UNICEF Concert
The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song was a benefit concert of popular music held in the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on January 9, 1979. It was intended to raise money for UNICEF world hunger programs and to mark the ...
'' is held at the
United Nations General Assembly
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; , AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its Seventy-ninth session of th ...
to raise money for
UNICEF
UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...
and promote the Year of the Child. It is broadcast the following day in the United States and around the world. Hosted by the
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees
were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry Gibb, Barry, Robin Gibb, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in ...
, other performers include
Donna Summer
Donna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music ...
,
ABBA
ABBA ( ) were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the List ...
,
Rod Stewart
Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
and
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire (abbreviated as EW&F or EWF) is an American band formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1969. Their music spans multiple genres, including jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling ba ...
. A soundtrack album is later released.
*
January 16
Events Pre-1600
* 1458 BC – Hatshepsut dies at the age of 50 and is buried in the Valley of the Kings.
* 27 BC – Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus is granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the R ...
– Shah
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (26 October 1919 – 27 July 1980) was the last List of monarchs of Iran, Shah of Iran, ruling from 1941 to 1979. He succeeded his father Reza Shah and ruled the Imperial State of Iran until he was overthrown by the ...
flees
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
with his family, relocating to
Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
after a year of turmoil.
*
January 19
Events Pre-1600
* 379 – Emperor Gratian elevates Flavius Theodosius at Sirmium to '' Augustus'', and gives him authority over all the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire.
* 649 – Conquest of Kucha: The forces of Kucha surren ...
– Former U.S. Attorney General
John N. Mitchell
John Newton Mitchell (September 5, 1913 – November 9, 1988) was the 67th attorney general of the United States, serving under President Richard Nixon and was chairman of Nixon's 1968 and 1972 presidential campaigns. Prior to that, he had been ...
is released on
parole
Parole, also known as provisional release, supervised release, or being on paper, is a form of early release of a prisoner, prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated ...
after 19 months at a federal prison in Alabama.
*
January 22
Events Pre-1600
* 613 – Eight-month-old Heraclius Constantine is crowned as co-emperor ('' Caesar'') by his father Heraclius at Constantinople.
* 871 – Battle of Basing: The West Saxons led by King Æthelred I are defeated b ...
–
Uganda–Tanzania War
The Uganda–Tanzania War, known in Tanzania as the Kagera War (Kiswahili: ''Vita vya Kagera'') and in Uganda as the 1979 Liberation War, was fought between Uganda and Tanzania from October 1978 until June 1979 and led to the overthrow of Ugand ...
:
Battle of Mutukula: The
Tanzania
Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
n military captures the
Uganda
Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
n border town of
Mutukula after a short battle.
*
January 25
Events Pre-1600
* 41 – After a night of negotiation, Claudius is accepted as Roman emperor by the Senate.
* 750 – In the Battle of the Zab, the Abbasid rebels defeat the Umayyad Caliphate, leading to the overthrow of the dyn ...
–
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005.
In his you ...
arrives in Mexico City for his first visit to Mexico, mainly for 1979's
Latin American Episcopal Conference
The Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (; ), better known as CELAM, is a council of the Catholic bishops in Latin America, created in 1955 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is based in Bogotá, Colombia.
Early history
From July 25 to A ...
(CELAM) or Conference of
Puebla
Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...
.
*
January 28
Events Pre-1600
*AD 98, 98 – On the death of Nerva, Trajan is declared Roman emperor in Cologne, the seat of his government in lower Germany.
* 814 – The death of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, brings about the accessi ...
–
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping also Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Teng Hsiao-p'ing; born Xiansheng (). (22 August 190419 February 1997) was a Chinese statesman, revolutionary, and political theorist who served as the paramount leader of the People's R ...
arrives in Washington, D.C., for the
first visit of a
paramount leader
Paramount leader () is an informal term for the most important Supreme leader, political figure in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). The paramount leader typically controls the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People's Liberatio ...
of the People's Republic of China to the United States.
February

*
February 1
Events Pre-1600
* 1327 – The teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer.
* 1411 – The First Peace of Thorn is signed in Thorn (Toruń), ...
–
Ayatollah
Ayatollah (, ; ; ) is an Title of honor, honorific title for high-ranking Twelver Shia clergy. It came into widespread usage in the 20th century.
Originally used as a title bestowed by popular/clerical acclaim for a small number of the most di ...
Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 or 24 September 19023 June 1989) was an Iranian revolutionary, politician, political theorist, and religious leader. He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the main leader of the Iranian ...
returns to
Tehran
Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
,
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
after nearly 15 years of
exile
Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...
.
*
February 3
Events Pre-1600
* 1047 – Drogo of Hauteville is elected as count of the Apulian Normans during the Norman conquest of Southern Italy.
* 1112 – Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona, and Douce I, Countess of Provence, marry, u ...
– Ayatollah Khomeini creates the
Council of the Islamic Revolution
The Council of the Islamic Revolution () was a group formed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to manage the Iranian Revolution on 10 January 1979, shortly before he returned to Iran. "Over the next few months there issued from the council hundreds ...
.
*
February 7
Events Pre-1600
* 457 – Leo I becomes the Eastern Roman emperor.
* 987 – Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros, Byzantine generals of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II.
* 1301 & ...
**
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...
: Supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini take over the Iranian law enforcement, courts, and government administration; the final session of the Iranian
National Consultative Assembly
The National Consultative Assembly (), or simply Majles, was the national legislative body of Iran from 1906 to 1979.
It was elected by universal suffrage
Universal suffrage or universal franchise ensures the right to vote for as many people ...
is held.
**
Pluto
Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of Trans-Neptunian object, bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object to directly orbit the Su ...
moves inside
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun. It is the List of Solar System objects by size, fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 t ...
's orbit for the first time since either was known to science.
** Nazi criminal
Josef Mengele
Josef Mengele (; 16 March 19117 February 1979) was a Nazi German (SS) officer and physician during World War II at the Russian front and then at Auschwitz during the Holocaust, often dubbed the "Angel of Death" (). He performed Nazi hum ...
suffers a fatal stroke and drowns while swimming in
Bertioga
Bertioga is a Brazilian municipality in the state of São Paulo and part of the Baixada Santista Metropolitan Region. Its population is 64,723 (2020 est.) in an area of 490.15 km2. Because it neighbors resort towns, its population fluctuates ...
,
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. His remains are found in
1985
The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** The Internet's Domain Name System is created.
** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...
.
*
February 10
Events Pre-1600
* 1258 – The Siege of Baghdad ends with the surrender of the last Abbasid caliph to Hulegu Khan, a prince of the Mongol Empire.
* 1306 – In front of the high altar of Greyfriars Church in Dumfries, Robert the Bru ...
–
11 – The Iranian Revolution ends with the Iranian army withdrawing to its barracks leaving power in the hands of Ayatollah
Khomeini
Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 or 24 September 19023 June 1989) was an Iranian revolutionary, politician, political theorist, and religious leader. He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the main leader of the Iranian ...
, ending the
Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty () is an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian royal dynasty that was the Pahlavi Iran, last to rule Iran before the country's monarchy was abolished by the Iranian Revolution in 1979. It was founded in 1925 by Reza Shah, Reza S ...
.
*
February 11
Events Pre-1600
* 660 BC – Traditional date for the foundation of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
* 55 – The death under mysterious circumstances of Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, heir to the Roman Empire, on the eve of his comin ...
– Uganda–Tanzania War:
Battle of Simba Hills: The Tanzanian military began its assault on the Simba Hills near the town of
Kakuuto.
*
February 12
Events Pre-1600
* 1096 – Pope Urban II confirms the foundation of the abbey of La Roë under Robert of Arbrissel as a community of canons regular.
* 1404 – The Italian professor Galeazzo di Santa Sofia performed the first post- ...
– Prime Minister
Hissène Habré
Hissène Habré (Arabic: ''Ḥusaīn Ḥabrī'', Chadian Arabic: ; ; 13 August 1942 – 24 August 2021), also spelled Hissen Habré, was a Chadian politician and convicted war criminal who served as the 5th president of Chad from 1982 unt ...
starts the Battle of N'Djamena in an attempt to overthrow
Chad
Chad, officially the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North Africa, North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to Chad–Libya border, the north, Sudan to Chad–Sudan border, the east, the Central Afric ...
's President
Félix Malloum
Félix Malloum Ngakoutou Bey-Ndi ( '; 10 September 1932 – 12 June 2009), better known as Félix Malloum, was a Chadian military officer and politician who served as the second President of Chad from 1975 to 1978.
A native of southern Chad, ...
.
*
February 13
Events Pre-1600
* 962 – Emperor Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I and Pope Pope John XII, John XII co-sign the ''Diploma Ottonianum'', recognizing John as ruler of Rome.
*1258 – Siege of Baghdad (1258), Siege of Baghdad: Hulegu Kh ...
** An intense
windstorm
A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm) ...
strikes western
Washington
Washington most commonly refers to:
* George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States
* Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A ...
and sinks a long section of the
Hood Canal Bridge
The Hood Canal Bridge (officially William A. Bugge Bridge) is a floating bridge in the northwest United States, located in western Washington. It carries State Route 104 across Hood Canal in Puget Sound and connects the Olympic and Kitsap ...
.
** The
Guardian Angels
A guardian angel is a type of angel that is assigned to protect and guide a particular person, group or nation. Belief in tutelary beings can be traced throughout all antiquity. The idea of angels that guard over people played a major role i ...
are formed in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
as an unarmed organization of young crime fighters.
*
February 14
It is observed in most countries as Valentine's Day.
Events Pre-1600
* 748 – Abbasid Revolution#Persian phase, Abbasid Revolution: The Kaysanites Shia#History, Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad ...
– In
Kabul
Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province. The city is divided for administration into #Districts, 22 municipal districts. A ...
, Muslim extremists kidnap the American ambassador to
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
,
Adolph Dubs, who is killed during a gunfight between his kidnappers and police.
*
February 15
Events Pre-1600
* 438 – Roman emperor Theodosius II publishes the law codex Codex Theodosianus
* 590 – Khosrau II is crowned king of Persia.
* 706 – Byzantine emperor Justinian II has his predecessors Leontios and Ti ...
– A
suspected gas explosion in a
Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
bank kills 49 people.
*
February 17
Events Pre-1600
* 1370 – Northern Crusades: Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Teutonic Knights meet in the Battle of Rudau.
* 1411 – Following the successful campaigns during the Ottoman Interregnum, Musa Çelebi, one of the sons ...
– The People's Republic of China invades northern
Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
, launching the
Sino-Vietnamese War
The Sino-Vietnamese War (also known by other names) was a brief conflict that occurred in early 1979 between China and Vietnam. China launched an offensive ostensibly in response to Vietnam's invasion and occupation of Cambodia in 1978, whi ...
.
*
February 18
Events Pre-1600
* 3102 BC – Kali Yuga, the fourth and final yuga of Hinduism, starts with the death of Krishna.
* 1229 – The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, signs a ten-year truce with al-Kamil, regaining J ...
**The
1979 Daytona 500
The 1979 Daytona 500, the 21st annual running of the event, was the second race of the 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. It was held on February 18, 1979 at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida. It has been called the ...
is televised on
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
, the first ever full airing of a 500-mile race on US
television
Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
,
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty (born July 2, 1937), nicknamed "the King", is an American former stock car racing driver who competed from 1958 to 1992 in the former NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series (now called the NASCAR Cup Series), most nota ...
wins after
Cale Yarborough
William Caleb Yarborough (March 27, 1939 – December 31, 2023) was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner, businessman, farmer, and rancher. He was the first driver in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships, winn ...
and
Donnie Allison
Donnie Allison (born September 7, 1939) is an American former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned from 1966 to 1988. He is part of the " Alabama Gang", and is the br ...
battle for first place on the final lap and crash out, leading to a fist fight. This race brought
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
to a wider audience.
** The Khomeini government in Iran cuts
diplomatic relations
Diplomacy is the communication by representatives of state, intergovernmental, or non-governmental institutions intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern Diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. ...
with
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
.
*
February 21
Events Pre-1600
* 452 or 453 – Severianus, Bishop of Scythopolis, is martyred in Palestine.
* 1245 – Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland, is granted resignation after confessing to torture and forgery.
* 1440 – The ...
– Uganda–Tanzania War:
Battle of Gayaza Hills: A Tanzanian brigade successfully dislodged Ugandan forces from the Gayaza Hills. The battle is hard-fought, and the Tanzanians suffer their largest number of casualties in a single engagement of the war.
*
February 22
Events Pre-1600
* 1076 – Having received a letter during the Lenten synod of 14–20 February demanding that he abdicate, Pope Gregory VII excommunicates Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor.
* 1316 – The Battle of Picotin, between Fer ...
–
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. Part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Saint Vincent ...
becomes independent from the United Kingdom.
*
February 26
Events Pre-1600
* 747 BC – According to Ptolemy, the epoch (origin) of the Nabonassar Era began at noon on this date. Historians use this to establish the modern BC chronology for dating historic events.
* 320 – Chandragupta ...
** A
total solar eclipse
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of Earth, totally or partially. Such an alignment occurs approximately every six months, during the eclipse season i ...
, the last visible from the continental United States until 2017, arcs over northwestern
conterminous US and central Canada ending in Greenland. A partial solar eclipse is visible over almost all of North America and Central America including the eastern half of Alaska and the western half of the UK.
** The
Superliner railcar enters revenue service with
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
.
*
February 27
Events Pre-1600
* 380 – Edict of Thessalonica: Emperor Theodosius I and his co-emperors Gratian and Valentinian II declare their wish that all Roman citizens convert to Nicene Christianity.
* 425 – The University of Constantin ...
**The annual
Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras (, ; also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the final day of Carnival (also known as Shrovetide or Fastelavn); it thus falls on the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. is French for "Fat Tuesday", referring to it being ...
celebration in
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
is cancelled due to a strike called by the
New Orleans Police Department
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has primary responsibility for law enforcement in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The department's jurisdiction covers all of Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Orleans Parish, while the city itself is div ...
.
**The Soviet oil tanker
''Antonio Gramsci'' suffers a minor shipwreck in shallow waters shortly after leaving shore in
Ventspils
Ventspils () is a state city in northwestern Latvia in the historical Courland region of Latvia, and is the sixth largest city in the country.
At the beginning of 2020, Ventspils had a population of 33,906. It is situated on the Venta River and ...
, resulting in a 5,000 ton oil spill, the largest that has ever occurred on the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
.
March
*
March 1
Events Pre-1600
* 509 BC – Publius Valerius Publicola celebrates the first triumph of the Roman Republic after his victory over the deposed king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus at the Battle of Silva Arsia.
* 293 – Emperor Diocleti ...
**
Scottish devolution referendum:
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
votes in favour of a Scottish Assembly, which is not implemented due to failing a condition that at least 40% of the electorate must support the proposal; in a
Welsh devolution referendum,
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
votes against devolution.
**
Philips
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), simply branded Philips, is a Dutch multinational health technology company that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, its world headquarters have been situated in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarter ...
publicly demonstrate a prototype of an
optical digital audio disc at a press conference in
Eindhoven
Eindhoven ( ; ) is a city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, located in the southern Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant, of which it is the largest municipality, and is also locat ...
, Netherlands.
*
March 2
Events Pre-1600
* 537 – Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoth army under king Vitiges begins the siege of the capital. Belisarius conducts a delaying action outside the Flaminian Gate; he and a detachment of his '' bucellarii'' are almost ...
– Uganda–Tanzania War:
Battle of Tororo: Ugandan rebels attack and capture the town of
Tororo
Tororo is a town in the Eastern Region, Uganda, Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Tororo District.
History
Tororo was garrisoned by the Uganda Army (1971–1980), Uganda Army's Air an ...
.
*
March 4
Events Pre-1600
* AD 51 – Nero, later to become Roman emperor, is given the title '' princeps iuventutis'' (head of the youth).
* 306 – Martyrdom of Saint Adrian of Nicomedia.
* 581 – Yang Jian declares himself Emperor ...
** The U.S. ''
Voyager 1
''Voyager 1'' is a space probe launched by NASA on September 5, 1977, as part of the Voyager program to study the outer Solar System and the interstellar medium, interstellar space beyond the Sun's heliosphere. It was launched 16 days afte ...
'' spaceprobe photos reveal
Jupiter's rings.
** Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Tororo: The Ugandan military retakes Tororo from rebels.
*
March 5
Events Pre-1600
* 363 – Roman emperor Julian leaves Antioch with an army of 90,000 to attack the Sasanian Empire, in a campaign which would bring about his own death.
* 1046 – Nasir Khusraw begins the seven-year Middle Easte ...
– ''Voyager 1'' makes its closest approach to
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a Jupiter mass, mass more than 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined a ...
at .
*
March 7
Events Pre-1600
* 161 – Marcus Aurelius and L. Commodus (who changes his name to Lucius Verus) become joint emperors of Rome on the death of Antoninus Pius.
* 1138 – Konrad III von Hohenstaufen was elected king of Germany at Cobl ...
– The largest
Magnetar
A magnetar is a type of neutron star with an extremely powerful magnetic field (~109 to 1011 T, ~1013 to 1015 G). The magnetic-field decay powers the emission of high-energy electromagnetic radiation, particularly X-rays and gamma rays.Ward; Br ...
(
Soft gamma repeater
A soft gamma repeater (SGR) is an astronomical object which emits large bursts of gamma-rays and X-rays at irregular intervals. It is conjectured that they are a type of magnetar or, alternatively, neutron stars with fossil disks around them.
H ...
) event is recorded.
*
March 8
Events Pre-1600
* 1010 – Ferdowsi completes his epic poem '' Shahnameh''.
* 1126 – Following the death of his mother, queen Urraca of León, Alfonso VII is proclaimed king of León.
* 1262 – Battle of Hausbergen between ...
**
Philips
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), simply branded Philips, is a Dutch multinational health technology company that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, its world headquarters have been situated in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarter ...
demonstrates the
compact disc
The compact disc (CD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. It employs the Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA) standard and was capable of hol ...
publicly for the first time.
** Thousands of women participate in the
International Women's Day Protests in Tehran, 1979
On International Women's Day on March 8, 1979, a women's march took place in Tehran in Iran. The march was originally intended to celebrate the International Women's Day, but transformed into massive protests against the changes taking place in ...
against the introduction of mandatory veiling during the
Iranian revolution
The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...
.
** Images taken by ''Voyager 1'' prove the
existence of volcanoes on
Io, a
moon of Jupiter
There are 97 moons of Jupiter with confirmed orbits . This number does not include a number of meter-sized moonlets thought to be shed from the inner moons, nor hundreds of possible kilometer-sized outer irregular moons that were only briefly ...
.
*
March 10
Events Pre-1600
* 241 BC – First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates: The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing the First Punic War to an end.
* 298 – Roman Emperor Maximian concludes his campaign in North Africa and makes ...
– Uganda–Tanzania War:
Battle of Lukaya
The Battle of Lukaya (Kiswahili: ''Mapigano ya Lukaya'') was a battle of the Uganda–Tanzania War. It was fought on 10 and 11 March 1979 around Lukaya, Uganda, Lukaya, Uganda, between Tanzanian forces (supported by Ugandan rebels) and Ugandan go ...
: The Ugandan military, a Libyan expeditionary force and allied
Palestine Liberation Organisation
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO; ) is a Palestinian nationalist coalition that is internationally recognized as the official representative of the Palestinian people in both the occupied Palestinian territories and the diaspora. ...
militants begin a counter-offensive against Tanzanian troops in south-central Uganda. The Ugandan-led alliance retakes
Lukaya after a short clash with the Tanzanian military.
*
March 11
Events Pre-1600
* 843 – Triumph of Orthodoxy: Empress Theodora II restores the veneration of icons in the Orthodox churches in the Byzantine Empire.
* 1343 – Arnošt of Pardubice becomes the last Bishop of Prague (3 March 13 ...
– Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Lukaya: The Tanzanian military counter-attacks at Lukaya, completely defeating the Ugandan-led alliance. This defeat permanently cripples the Ugandan military.
*
March 13
Events Pre-1600
* 222 – Roman emperor Elagabalus is murdered alongside his mother, Julia Soaemias. He is replaced by his 14-year old cousin, Severus Alexander.
* 624 – The Battle of Badr, the first major battle between the Mu ...
–
Maurice Bishop
Maurice Rupert Bishop (29 May 1944 – 19 October 1983) was a Grenada, Grenadian revolutionary and the leader of the New Jewel Movement (NJM) – a Marxist–Leninist party that sought to prioritise socio-economic development, education and bla ...
leads a successful coup in
Grenada
Grenada is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The southernmost of the Windward Islands, Grenada is directly south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and about north of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and the So ...
. His government will be crushed by
American intervention in
1983
1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call.
Events January
* January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...
.
*
March 14
Events Pre-1600
* 1074 – Battle of Mogyoród: Dukes Géza and Ladislaus defeat their cousin Solomon, King of Hungary, forcing him to flee to Hungary's western borderland.
* 1590 – Battle of Ivry: Henry of Navarre and the H ...
– In China, a
Hawker Siddeley Trident
The Hawker Siddeley HS-121 Trident (originally the de Havilland DH.121 and briefly the Airco DH.121) is a British airliner produced by Hawker Siddeley.
In 1957, de Havilland proposed its DH.121 trijet design to a British European Airways (BEA ...
crashes into a factory near Beijing, killing 31 people on the ground and injuring 200.
*
March 16
Events Pre-1600
* 1190 – Massacre of Jews at Clifford's Tower, York.
* 1244 – Over 200 Cathars who refuse to recant are burnt to death after the Fall of Montségur.
* 1355 – Amidst the Red Turban Rebellions, Han Lin'er, ...
**End of major hostilities in the
Sino-Vietnamese War
The Sino-Vietnamese War (also known by other names) was a brief conflict that occurred in early 1979 between China and Vietnam. China launched an offensive ostensibly in response to Vietnam's invasion and occupation of Cambodia in 1978, whi ...
.
** In his letter to the United Nations,
Elisio De Figueiredo, the People's Republic of Angola's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, requests an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the question of
South Africa's continuous acts of aggression in Angola.
*
March 17
Events Pre-1600
* 45 BC – In his last victory, Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in the Battle of Munda.
* 180 – Commodus becomes sole emperor of the Roman Empire at the age of ...
– The
Penmanshiel Tunnel in the UK collapses, killing two workers.
*
March 19
Events Pre-1600
* 1277 – The Byzantine–Venetian treaty of 1277 is concluded, stipulating a two-year truce and renewing Venetian commercial privileges in the Byzantine Empire.
* 1279 – A Mongol victory at the Battle of Yamen en ...
–
C-SPAN
Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN ) is an American Cable television in the United States, cable and Satellite television in the United States, satellite television network, created in 1979 by the cable television industry as a Non ...
, an American television channel focusing on government and public affairs, is launched.
*
March 18
Events Pre-1600
* 37 – Roman Senate annuls Tiberius' will and proclaims Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ''(aka Caligula = Little Boots)'' emperor.Tacitus, ''Annals'' V.10.
* 1068 – An earthquake in the Levant and the Ar ...
– Ten miners die in a
methane
Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The abundance of methane on Earth makes ...
gas explosion at
Golborne Colliery near
Wigan
Wigan ( ) is a town in Greater Manchester, England. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. It is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its ad ...
,
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a ceremonial county in North West England. It borders Lancashire to the north, Derbyshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Cheshire to the south, and Merseyside to the west. Its largest settlement is the city of Manchester. ...
, England.
*
March 22
Events Pre-1600
* 106 – Start of the Bostran era, the calendar of the province of Arabia Petraea.
* 235 – Roman emperor Severus Alexander is murdered, marking the start of the Crisis of the Third Century.
* 871 – Æthel ...
– The
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
votes to approve its
merger
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of a company, business organization, or one of their operating units is transferred to or consolidated with another entity. They may happen through direct absorpt ...
with the
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association () was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972–73 WHA season, 1972 to 1978–79 WHA season, 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (N ...
, to take effect in three months, following the leagues' respective postseasons.
*
March 25
Until 1752 it was the official date of the beginning of the year in England and its dominions (in the Julian calendar).
Events Pre-1600
* 410 – The Southern Yan capital of Guanggu falls to the Jin dynasty general Liu Yu, ending th ...
– The first fully functional
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable launch system, reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. ...
orbiter,
''Columbia'', is delivered to the
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC, originally known as the NASA Launch Operations Center), located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of the NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) ten NASA facilities#List of field c ...
, to be prepared for its first launch.
*
March 26
Events Pre-1600
* 590 – Emperor Maurice proclaims his son Theodosius as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire.
* 624 – First Eid al-Fitr celebration.
* 1021 – The death of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, kept secret ...
** In a ceremony at the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
, President
Anwar Sadat
Muhammad Anwar es-Sadat (25 December 1918 – 6 October 1981) was an Egyptian politician and military officer who served as the third president of Egypt, from 15 October 1970 until Assassination of Anwar Sadat, his assassination by fundame ...
of
Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
and Prime Minister
Menachem Begin
Menachem Begin ( ''Menaḥem Begin'', ; (Polish documents, 1931–1937); ; 16 August 1913 – 9 March 1992) was an Israeli politician, founder of both Herut and Likud and the prime minister of Israel.
Before the creation of the state of Isra ...
of
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
sign an
Egypt–Israel peace treaty
The Egypt–Israel peace treaty was signed in Washington, D.C., United States, on 26 March 1979, following the 1978 Camp David Accords. The Egypt–Israel treaty was signed by Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt, and Menachem Begin, Prime Minist ...
.
**
Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...
, led by Magic Johnson, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, defeats Larry Bird-led Indiana State Sycamores men's basketball, Indiana State 75–64 in the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, NCAA tournament 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game, championship game at Salt Lake City.
* March 28
** In Britain, James Callaghan's minority Labour Party (UK), Labour government loses a motion of confidence by one vote, forcing a general election which is to be held on 3 May.
** America's most serious nuclear power plant accident occurs, at Three Mile Island accident, Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania.
* March 29 – Sultan Yahya Petra of Kelantan, the 6th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Head of State) of Malaysia, dies in office. He is replaced by Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang.
* March 30 – Airey Neave, Conservative M.P. in the British House of Commons, is killed, presumably by an Irish National Liberation Army bomb in the car park for the Houses of Parliament.
* March 31
** The last British soldier (belonging to the Royal Navy) leaves the Maltese Islands, after 179 years of presence. Malta declares its Freedom Day (Jum il-Helsien).
** Milk and Honey (Israeli group), Milk and Honey win the Eurovision Song Contest 1979 for
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
, with the song ''Hallelujah (Milk and Honey song), Hallelujah''.
April
* April 1
**
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
's government becomes an Islamic Republic by a 98% vote, overthrowing the Shah officially.
** Nickelodeon launches from QUBE's Pinwheel (TV series), Pinwheel experiment and begins airing on various Warner Cable systems beginning in Buffalo, New York, expanding its audience reach.
**Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Sr. wins his first career
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
race at the 1979 Southeastern 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. He would go on to win 76 races and seven championships during his career.
* April 1–April 18, 18 – Police lock Andreas Mihavecz in a holding cell in Bregenz, Austria and forget about him, leaving him there without food or drink.
* April 2 – Sverdlovsk anthrax leak: A Soviet Union, Soviet biowarfare laboratory at Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk accidentally releases airborne anthrax spores, killing 66 plus an unknown amount of livestock. It is a violation of the Biological Weapons Convention of 1972.
* April 2 – In Japan, the channel of TV Asahi premieres ''Doraemon''.
* April 4 – Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto is executed by hanging for the murder of a political opponent.
* April 6 – 1979 Nepalese student protests, Student protests break out in Nepal.
* April 7 – In Japan, Yoshiyuki Tomino directs ''Mobile Suit Gundam'', the first series of the metaseries of the same name.
* April 10 – A tornado hits Wichita Falls, Texas, killing 42 people (the most notable of 1979 Red River Valley tornado outbreak, 26 tornadoes that day).
* April 11 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Fall of Kampala: Tanzanian troops take Kampala, the capital of Uganda; Idi Amin flees.
* April 13 – The La Soufrière (volcano), La Soufrière volcano erupts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
* April 14 – The Progressive Alliance of Liberia stages a protest, without a permit, against an increase in rice prices proposed by the government, with clashes between protestors and the police resulting over 70 deaths and over 500 injured.
* April 15 – 1979 Montenegro earthquake: A 6.9 shock affects Montenegro (then part of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia) and parts of Albania, causing extensive damage to coastal areas and taking 136 lives; the old town of Budva is devastated.
* April 17 – Schoolchildren in the Central African Republic are arrested (and around 100 killed) for protesting against compulsory school uniforms. An African judicial commission later determines that Emperor Jean-Bédel Bokassa "almost certainly" took part in the massacre.
* April 22 – The Albert Einstein Memorial is unveiled at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C.
* April 23 – Fighting breaks out in London between the Anti-Nazi League and the Metropolitan Police's Special Patrol Group; protester Blair Peach receives fatal injuries during the incident, now officially attributed to the SPG.
May
* May 1 – Greenland is granted limited autonomy from Denmark, with its own Parliament of Greenland, Parliament sitting in Nuuk.
* May 3 – The 1979 United Kingdom general election for the House of Commons takes place, giving the Conservative Party (UK), Conservatives a majority, and designating Margaret Thatcher the nation's first woman prime minister, ending the rule of James Callaghan's Labour Party (UK), Labour government.
* May 4 – Thatcher is appointed the prime minister of the United Kingdom.
* May 8 – Ten shoppers die in Woolworths fire, a fire at the Woolworths department store in Manchester city centre in England.
* May 9
** The Salvadoran Civil War begins.
** The Unabomber bomb injures Northwestern University graduate student John Harris.
* May 10 – The Federated States of Micronesia becomes self-governing.
* May 15 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Lira:
Tanzania
Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
and its Uganda National Liberation Front allies capture Lira, Uganda, from the forces of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
* May 21
** Dan White is convicted of manslaughter, rather than murder, for the assassination of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, after using what would become known as the "Twinkie defense" and persuading a jury that the crime was not premeditated. The maximum sentence is seven years imprisonment, with eligibility for early parole, prompting the "White Night riots" in the gay community.
** The Montreal Canadiens defeat the New York Rangers four games to one to win their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup.
*May 24
**Thorpe Park: Opens its doors having attractions such as Phantom Fantasia also next door had a farm called Thorpe Farm
* May 25
** American Airlines Flight 191: In Chicago, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10, DC-10 crashes during takeoff at O'Hare International Airport, killing all 271 on board and 2 people on the ground in the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history.
** John Spenkelink is executed in Florida, in the first use of the electric chair in America after the reintroduction of the death penalty in 1976.
** Disappearance of Etan Patz, Etan Patz, six years old, is kidnapped in New York. He is often referred to as the "Boy on the Milk Carton" and the investigation later sprouts into one of the most famous child abduction cases of all time. This is a cold case until 2010 when it is re-opened. In April 2017, Pedro Hernandez is convicted of the murder and kidnapping and sentenced to life imprisonment.
* May 27 – 1979 Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis 500: Rick Mears wins the race for the first time, and car owner Roger Penske for the second time.
June
* June 1
** The Vizianagaram district is formed in Andhra Pradesh, India.
** The first black-led government of Rhodesia in 90 years takes power, in succession to Ian Smith and under his power-sharing deal, in the unrecognized republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
** The Seattle SuperSonics win the NBA Championship against the Washington Bullets.
* June 2
**
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005.
In his you ...
arrives in his native Poland on his first official, nine-day stay, becoming the first Pope to visit a Communist country. This visit, known as nine days that changed the world, brings about the solidarity of the Polish people against Communism, ultimately leading to the rise of the Solidarity (Polish trade union), Solidarity movement.
** Los Angeles' city council passes the city's first homosexual rights bill signed without fanfare by mayor Tom Bradley (American politician), Tom Bradley.
* June 3
** Ixtoc I oil spill: A blowout at the Ixtoc I oil well in the southern Gulf of Mexico causes at least 600,000 tons (176,400,000 gallons) of oil to be spilled into the waters, the worst oil spill to date. Some estimate the spill to be 428 million gallons, making it the largest unintentional oil spill until it is surpassed by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill in 2010.
** 1979 Italian general election: The Italian Communist Party loses a significant number of seats.
* June 4
** Joe Clark becomes Canada's 16th and youngest Prime Minister.
** Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings takes power in Ghana after a military coup d'état, coup in which General officer, General Fred Akuffo is overthrown.
** Following the "Muldergate" Information Scandal, John Vorster resigns as State President of South Africa.
[Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices: South Africa: Heads of State: 1961–1994](_blank)
Accessed 14 April 2017.
* June 7 – 1979 European Parliament election: The first direct elections to the European Parliament begin, allowing citizens from across all nine (at this time) European Communities#Members, member states of the European Communities to elect 410 Member of the European Parliament, MEPs. It is also the first international election in history.
* June 9–June 23, 23 – The 1979 Cricket World Cup is held in England with West Indies defeating England in the final.
* June 12 – Bryan Allen (hang glider), Bryan Allen flies the man-powered ''Gossamer Albatross'' across the English Channel.
* June 13 – The 1979 NHL Expansion Draft takes place, restocking the franchises from Edmonton Oilers, Edmonton, Hartford Whalers, Hartford, Quebec Nordiques, Quebec, and Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996), Winnipeg, which are being admitted from the World Hockey Association, WHA as expansion teams.
* June 15
** McDonald's introduces the Happy Meal in the United States in a nationwide advertising campaign after testing the product since February in franchises in the U.S. state of Missouri.
** The ecological horror-thriller ''Prophecy (film), Prophecy'' is theatrical release, released in the United States by Paramount Pictures.
* June 18 – Jimmy Carter and Leonid Brezhnev sign the SALT II agreement in Vienna.
* June 19 – Marais Viljoen becomes State President of South Africa.
* June 20 – A Nicaraguan National Guard soldier kills American Broadcasting Company, ABC TV news correspondent Bill Stewart (television journalist), Bill Stewart and his interpreter Juan Espinosa. Other members of the news crew capture the killing on tape.
* June 22
** Former Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe was acquitted of Thorpe affair, conspiracy to murder Norman Josiffe, Norman Scott, who had accused Thorpe of having a relationship with him.
** The World Hockey Association, WHA formally ceases operations, completing the 1979 NHL expansion, merger with the National Hockey League, NHL.
* June 23 – New South Wales Premier Neville Wran officially opens the Eastern Suburbs Railway in Sydney. It operates as a shuttle between Central and Bondi Junction until full integration with the Illawarra Line in 1980.
* June 24 – The Permanent Peoples' Tribunal, an international opinion tribunal, is founded in Bologna at the initiative of Senator Lelio Basso.
* June 25 – NATO Supreme Allied Commander Alexander Haig escapes an assassination attempt in Belgium by the Red Army Faction, Baader-Meinhof terrorist organization.
July

* July 1
** Sweden becomes the first country to outlaw corporal punishment in the home.
** The Sony Walkman goes on sale for the first time in Japan.
* July 3 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter signs the first directive for secret aid to the opponents of the pro-Soviet regime in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
.
* July 5 – Queen Elizabeth II attends the millennium celebrations of the Isle of Man's Parliament, Tynwald.
* July 8 – Los Angeles passes its gay and lesbian civil rights bill.
* July 9 – A car bomb destroys a Renault owned by Nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld at their home in France. A note purportedly from ODESSA claims responsibility.
* July 11 – NASA's first orbiting space station, ''Skylab'', begins falling back Earth as its orbit decays after more than six years.
* July 12
** The Gilbert Islands become fully independent of the United Kingdom as Kiribati.
** A ''Disco Demolition Night'' publicity stunt goes awry at Comiskey Park, forcing the Chicago White Sox to Forfeit (baseball), forfeit their game against the Detroit Tigers.
** Carmine Galante, boss of the Bonanno crime family, is assassinated in Brooklyn.
** A Hotel Corona de Aragón fire, fire at a hotel in Zaragoza, Spain, leaves 72 dead, the worst hotel fire in Europe in decades.
* July 15 – President Jimmy Carter addresses the nation in a televised speech talking about the "crisis of confidence in America today"; it would go on to be known as his "national malaise" speech.
* July 16 – Iraqi President Hasan al-Bakr resigns and Vice President Saddam al-Tikriti, more commonly referred to in the Western press as "Saddam Hussein", assumes the presidency.
* July 17 – Nicaraguan president General Anastasio Somoza Debayle resigns and flees to Miami.
* July 18 – Over 500 people die after a 1979 Lembata tsunami, tsunami occurs on Lembata Island, triggered by a landslide on the Iliwerung volcano.
* July 21
** The Sandinista National Liberation Front concludes a successful revolutionary campaign against the Somoza dynasty and assumes power in Nicaragua.
** Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo becomes prime minister of Portugal.
** Maritza Sayalero of Venezuela wins the Miss Universe 1979, Miss Universe pageant; the stage collapses after contestants and news photographers rush to her throne.
** The disco music genre dominates and peaks on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, with the first six spots (beginning with
Donna Summer
Donna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music ...
's ''Bad Girls (Donna Summer song), Bad Girls''), and seven of the chart's top ten songs ending that week.
* July 22 – 1979 Ba'ath Party Purge: Ba'athist Iraq, Iraqi president Saddam Hussein arranges the arrest and later execution of nearly seventy members of his ruling Ba'ath Party (Iraqi-dominated faction), Ba'ath Party.
* July 28 – Morarji Desai resigns as India's prime minister and Charan Singh succeeds him.
August
* August 3 – Dictator Francisco Macías Nguema of Equatorial Guinea is overthrown in a bloody coup d'état led by Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
* August 4 – Opening game of the ''German Football League, American Football Bundesliga'' played between Frankfurter Löwen and Düsseldorf Panther, first-ever league game of American football in Germany.
* August 5 – The Polisario Front signs a peace treaty with Mauritania. Mauritania withdraws from the Western Sahara territory it had occupied, and cedes it to the SADR.
* August 6 – Bauhaus (band), Bauhaus releases their debut single "Bela Lugosi's Dead", considered to be the first gothic rock release.
* August 8 – Two American commercial divers, Richard Walker and Victor Guiel, die of hypothermia after their diving bell Wildrake diving accident, becomes stranded at a depth of over in the East Shetland Basin. The legal repercussions of the accident will lead to important safety changes in the diving industry.
* August 9 – Raymond Washington, co-founder of the Crips, today one of the largest, most notorious gangs in the United States, is killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles; the killers have not yet been identified.
* August 10 – Michael Jackson releases his breakthrough album ''Off the Wall''. It sells 7 million copies in the United States alone, making it a 7× platinum album.
* August 11
** The former Mauritanian province of Tiris al-Gharbiyya in Western Sahara is annexed by Morocco.
** The 1979 Machchhu dam failure, Machchu-2 dam in Morbi, India, collapses, killing between 1800 and 25000 people in one of the worst ever dam failures.
* August 14 – 1979 Fastnet race, A freak storm during the Fastnet Race results in the deaths of 15 sailors.
* August 17 – The controversial religious satirical film ''Monty Python's Life of Brian'' premieres in the United States.
* August 27 – The Troubles: Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Lord Mountbatten of Burma and two others are killed in a bombing on his boat in the Republic of Ireland by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). Mountbatten was a British fleet admiral, statesman and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke of Edinburgh. On the same day, the Warrenpoint ambush occurs, killing 18 British soldiers. Doreen Knatchbull, Baroness Brabourne would die in a hospital the following day from injuries sustained in the bombing.
* August 29 – A national referendum is held in which Somalia, Somali voters approve a new liberal constitution, promulgated by Siad Barre, President Siad Barre to placate the United States.
September
* September 1
** The U.S. ''Pioneer 11'' becomes the first spacecraft to visit Saturn when it passes the planet at a distance of .
** Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps is formed.
* September 7 – The first cable sports channel, the Entertainment Sports Programming Network (better known as ESPN), is launched in the United States.
* September 9 – The long-running comic strip ''For Better or For Worse'' begins its run, in Canada, before becoming syndicated elsewhere in North America and the world.
* September 12 – Hurricane Frederic makes landfall at 10:00 p.m. on Alabama's Gulf Coast.
* September 13 – South Africa grants independence to the "homeland" of Venda (not recognised outside South Africa).
* September 16
** East German balloon escape: Two families flee from East Germany by balloon.
** The Sugarhill Gang release ''Rapper's Delight'' in the United States, the first rap Single (music), single to become a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
* September 20 – French paratroopers help David Dacko to overthrow Jean-Bédel Bokassa, Emperor Bokassa in the Central African Empire.
* September 22 – Vela incident: The "South Atlantic Flash" is observed near the Prince Edward Islands in the Indian Ocean, thought to be a nuclear weapons test conducted by South Africa and
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
.
* September 29 – The overthrown dictator Francisco Macías Nguema of Equatorial Guinea is convicted of genocide and executed by firing squad.
* September 30 – The MTR in British Hong Kong, Hong Kong begins service with the opening of its Modified Initial System, the Kwun Tong Line.
October

* October 1 – Nigeria terminates military rule, and the Second Nigerian Republic is established.
* October 1–October 7, 7 –
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005.
In his you ...
makes a Papal visits to the United States, six-city visit to the United States, starting in Boston.
* October 1 – The MTR, the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong, opens.
* October 2 – Pope John Paul II arrives in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
for his first papal tour where he addresses the U.N. General Assembly against all forms of concentration camps and torture.
* October 6 – Federal Reserve System changes from an interest rate target policy to a money supply target policy.
* October 7 – Pope John Paul II ends his first U.S. papal visit in Washington, D.C., with his first-ever visit to the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
.
* October 9 – Peter Brock wins the Bathurst 1000 by a record six laps, with a lap record on the last lap.
* October 12
** Near Guam, Typhoon Tip reaches a record intensity of 870 millibars, the lowest pressure recorded at sea level. This makes Tip the most powerful tropical cyclone in known world history.
** Thorbjörn Fälldin returns as Prime Minister of Sweden, replacing Ola Ullsten who is named Foreign Minister of Sweden.
** ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'', the first novel by Douglas Adams, is published in the United Kingdom
* October 14 – National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, National March for LGBT rights by country or territory, gay rights takes place in Washington, D.C., involving tens of thousands of people.
* October 15 – Black Monday (Malta), Black Monday events, in which members of a political group sack a newspaper office, unfold in Malta.
* October 16 – A 1979 Nice tsunami, tsunami in Nice, France kills 23 people.
* October 17 – The Pittsburgh Pirates become only the fourth Major League Baseball, MLB team (as well as the only MLB franchise to accomplish the feat twice) to recover from a 3-games-to-1 deficit to win the 1979 World Series.
* October 19 – 13 U.S. Marines die in a fire at Camp Fuji, Japan as a result of Typhoon Tip.
* October 20 – The first McDonald's in
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
opens at Liat Towers in Orchard Road.
* October 26 –
**Park Chung Hee, the President of South Korea, is assassinated by National Intelligence Service (South Korea), KCIA director Kim Jae-gyu.
**The eradication of the smallpox virus is announced by the World Health Organization, making smallpox the first of only two human diseases that have been driven to extinction (rinderpest in 2011 being the other).
* October 27 – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gains independence from the UK.
* October 31 – Western Airlines Flight 2605 crashes upon landing at Mexico City International Airport, killing 72 occupants plus one on the ground; 16 people on board survive.
November
* November 1
** Military coup in Bolivia.
** Iran hostage crisis:
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
ian Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 or 24 September 19023 June 1989) was an Iranian revolutionary, politician, political theorist, and religious leader. He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the main leader of the Iranian ...
urges his people to demonstrate on November 4 and to expand attacks on United States and
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
i interests.
* November 2
** French police shoot gangster Jacques Mesrine in Paris.
** Assata Shakur (née Joanne Chesimard), a former member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army, escapes from a New York prison to Cuba, where she remains under political asylum.
* November 3 – In Greensboro, North Carolina, five members of the Communist Workers' Party (United States), Communist Workers Party are shot to death and seven are wounded by a group of Ku Klux Klan, Klansmen and neo-Nazis, during a "Death to the Klan" rally.
* November 4 – Iran hostage crisis begins: 500 Iranian radicals, mostly students, invade the U.S. Embassy in
Tehran
Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
and take 90 hostages (53 of whom are American). They demand that the United States send the former Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran back to stand trial.
* November 5
** All Saints' Massacre: The military junta in Bolivia initiates a violent crack-down on its opponents.
** The radio news program ''Morning Edition'' premieres on National Public Radio in the United States.
* November 6 – At Montevideo, Uruguay, the International Olympic Committee adopts a resolution, whereby
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
Olympic and sports teams will participate with the name Chinese Taipei in future Olympic Games and international sports tournaments and championships.
* November 7 – U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy announces that he will challenge President Jimmy Carter for the 1980 Democratic Party (United States), Democratic presidential nomination.
* November 9
** The Carl Bridgewater murder trial ends in England with all four men found guilty. James Robinson, 45, and 25-year-old Vincent Hickey are sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommended 25-year minimum for murder. 18-year-old Michael Hickey is also found guilty of murder and sentenced to indefinite detention. Patrick Molloy, 53, is found guilty on a lesser charge of manslaughter and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
** Nuclear false alarm: the NORAD computers and the Alternate National Military Command Center in Fort Ritchie, Maryland, detect an apparent massive Soviet Union, Soviet Nuclear warfare, nuclear strike. After reviewing the raw data from satellites and checking the early-warning radars, the alert is cancelled.
* November 10 – 1979 Mississauga train derailment: A 106-car Canadian Pacific freight train carrying explosive and poisonous chemicals from Windsor, Ontario, Canada derails in Mississauga, just west of Toronto, causing a massive explosion and the largest peacetime evacuation in Canadian history and one of the largest in North American history.
* November 12
** Iran hostage crisis: In response to the hostage situation in
Tehran
Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
, U.S. President Jimmy Carter orders a halt to all Petroleum, oil imports into the United States from Iran.
** Süleyman Demirel, of the Justice Party (Turkey), Justice Party (AP) forms the new government of Turkey (43rd government, a minority government).
* November 13 – Ronald Reagan announces his candidacy for President of the United States, 9 days after the beginning of the Iran hostage crisis.
* November 14 – Iran hostage crisis: U.S. President Jimmy Carter issues Executive Order 12170, freezing all Iranian assets in the United States and U.S. banks in response to the hostage crisis.
* November 15 – British art historian and former Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures Anthony Blunt's role as the "fourth man" of the 'Cambridge Five' double agents for the Soviet Union, Soviet NKVD during World War II is revealed by Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom; she gives further details on November 21.
* November 16 – Bucharest Metro Line One is opened, in Bucharest, Romania (from Timpuri Noi to Semanatoarea stations, ).
* November 17 – Iran hostage crisis: Iranian leader Ruhollah Khomeini orders the release of 13 female and African American hostages being held at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
* November 20 – Grand Mosque seizure: A group of 200 Juhayman al-Otaybi militants occupy Mecca's Masjid al-Haram, the holiest place in Islam. They are driven out by Saudi military forces after bloody fighting that leaves 250 people dead and 600 wounded.
* November 21 – After false radio reports from the Ayatollah Khomeini that the Americans had occupied the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the United States Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan is attacked by a mob and set afire, killing four, and disturbing Pakistan–United States relations.
* November 23 – The Troubles: In Dublin, Ireland, Provisional Irish Republican Army member Thomas McMahon (Irish republican), Thomas McMahon is sentenced to life in prison for the assassination of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Lord Mountbatten of Burma in August. He was released in 1998 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
* November 25 – The last cargo of phosphate was shipped from Banaba Island in Kiribati in the South Pacific Ocean, bringing an end to the island's chief industry.
* November 28 – Air New Zealand Flight 901: an Air New Zealand McDonnell Douglas DC-10, DC-10 crashes into Mount Erebus in Antarctica on a sightseeing trip, killing all 257 people on board.
* November 29 – After 12 years of environmental controversy and legal action, the Tennessee Valley Authority's Tellico Dam project is completed.
It remains the last dam to be built by the agency as of 2023.
* November 30 – ''The Wall'', a rock opera concept album by Pink Floyd, is first released.
December
* December 3
** The Who concert disaster: Eleven fans are killed during a crowd crush for unreserved seats before The Who rock concert at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati.
** The United States dollar exchange rate with the Deutsche Mark falls to 1.7079 DM, the all-time low so far; this record is not broken until November 5, 1987.
** Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 or 24 September 19023 June 1989) was an Iranian revolutionary, politician, political theorist, and religious leader. He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the main leader of the Iranian ...
becomes the first Supreme Leader of Iran.
* December 4 – The Hastie fire in Kingston upon Hull, England, leads to the deaths of 3 boys and begins the hunt for Bruce George Peter Lee, the UK's most prolific killer.
* December 5 – Jack Lynch resigns as Taoiseach of Ireland; he is succeeded by Charles Haughey.
* December 6 – The world premiere of ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' is held at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
* December 12
** The NATO Double-Track Decision: is the decision of NATO from December 12, 1979, to offer the Warsaw Pact a mutual limitation of medium-range ballistic missiles and intermediate-range ballistic missiles combined with the threat that in case of disagreement NATO would deploy more middle-range nuclear weapons in Western Europe, following the so-called "Euromissile Crisis".
** The 8.2 1979 Tumaco earthquake, Tumaco earthquake shakes Colombia and Ecuador with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli intensity of IX (''Violent''), killing 300–600, and generating a large tsunami.
** Coup d'état of December Twelfth: South Korean Army Major General Chun Doo-hwan orders the arrest of Army Chief of Staff General Jeong Seung-hwa without authorization from President Choi Kyu-hah, alleging involvement in the assassination of ex-President Park Chung Hee.
** The unrecognised state of Zimbabwe Rhodesia returns to British control and resumes using the name Southern Rhodesia.
* December 13 – The Canadian Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, Progressive Conservative minority government of Prime Minister Joe Clark, falls in a non-confidence motion.
* December 15 – The directorial debut of Hayao Miyazaki, ''The Castle of Cagliostro'' based on the manga series ''Lupin III'' is released in Japan.
* December 21 – A ceasefire for Rhodesia is signed at London.
* December 23 – The highest aerial tramway in Europe, the Klein Matterhorn, opens.
* December 24
** The Soviet Union covertly launches its Soviet–Afghan War, invasion of Afghanistan – 3 days later, People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, PDPA general secretary Hafizullah Amin is executed in Operation Storm-333 and Babrak Karmal replaces him, beginning the war.
** The first European Ariane 1, Ariane rocket is launched.
* December 26 – In Rhodesia, 96 Patriotic Front guerrillas enter the capital Harare, Salisbury to monitor a ceasefire that begins December 28.
Date unknown
* The One-child policy is introduced in China – it contributes to Sex-ratio imbalance in China, the country's sex-ratio imbalance. It was loosened in 2013.
* Hànyǔ Pīnyīn is widely adopted as the official romanization system for Standard Chinese, leading to changes in Western spelling of Chinese toponyms.
* VisiCalc becomes the first Commerce, commercial Spreadsheet#Autoplan/Autotab spreadsheet programming language, spreadsheet program.
* The first usenet experiments are conducted by Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis (computing), Jim Ellis of Duke University.
* Worldwide per capita oil production reaches a historic peak oil, peak.
* The remains of Tsar Nicholas II and some of the Romanovs are discovered and exhumed near Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg).
* NBC introduces a new version of its famous peacock, used in conjunction with the 1975-style N, for the 1979 in American television, Fall season.
*''Onde Tem Bruxa Tem Fada'', book is published.
* Citic Group, China International Trust Investment Group (CITIC) founded.
Births
January
*
January 1
January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian Calendar; 364 days remain until the end of the year (365 in leap years). This day is also known as New Year's Day since the day marks the beginning of the year. __TOC__
Events ...
** Brody Dalle, Australian singer
** Vidya Balan, Indian actress
** Gisela (singer), Gisela, Spanish pop singer and voice actress
* January 2
**Erica Hubbard, American actress
**Jagmeet Singh, Canadian politician, leader of the New Democratic Party
* January 3
** Koit Toome, Estonian singer and musical actor
** Rie Tanaka, Japanese voice actress
* January 4
** Olger van Dijk, Dutch politician
** Kevin Kuske, German Olympic bobsledder
*
January 6
Events Pre-1600
* 1066 – Following the death of Edward the Confessor on the previous day, the Witan meets to confirm Harold Godwinson as the new King of England; Harold is crowned the same day, sparking a succession crisis that will ...
** Christina Chanée, Danish-Thai pop singer
** Bernice Liu, Hong Kong actress
*
January 7
Events Pre-1600
*49 BC – The Senate of the Roman Republic, Senate of Rome says that Caesar will be declared a public enemy unless he disbands his army, prompting the tribunes who support him to flee to where Caesar is waiting in Ravenna ...
** Bipasha Basu, Indian actress and model
** Aloe Blacc, American singer and rapper
** Christian Lindner, German politician
*
January 8
Events Pre-1600
* 307 – Emperor Huai of Jin, Sima Chi becomes emperor of the Jin dynasty (266–420), Jin dynasty in succession to his brother, Emperor Hui of Jin, Sima Zhong, despite a challenge from his other brother, Sima Ying.
* 871 ...
** Seol Ki-hyeon, South Korean footballer
** Adrian Mutu, Romanian footballer
** Stipe Pletikosa, Croatian football goalkeeper
** Sarah Polley, Canadian actress, writer, director, producer and political activist
*
January 9
Events Pre-1600
* 681 – Twelfth Council of Toledo: King Erwig of the Visigoths initiates a council in which he implements diverse measures against the Jews in Spain.
* 1038 – An earthquake in Dingxiang, China kills an estimate ...
** Tomiko Van, Japanese singer (Do As Infinity)
** Bipasha Basu, Indian actress and model
** Hannah Yeoh, Malaysian politician
* January 10 – Francesca Piccinini, Italian volleyball player
* January 11
** Terence Morris, American basketball player
**Siti Nurhaliza, Malaysian singer
* January 12
** Marián Hossa, Slovak ice hockey player
** Lee Bo-young, South Korean actress and model
** Grzegorz Rasiak, Polish footballer
* January 13
** María de Villota, Spanish racing driver (d. 2013)
** Yang Wei (badminton), Yang Wei, Chinese badminton player
* January 15
** Drew Brees, American football player
** Martin Petrov, Bulgarian footballer
*
January 16
Events Pre-1600
* 1458 BC – Hatshepsut dies at the age of 50 and is buried in the Valley of the Kings.
* 27 BC – Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus is granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the R ...
– Aaliyah, American R&B singer and actress (d. 2001)
* January 17
** Sharon Chan, Hong Kong actress
** Masae Ueno, Japanese judoka
* January 18
** Jay Chou, Taiwanese singer, song producer and actor
** Paulo Ferreira, Portuguese footballer
** Roberta Metsola, Maltese politician
** Leo Varadkar, 14th Taoiseach of Ireland
*
January 19
Events Pre-1600
* 379 – Emperor Gratian elevates Flavius Theodosius at Sirmium to '' Augustus'', and gives him authority over all the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire.
* 649 – Conquest of Kucha: The forces of Kucha surren ...
– Svetlana Khorkina, Russian artistic gymnast
* January 20
** Rob Bourdon, American drummer (Linkin Park)
** Sargis Galstyan, American actor
** Asaka Kubo, Japanese gravure idol
** Will Young, English singer
* January 21
** Brian O'Driscoll, Irish rugby union player
** Inul Daratista, Indonesian dangdut singer
** Johann Hari, Scot-Swiss Journalist and author
* January 23 – Larry Hughes, American basketball player
* January 24
** Tatyana Ali, American actress
** Christine Lakin, American actress
*
January 25
Events Pre-1600
* 41 – After a night of negotiation, Claudius is accepted as Roman emperor by the Senate.
* 750 – In the Battle of the Zab, the Abbasid rebels defeat the Umayyad Caliphate, leading to the overthrow of the dyn ...
– Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, American politician and businesswoman
* January 26
** Antônio Carlos Magalhães Neto, ACM Neto, Brazilian lawyer and politician
** Sara Rue, American actress
* January 27
** Daniel Vettori, New Zealand cricketer
* January 29 – Christina Koch, American engineer and NASA astronaut
* January 31 – Jenny Wolf, German speed skater
February

*
February 1
Events Pre-1600
* 1327 – The teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer.
* 1411 – The First Peace of Thorn is signed in Thorn (Toruń), ...
** Mahek Chahal, Norwegian actress and model
** Valentín Elizalde, Mexican singer (d. 2006)
** Peter Fulton, New Zealand cricketer
** Juan (footballer, born 1982), Juan, Brazilian football player and coach
** Rachelle Lefevre, Canadian actress
** Clodoaldo Silva, Brazilian paralympian swimmer
* February 2
** Fani Chalkia, Greek athlete
** Mayer Hawthorne, American soul singer
** Christine Lampard, Northern Ireland television presenter
** Shamita Shetty, Indian actress and interior designer
* February 4
**Andrei Arlovski, Belarusian mixed martial artist
** Jodi Shilling, American actress
** Tabitha Brown (actress), Tabitha Brown, American actress
* February 5
** Paulo Gonçalves (motorcyclist), Paulo Gonçalves, Portuguese rally racing motorcycle rider (d. 2020)
** Ilaria Salvatori, Italian fencer
*
February 7
Events Pre-1600
* 457 – Leo I becomes the Eastern Roman emperor.
* 987 – Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros, Byzantine generals of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II.
* 1301 & ...
** Cerina Vincent, American actress and writer
** Tawakkol Karman, Yemeni politician, Nobel Peace Prize laureate
* February 8
** Josh Keaton, American actor
** Aleksey Mishin (wrestler), Aleksey Mishin, Russian wrestler
* February 9
** Ânderson Polga, Brazilian footballer
** Irina Slutskaya, Russian figure skater
** Zhang Ziyi, Chinese actress and model
*
February 10
Events Pre-1600
* 1258 – The Siege of Baghdad ends with the surrender of the last Abbasid caliph to Hulegu Khan, a prince of the Mongol Empire.
* 1306 – In front of the high altar of Greyfriars Church in Dumfries, Robert the Bru ...
– Paul Waggoner, American guitarist (Between the Buried and Me)
*
February 11
Events Pre-1600
* 660 BC – Traditional date for the foundation of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
* 55 – The death under mysterious circumstances of Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, heir to the Roman Empire, on the eve of his comin ...
– Brandy Norwood, African-American singer and actress
*
February 12
Events Pre-1600
* 1096 – Pope Urban II confirms the foundation of the abbey of La Roë under Robert of Arbrissel as a community of canons regular.
* 1404 – The Italian professor Galeazzo di Santa Sofia performed the first post- ...
– Jesse Spencer, Australian actor
*
February 13
Events Pre-1600
* 962 – Emperor Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I and Pope Pope John XII, John XII co-sign the ''Diploma Ottonianum'', recognizing John as ruler of Rome.
*1258 – Siege of Baghdad (1258), Siege of Baghdad: Hulegu Kh ...
** Anders Behring Breivik, Norwegian Right-wing terrorism, far-right terrorist responsible for the 2011 Norway attacks
** Mena Suvari, American actress
** Rafael Márquez, Mexican footballer
*
February 14
It is observed in most countries as Valentine's Day.
Events Pre-1600
* 748 – Abbasid Revolution#Persian phase, Abbasid Revolution: The Kaysanites Shia#History, Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad ...
** Wesley Moodie, South African tennis player
** Jocelyn Quivrin, French actor (d. 2009)
* February 16
** Valentino Rossi, Italian seven-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing#MotoGP class, MotoGP world champion
** Eric Mun, leader of Korean boy-band Shinhwa
*
February 17
Events Pre-1600
* 1370 – Northern Crusades: Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Teutonic Knights meet in the Battle of Rudau.
* 1411 – Following the successful campaigns during the Ottoman Interregnum, Musa Çelebi, one of the sons ...
– Cara Black, Zimbabwean tennis player
* February 19
** Mariana Ochoa, Mexican singer and actress
** Vitas, Ukrainian and Russian singer and actor
* February 20 – Song Chong-gug, South Korean footballer
*
February 21
Events Pre-1600
* 452 or 453 – Severianus, Bishop of Scythopolis, is martyred in Palestine.
* 1245 – Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland, is granted resignation after confessing to torture and forgery.
* 1440 – The ...
** Maria Annus, Estonian actress
** Carly Colón, Puerto Rican professional wrestler
** Nathalie Dechy, French tennis player
** Jennifer Love Hewitt, American actress and singer
** Jordan Peele, American actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer
* February 25 – László Bodnár, Hungarian footballer
*
February 26
Events Pre-1600
* 747 BC – According to Ptolemy, the epoch (origin) of the Nabonassar Era began at noon on this date. Historians use this to establish the modern BC chronology for dating historic events.
* 320 – Chandragupta ...
** Corinne Bailey Rae, British singer-songwriter and guitarist
** Susana Diazayas, Mexican actress
** Ngô Thanh Vân, Norwegian-Vietnamese actress, singer and model
* February 28
** Michael Bisping, British mixed martial artist
** Sébastien Bourdais, French racing driver
** Sander van Doorn, Dutch DJ and electronic music producer
** Ivo Karlović, Croatian tennis player
March

*
March 4
Events Pre-1600
* AD 51 – Nero, later to become Roman emperor, is given the title '' princeps iuventutis'' (head of the youth).
* 306 – Martyrdom of Saint Adrian of Nicomedia.
* 581 – Yang Jian declares himself Emperor ...
** Ben Fouhy, New Zealand flatwater canoeist
** Geoff Huegill, Australian swimmer
*
March 5
Events Pre-1600
* 363 – Roman emperor Julian leaves Antioch with an army of 90,000 to attack the Sasanian Empire, in a campaign which would bring about his own death.
* 1046 – Nasir Khusraw begins the seven-year Middle Easte ...
** Martin Axenrot, Swedish metal drummer
** Riki Lindhome, American actress and comedian
** Tang Gonghong, Chinese weightlifter
* March 6
** Érik Bédard, Canadian pitcher
** Tim Howard, American soccer player
*
March 7
Events Pre-1600
* 161 – Marcus Aurelius and L. Commodus (who changes his name to Lucius Verus) become joint emperors of Rome on the death of Antoninus Pius.
* 1138 – Konrad III von Hohenstaufen was elected king of Germany at Cobl ...
** Stephanie Anne Mills, Canadian voice actress
** Ricardo Rosselló, Puerto Rican politician, Governor of Puerto Rico
*
March 8
Events Pre-1600
* 1010 – Ferdowsi completes his epic poem '' Shahnameh''.
* 1126 – Following the death of his mother, queen Urraca of León, Alfonso VII is proclaimed king of León.
* 1262 – Battle of Hausbergen between ...
** Jasmine You, Japanese musician (d. 2009)
** Tom Chaplin, British singer (Keane (band), Keane)
* March 9
** Oscar Isaac, Guatemalan-American actor
** Melina Perez, American professional wrestler
*
March 10
Events Pre-1600
* 241 BC – First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates: The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing the First Punic War to an end.
* 298 – Roman Emperor Maximian concludes his campaign in North Africa and makes ...
- Danny Pudi, American actor
* March 12 – Pete Doherty, British singer and guitarist (The Libertines, Babyshambles)
*
March 13
Events Pre-1600
* 222 – Roman emperor Elagabalus is murdered alongside his mother, Julia Soaemias. He is replaced by his 14-year old cousin, Severus Alexander.
* 624 – The Battle of Badr, the first major battle between the Mu ...
– Johan Santana, Venezuelan baseball player
*
March 14
Events Pre-1600
* 1074 – Battle of Mogyoród: Dukes Géza and Ladislaus defeat their cousin Solomon, King of Hungary, forcing him to flee to Hungary's western borderland.
* 1590 – Battle of Ivry: Henry of Navarre and the H ...
** Nicolas Anelka, French footballer
** Gao Ling, Chinese badminton player
** Chris Klein (actor), Chris Klein, American actor
** Michele Riondino, Italian actor
*
March 16
Events Pre-1600
* 1190 – Massacre of Jews at Clifford's Tower, York.
* 1244 – Over 200 Cathars who refuse to recant are burnt to death after the Fall of Montségur.
* 1355 – Amidst the Red Turban Rebellions, Han Lin'er, ...
– Adriana Fonseca, Mexican actress and dancer
*
March 17
Events Pre-1600
* 45 BC – In his last victory, Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in the Battle of Munda.
* 180 – Commodus becomes sole emperor of the Roman Empire at the age of ...
– Samoa Joe, American professional wrestler
*
March 18
Events Pre-1600
* 37 – Roman Senate annuls Tiberius' will and proclaims Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ''(aka Caligula = Little Boots)'' emperor.Tacitus, ''Annals'' V.10.
* 1068 – An earthquake in the Levant and the Ar ...
** Shola Ama, English singer
** Adam Levine, American singer (Maroon 5)
*
March 19
Events Pre-1600
* 1277 – The Byzantine–Venetian treaty of 1277 is concluded, stipulating a two-year truce and renewing Venetian commercial privileges in the Byzantine Empire.
* 1279 – A Mongol victory at the Battle of Yamen en ...
** Emil Dimitriev, Macedonian politician, Prime Minister
** Ivan Ljubičić, Croatian tennis player and coach
** Hedo Türkoğlu, Turkish basketball player
* March 20
** Freema Agyeman, British actress
** Daniel Cormier, American retired mixed martial artist
** Bianca Lawson, American actress
** Silvia Navarro (handballer), Silvia Navarro, Spanish handball player
* March 23
** Mark Buehrle, American baseball player
** Bryan Fletcher (American football), Bryan Fletcher, American football player
** Misty Hyman, American swimmer
* March 24
** Gaitana (singer), Gaitana, Ukrainian singer and songwriter
** Lake Bell, American actress and filmmaker
*
March 25
Until 1752 it was the official date of the beginning of the year in England and its dominions (in the Julian calendar).
Events Pre-1600
* 410 – The Southern Yan capital of Guanggu falls to the Jin dynasty general Liu Yu, ending th ...
** Lee Pace, American actor
** Gorilla Zoe, American rapper
*
March 26
Events Pre-1600
* 590 – Emperor Maurice proclaims his son Theodosius as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire.
* 624 – First Eid al-Fitr celebration.
* 1021 – The death of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, kept secret ...
– Juliana Paes, Brazilian actress and model
* March 28 – Shakib Khan, Bangladeshi film actor, producer, singer, film organiser and media personalities
* March 29 – Estela Giménez, Spanish gymnast
* March 30
** Daniel Arenas, Colombian-Mexican actor
** Jose Pablo Cantillo, American actor
** Norah Jones, American musician
** Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, Ukrainian football player and coach
April

* April 1 – Ruth Beitia, Spanish high jumper and politician
* April 2
** Lindy Booth, Canadian actress
** Jesse Carmichael, American musician (Maroon 5)
* April 3
** Živilė Balčiūnaitė, Lithuanian long-distance runner
** Grégoire (musician), Grégoire, French singer-songwriter
** Sasa Ognenovski, Australian footballer
* April 4
** Heath Ledger, Australian actor and music video director (d. 2008)
** Roberto Luongo, Canadian ice hockey goaltender
** Maksim Opalev, Russian canoeist
** Natasha Lyonne, American actress
* April 5
** Sarah Dobbe, Dutch politician
** Timo Hildebrand, German footballer
* April 8
** Mohamed Kader, Togolese footballer
** Alexi Laiho, Finnish musician (Children of Bodom) (d. 2020)
** David Petruschin, American drag queen
* April 9
** Sebastián Silva (director), Sebastián Silva, Chilean director, actor, screenwriter, painter and musician
** Keshia Knight Pulliam, African-American actress
** Mario Matt, Austrian alpine skier
* April 10
** Ryan Agoncillo, Filipino actor and TV personality
** Rachel Corrie, American activist and diarist (d. 2003)
** Tsuyoshi Domoto, Japanese entertainer (KinKi Kids)
** Sophie Ellis-Bextor, British singer
* April 11
** Sebastien Grainger, Canadian singer and musician
** Michel Riesen, Swiss ice hockey player
** Josh Server, American actor
* April 12
** Claire Danes, American actress
** Mateja Kežman, Serbian footballer
** Jennifer Morrison, American actress
* April 13 – Baron Davis, American basketball player
* April 14
** Pedro Andrade, Brazilian journalist and model
** Rebecca DiPietro, American model
** Pierre Roland, Indonesian actor
* April 15
** Karen David, Indian born-Canadian actress and singer
** Luke Evans, Welsh actor and singer
* April 17 – Sung Si-kyung, South Korean singer
* April 18
** Michael Bradley (basketball), Michael Bradley, American basketball player
** Anthony Davidson, English racing driver
** Yusuke Kamiji, Japanese actor
** Kourtney Kardashian, American reality television star
* April 19
** Kate Hudson, American actress and co-founder of Fabletics
** Antoaneta Stefanova, Bulgarian chess player
* April 20 – Teoh Beng Hock, Malaysian journalist (d. 2009)
* April 21
** Cindy Kurleto, Filipina-Austrian model and TV personality
** James McAvoy, Scottish actor
** Karin Rask, Estonian actress
* April 22 – Daniel Johns, Australian musician (Silverchair)
* April 23
** Yana Gupta, Indian actress of Czech origin
** Jaime King, American actress
** Joanna Krupa, Polish-born American model and actress
* April 24
** Laurentia Tan, Singaporean Paralympic equestrienne
** Avey Tare, American musician
** Adam Andretti, American race car driver
* April 25
** Andreas Küttel, Swiss ski jumper
** Andrea Osvárt, Hungarian actress
* April 27 – Travis Meeks, American musician (Days of the New)
* April 28 – Bahram Radan, Iranian actor
* April 29
** Jo O'Meara, English singer (S Club 7)
* April 30 – Shelley Calene-Black, American voice actress
May

* May 1
** Roman Lyashenko, Russian ice hockey player (d. 2003)
** Lars Berger, Norwegian biathlete and cross-country skier
** Mauro Bergamasco, Italian rugby union player
* May 2 – Jason Chimera, Canadian ice hockey player
* May 3
** Danny Foster (musician), Danny Foster, English singer (Hear'Say)
** Ingrid Isotamm, Estonian actress
* May 4
** Lance Bass, American singer (NSYNC)
** Wes Butters, English broadcaster
* May 5 – Vincent Kartheiser, American actor
* May 6
** Mark Burrier, American cartoonist
** Kerry Ellis, English stage actress and singer
** Gerd Kanter, Estonian discus thrower
** Jon Montgomery, Canadian former skeleton racer and television personality; host of ''The Amazing Race Canada''
* May 8 – Wendy Armoko, Indonesian singer, actor, presenter and comedian
* May 9
** Pierre Bouvier, Canadian musician
** Rosario Dawson, American actress
* May 10
** Marieke Vervoort, Belgian athlete (d. 2019)
** Lee Hyori, South Korean entertainer
* May 12 – Adrian Serioux, Canadian soccer player
* May 13
** Mickey Madden, American musician (Maroon 5)
** Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland
* May 14
** Urijah Faber, WEC Featherweight Champion
** Carlos Tenorio, Ecuadorian footballer
* May 15 – James Mackenzie (actor), James Mackenzie, Scottish actor and TV presenter
* May 16
** Brandon Lee (pornographic actor), Brandon Lee, Filipino-American gay pornographic film actor
** Jessica Morris, American actress
** Barbara Nedeljáková, Slovak actress
* May 18
** Mariusz Lewandowski, Polish footballer
** Michal Martikán, Slovak slalom canoeist
** Jens Bergensten, Swedish game designer and co-founder of the game company Mojang
* May 19
** Andrea Pirlo, Italian footballer
** Diego Forlán, Uruguayan football player
* May 20 – Andrew Scheer, Canadian politician
* May 21 – Sonja Vectomov, Czech-Finnish electronic musician and composer
* May 22
** Maggie Q, American actress
**Nazanin Boniadi, Iranian-British-American actress
* May 23 – Rasual Butler, American basketball player (d. 2018)
* May 24
** Frank Mir, American mixed martial artist
** Tracy McGrady, American basketball player
* May 25 – Jonny Wilkinson, English rugby union player
* May 26
** Ashley Massaro, American professional wrestler and model (d. 2019)
** Elisabeth Harnois, American actress
* May 27 – Michael Buonauro, American comic creator
* May 28 – Jesse Bradford, American actor
* May 29 – Brian Kendrick, American wrestler
* May 30
** Clint Bowyer, American race car driver
** Fabian Ernst, German footballer
** Rie Kugimiya, Japanese voice actress and singer
June

* June 1
** TheFatRat, German musician and producer
** Markus Persson, Swedish video game programmer, designer and creator of Minecraft
** Rhea Santos, Filipina journalist based in Canada
* June 2
** Choirul Huda, Indonesian professional footballer and civil servant (d. 2017)
** Morena Baccarin, Brazilian actress
* June 3 – Pierre Poilievre, Canadian politician
* June 4 – Naohiro Takahara, Japanese football player and coach
* June 5
** François Sagat, French male gay porn film actor, model and director
** Pete Wentz, American musician, lyricist and bassist (Fall Out Boy)
* June 6
** Solenne Figuès, French swimmer
** Murder of Shanda Sharer, Shanda Sharer, American murder victim (d. 1992)
* June 7
** Anna Torv, Australian actress
** Kevin Hofland, Dutch footballer
* June 8
** Pete Orr, Canadian baseball player
** Eddie Hearn, British promoter
* June 9 – Émilie Loit, French tennis player
* June 10 – Lee Brice, American country music singer-songwriter
* June 12
** Robyn, Swedish singer-songwriter
** Amandine Bourgeois, French singer
** Diego Milito, Argentine football player
* June 13
** Nila Håkedal, Norwegian beach volleyball player
** Ágnes Csomor, Hungarian actress
* June 14 – Paradorn Srichaphan, Thai tennis player
* June 15 – Yulia Nestsiarenka, Belarusian athlete
* June 16 – Ari Hest, American singer-songwriter
* June 17
** Young Maylay, American actor, record producer and rapper
** Nick Rimando, American soccer player
* June 18
** Yumiko Kobayashi, Japanese voice actress
** Chris Neil, Canadian ice hockey player
** Pini Balili, Israeli-Turkish footballer and manager
** Ivana Wong, Hong Kong singer-songwriter
* June 19
** José Kléberson, Brazilian football player and coach
** Kate Tsui, Hong Kong actress
* June 21
** Chris Pratt, American actor
** Makasini Richter, Tongan rugby league player
* June 22
** Sandra Klösel, German tennis player
** Jai Rodriguez, American actor and musician
* June 23
** Marilyn Agliotti, Dutch field hockey player
** LaDainian Tomlinson, American football player
* June 24
** Petra Němcová, Czech model
** Joaquín de Orbegoso, Peruvian actor
** Craig Shergold, British cancer patient
** Mindy Kaling, American actress, comedian and author
* June 25
** Busy Philipps, American film actress
* June 26
** Ryan Tedder, American singer (OneRepublic), songwriter and producer
** Julia Benson, Canadian actress
* June 27
** Cazwell, American rapper and songwriter
** Martin Bourboulon, French film director and screenwriter
** Scott Taylor (politician), Scott Taylor, American politician
** Fabrizio Miccoli, Italian professional footballer
* June 28
** Felicia Day, American actress, writer, director, violinist and singer
** Randy McMichael, American football player
* June 29
** Lee Hee-joon, South Korean actor
** Abz Love, English singer (Five (band), 5ive)
** Marleen Veldhuis, Dutch swimmer
** Yehuda Levi, Israeli actor and male model
** Liliana Castro, Ecuadorian-born Brazilian actress
** Artur Avila, Brazilian and French mathematician
* June 30
** Rick Gonzalez, American actor
** Ed Kavalee, Australian comedian, actor, radio and television host
** Faisal Shahzad, Pakistani-American bomber
** Matisyahu, Jewish-American reggae vocalist, beatboxer and alternative rock musician
** Nelson Lucas, Seychellois sprinter
** Christopher Jacot, Canadian actor
** Andy Burrows, English songwriter and musician
July

* July 1
** Forrest Griffin, American mixed martial arts fighter
** Patrik Baboumian, German-Iranian strongman competitor, strength athlete and bodybuilder
* July 2
** Diana Gurtskaya, Georgian singer
** Sam Hornish Jr., American race car driver
* July 3
** Sayuri Katayama, Japanese actress, singer and lyricist
** Ludivine Sagnier, French model and actress
* July 5
** Shane Filan, Irish singer (Westlife)
** Amélie Mauresmo, French tennis player
* July 6
** Mohsen Bengar, Iranian footballer
** Kevin Hart, American actor, comedian, writer and producer
* July 7
** Pat Barry (kickboxer), Pat Barry, American kickboxer and mixed martial artist
** Douglas Hondo, Zimbabwean cricketer
* July 9
** Gary Chaw, Malaysian Chinese singer
** Ella Koon, Hong Kong actress
* July 10 – Gong Yoo, South Korean actor
* July 11
** Marina Gatell, Spanish actress
** Im Soo-jung, South Korean actress
* July 13
** Laura Benanti, American actress and singer
** Ladyhawke (musician), Ladyhawke, New Zealand singer-songwriter
* July 14
** Axel Teichmann, German cross-country skier
** Scott Porter, American actor and singer
* July 15
** Travis Fimmel, Australian fashion model and actor
** Alexander Frei, Swiss footballer
* July 16
** Jim Banks, American politician
** Kinya Kotani, Japanese singer
** Kim Rhode, American double trap and skeet shooter
** Landy Wen, Taiwanese singer
* July 17 – Mike Vogel, American actor
* July 19
** Malavika (actress), Malavika, Indian actress
** David Sakurai, Danish-Japanese actor, director, scriptwriter and martial artist
** Bruno Cabrerizo, Brazilian football player, model and actor
* July 20
** Claudine Barretto, Filipino film actress, television actress, entrepreneur and product endorser
** Marcos Mion, Brazilian TV host, actor, voice actor and businessman
** Milan Nikolić (musician), Milan Nikolić, Serbian accordionist
** Adam Rose, South African professional wrestler
** Amr Shabana, Egyptian squash player
* July 21
** Tamika Catchings, American basketball player
** Andriy Voronin, Ukrainian footballer
* July 23 – Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams, American singer and actress
* July 24 – Rose Byrne, Australian actress
* July 25
** Juan Pablo Di Pace, Argentinian actor and singer
** Ali Carter, English snooker player
* July 26
** Johnson Beharry, British recipient of the Victoria Cross
** Tamyra Gray, American singer
** Derek Paravicini, British pianist
** Yūko Sano, Japanese volleyball player
** Mageina Tovah, American actress
* July 27
** Marielle Franco, Brazilian politician (d. 2018)
** Jorge Arce, Mexican boxer
** Shannon Moore, American professional wrestler
* July 30
** Carlos Arroyo, Puerto Rican basketball player
** Show Lo, Taiwanese singer
** Graeme McDowell, Northern Irish professional golfer
** Maya Nasser, Syrian journalist (d. 2012)
* July 31 – B. J. Novak, American actor, director and producer
August

* August 1
** Jason Momoa, American actor
** Junior Agogo, Ghanaian footballer (d. 2019)
** Honeysuckle Weeks, British actress
* August 3
** Evangeline Lilly, Canadian actress and author of children's literature
** Maria Haukaas Mittet, Norwegian recording artist
* August 4 – Patryk Dominik Sztyber, Polish rock musician
* August 5
** David Healy (footballer), David Healy, Northern Ireland footballer
** María Isabel Sánchez Torregrosa, Spanish politician
* August 7
**Miguel Llera, Spanish footballer
**Gangsta Boo, American rapper (d. 2023)
* August 10
** JoAnna Garcia, American actress
** Ted Geoghegan, American screenwriter
* August 11
** Drew Nelson (actor), Drew Nelson, Canadian actor and voice actor
** Bubba Crosby, American baseball player
* August 12
** Peter Browngardt, American cartoonist
** Cindy Klassen, Canadian speed skater
* August 13 – Taizō Sugimura, Japanese politician
* August 15
** Carl Edwards, American race car driver
** Peter Shukoff, American comedian, musician and personality
* August 16
** Sarah Balabagan, Filipina prisoner and singer
* August 19 – Oumar Kondé, Swiss footballer
* August 20 – Jamie Cullum, English jazz pianist and singer
* August 22
**Matt Walters, American football player
**Angelu de Leon, Filipina actress
* August 23
** Mulan Jameela, Indonesian singer and politician
** Ritchie Neville, English singer (Five (band), 5ive)
* August 24
** Elva Hsiao, Taiwanese singer
** Michael Redd, American basketball player
* August 25 – Andrew Hussie, American artist
* August 26
** Jamal Lewis (American football), Jamal Lewis, American football player
** Cristian Mora, Ecuadorian footballer
** Erik Valdez, American actor
* August 27
** Giovanni Capitello, American filmmaker and actor
** Tian Liang, Chinese diver
** Aaron Paul, American actor
* August 28
** Robert Hoyzer, German football referee
** Yuki Maeda, Japanese singer
** Shane Van Dyke, American actor
* August 29 – Justine Pasek, Miss Universe 2002
* August 30
** Leon Lopez, British actor, film director, singer-songwriter and occasional model
** Tavia Yeung, Hong Kong actress
** Niki Chow, Hong Kong actress
* August 31
** Mickie James, American professional wrestler
** Simon Neil, Scottish musician (vocalist, guitarist, songwriter), Biffy Clyro Marmaduke Duke
** Yuvan Shankar Raja, Indian film composer
September

* September 1
** Neg Dupree, British comedian
** Margherita Granbassi, Italian fencer
* September 2
** Ron Ng, Hong Kong actor
** Łukasz Żygadło, Polish volleyball player
* September 3 – Júlio César (football goalkeeper, born 1979), Júlio César, Brazilian football goalkeeper
* September 4 – Maxim Afinogenov, Russian ice hockey player
* September 5
** John Carew, Norwegian footballer
** Stacey Dales, Canadian basketball player and sportscaster
* September 7 – Nathan Hindmarsh, Australian rugby league player
* September 8 – Pink (singer), Pink, American singer and actress
* September 10
** Mustis, Norwegian pianist
** Laia Palau, Spanish basketball player
* September 11
** Eric Abidal, French footballer
** Cameron Richardson, American actress and model
** David Pizarro, Chilean footballer
* September 12
** Michelle Dorrance, American tap dancer
** Jay McGraw, American author, son of TV psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw
* September 13 – Ivan Miljković, Serbian volleyball player
* September 14
** Chris John (boxer), Chris John, Indonesian former featherweight boxing champion
** Ivica Olić, Croatian footballer
* September 15
** Dave Annable, American actor
** Amy Davidson, American actress
** Edna Kiplagat, Edna Ngeringway Kiplagat, Kenyan long-distance runner
** Patrick Marleau, Canadian ice hockey player
* September 16
** Fanny (singer), Fanny, French singer
** Flo Rida, African-American rapper
** Soo Ae, South Korean actress
* September 17
** Akin Ayodele, American football player
** Chuck Comeau, Canadian drummer
* September 18
** Junichi Inamoto, Japanese footballer
** Alison Lohman, American actress
* September 19 – Noémie Lenoir, French supermodel
* September 20
** Lars Jacobsen, Danish footballer
** Aurélie Trouvé, French politician
* September 21 – Chris Gayle, Jamaican cricketer
* September 22 – MyAnna Buring, Swedish-English actress
* September 23 – Lote Tuqiri (rugby, born 1979), Lote Tuqiri, Fijian-Australian rugby player
* September 24
** Justin Bruening, American actor and model
** Erin Chambers, American actress
** Julia Clarete, Filipina actress
* September 25
** Rashad Evans, American retired mixed martial artist
** Michele Scarponi, Italian road bicycle racer (d. 2017)
* September 26
** Naomichi Marufuji, Japanese professional wrestler
** Taavi Rõivas, Prime Minister of Estonia
* September 27
** Zoltán Horváth (basketball), Zoltán Horváth, Hungarian basketball player (d. 2009)
** Shinji Ono, Japanese football player
** Nathan Foley (singer), Nathan Foley, Australian performer
* September 28
** Bam Margera, American skateboarder
** Anndi McAfee, American actress and voice actress
* September 29
** Gaitana (singer), Gaitana, Ukrainian singer and songwriter of Ukrainian and Congolese descent
** Artika Sari Devi, Putri Indonesia 2004
* September 30
** Mike Damus, American actor
** Vince Chong, Malaysian singer
** Juho Kuosmanen, Finnish film director and screenwriter
October

* October 1
** Rudi Johnson, American football player
** Senit, Italian singer of Eritrean descent
** Marko Stanojevic, English-born Italian rugby union player
* October 2 – Brianna Brown, American actress
* October 3
** Josh Klinghoffer, American musician (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
** John Morrison (wrestler), John Morrison, American professional wrestler
* October 4
** Caitriona Balfe, Irish model and actress
** Rachael Leigh Cook, American actress
** Adam Voges, Australian cricketer
* October 5 – Gao Yuanyuan, Chinese actress
* October 6 – Mohamed Kallon, Sierra Leonean football player and coach
* October 7
** Aaron Ashmore, Canadian film and television actor
** Shawn Ashmore, Canadian film and television actor
** Simona Amânar, Romanian gymnast
** Tang Wei, Chinese actress
* October 8 – Kristanna Loken, American actress and model
* October 9
** Csézy, Hungarian singer
** Chris O'Dowd, Irish actor and comedian
** Brandon Routh, American actor
** Gonzalo Sorondo, Uruguayan footballer
* October 10
** Wu Chun, Bruneian actor, model and singer
** Nicolás Massú, Chilean tennis player
** Mýa, American singer and actress
* October 11
** Bae Doona, South Korean actress
** Gabe Saporta, Uruguayan singer (Cobra Starship)
* October 13
** Wes Brown, English footballer
** Esmah Lahlah, Dutch politician
** Mamadou Niang, Senegalese footballer
* October 14 – Stacy Keibler, American actress and model
* October 15 – Jaci Velasquez, American Christian singer
* October 17 – Kimi Räikkönen, Finnish 2007 Formula One World Championship, 2007 Formula 1 world champion
* October 18 – Ne-Yo, African-American singer and songwriter
* October 20
** John Krasinski, American actor
** Paul O'Connell, Irish rugby union player
**Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden, American filmmaker
* October 23
** Jorge Solís, Mexican professional boxer
** Prabhas, Indian actor
* October 25 – Sarah Thompson (actress), Sarah Thompson, American actress
* October 28
**Glover Teixeira, Brazilian-American mixed martial artist
** Jawed Karim, German and Bangladeshi-American software engineer, Internet entrepreneur and co-founder of YouTube
** Martin Škoula, Czech ice hockey player
* October 30
** Geert Gabriëls, Dutch politician
** Yukie Nakama, Japanese actress
* October 31 – Raziq Khan, Pakistani cricketer
November

* November 1
** Coco Crisp, American baseball player
** Maeve Kennedy McKean, American public health official (d. 2020)
** Atsuko Enomoto, Japanese voice actress
** Milan Dudić, Serbian footballer
* November 2
** Marián Čišovský, Slovak footballer (d. 2020)
** Erika Flores, American actress
* November 3
** Pablo Aimar, Argentine footballer
** Tim McIlrath, American rock singer, songwriter (Rise Against)
* November 4 – Audrey Hollander, American porn actress
* November 5
** Leonardo Nam, Australian actor
** Tarek Boudali, French actor
** Patrick Owomoyela, German Footballer of Nigerian descent
* November 6
** Lamar Odom, African-American retired basketball player
** Myolie Wu, Hong Kong actress
* November 7 – Jon Peter Lewis, American singer and songwriter
* November 8
** Aaron Hughes, Northern Irish footballer
** Dania Ramirez, Dominican actress
** Dash Berlin, Dutch DJ and music producer
** Salvatore Cascio, Italian actor
* November 9
** Cory Hardrict, American actor
** Darren Trumeter, American actor and comedian
** Caroline Flack, English television and radio presenter and actress (d. 2020)
* November 12
** Matt Cappotelli, American professional wrestler (d. 2018)
** Cote de Pablo, Chilean actress
** Matt Stevic, Australian rules football umpire
* November 13
** Henry Wolfe, American actor and musician
** Metta World Peace, American basketball player
* November 14
** Mavie Hörbiger, German actress
** Olga Kurylenko, Ukrainian model and actress
** Mpule Kwelagobe, Miss Universe 1999
** Osleidys Menéndez, Cuban javelin thrower
* November 17 – Matthew Spring, English footballer
* November 18 – Neeti Mohan, Indian playback singer
* November 19
** Barry Jenkins, American film director, producer, and screenwriter
** Larry Johnson (running back), Larry Johnson, American football player
** Michelle Vieth, American born Mexican actress and model
* November 20 – Ericson Alexander Molano, Colombian gospel singer
* November 21
** Kim Dong-wan, South Korean singer and actor
** Vincenzo Iaquinta, Italian footballer
* November 22
** Chris Doran, Irish singer
** Scott Robinson (singer), Scott Robinson, English singer (Five (band), 5ive)
** Njabuliso Simelane, Swaziland international footballer
* November 23
** Kelly Brook, English actress and model
** Nihat Kahveci, Turkish footballer
** Ivica Kostelić, Croatian alpine skier
* November 24 – Carmelita Jeter, American sprinter
* November 25 – Joel Kinnaman, Swedish-American actor
* November 26 – Deborah Secco, Brazilian actress
* November 27
** Ricky Carmichael, American motorcycle and stock car racer
** Hilary Hahn, American violinist
* November 28
** Dane Bowers, English singer-songwriter (Another Level (group), Another Level)
** Jamie Korab, Canadian curler
** Hakeem Seriki, African-American rapper (Chamillionaire)
** Daniel Henney, American actor and model
* November 29
** Simon Amstell, English comedian and writer
** Jayceon Taylor, American rapper (The Game (rapper), The Game)
* November 30
** Diego Klattenhoff, Canadian actor
** Andrés Nocioni, Argentinian basketball player
December

* December 2
** Sabina Babayeva, Azerbaijani singer
** Yvonne Catterfeld, German singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality
* December 3
** Daniel Bedingfield, English pop singer and songwriter
** Rock Cartwright, American football player
** Tiffany Haddish, American actress and comedian
* December 5 – Matteo Ferrari, Italian footballer
* December 6 – Tim Cahill, Australian footballer
* December 7
** Eric Bauza, Canadian comedian and voice actor
** Sara Bareilles, American singer, songwriter and pianist
** Ayako Fujitani, Japanese actress
** Jennifer Carpenter, American actress
* December 8 – Ingrid Michaelson, American indie pop singer-songwriter
* December 10 – Keiko Nemoto, Japanese voice actress
* December 11 – Rider Strong, American actor, director, producer and screenwriter
* December 12
** Emin Agalarov, Azerbaijani-Russian singer-songwriter and businessman
** Barulaganye Bolofete, Botswana footballer
* December 14
** Chris Cheng, American sport shooter
** Michael Owen, English footballer
* December 15
** Adam Brody, American actor
** Eric Young (wrestler), Eric Young, Canadian professional wrestler
** Lee Carr, African-American singer and songwriter
* December 16
** Trevor Immelman, South African golfer
** Brodie Lee, American professional wrestler (d. 2020)
** Daniel Narcisse, French handball player
** Mihai Trăistariu, Romanian singer and musician
* December 17
**Jaimee Foxworth, American actress and model
**Erion Veliaj, Albanian politician, Mayor of Tirana
* December 19
** Kevin Devine, American songwriter and musician
** Paola Rey, Colombian actress and model
** Tara Summers, English actress
* December 20
** Flávio Amado, Flávio, Angolan footballer
** Ramón Rodríguez (actor), Ramon Rodriguez, Puerto Rican actor
* December 22
** Eleonora Lo Bianco, Italian volleyball player
** Petra Majdič, Slovene cross-country skier
* December 23
** Jacqueline Bracamontes, Mexican actress and beauty contest winner (Nuestra Belleza México 2000)
** Kenny Miller, Scottish football player
* December 25 – Ferman Akgül, vocalist of Turkish nu-metal band Manga (band), maNga
* December 26
** Chris Daughtry, American singer and guitarist
** Dimitry Vassiliev, Russian ski jumper
* December 28
** James Blake (tennis), James Blake, American tennis player
** André Holland, American actor
** Bree Williamson, Canadian actress
** B-Tight, Robert Edward Davis, German-American rapper
** Zach Hill, American drummer (Death Grips)
* December 29 – Diego Luna, Mexican actor
*December 30
** Flávio Amado, Angolan footballer
** Milana Terloeva, Chechen journalist and author
** Yelawolf, American rapper
* December 31
** Bob Bryar, American drummer (My Chemical Romance) (d. 2024)
** Elaine Cassidy, Irish actress
** Josh Hawley, American politician, United States Senate, U.S. Senator (Republican Party (United States), R-Missouri, MO) from 2019
Unknown date
* Irene Cuadrado, Spanish painter.
Deaths
January

* January 3 – Conrad Hilton, American hotelier (b. 1887)
* January 4 – Vincent Korda, Hungarian art director (b. 1897)
* January 5
** Billy Bletcher, American actor (b. 1894)
** Charles Mingus, American musician (b. 1922)
* January 11 – Jack Soo, Japanese-born American actor (b. 1917)
* January 13 – Donny Hathaway, American musician (b. 1945)
* January 15 – Charles W. Morris, American philosopher and semiotician (b. 1901)
*
January 16
Events Pre-1600
* 1458 BC – Hatshepsut dies at the age of 50 and is buried in the Valley of the Kings.
* 27 BC – Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus is granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the R ...
– Ted Cassidy, American actor (b. 1932)
*
January 22
Events Pre-1600
* 613 – Eight-month-old Heraclius Constantine is crowned as co-emperor ('' Caesar'') by his father Heraclius at Constantinople.
* 871 – Battle of Basing: The West Saxons led by King Æthelred I are defeated b ...
– Ali Hassan Salameh, Palestinian Leader of Black September and mastermind of the 1972 Munich Massacre (b. 1940)
* January 26 – Nelson Rockefeller, List of Vice Presidents of the United States, 41st Vice President of the United States (b. 1908)
* January 27 – Victoria Ocampo, Argentine publisher, writer and critic (b. 1890)
February
*
February 1
Events Pre-1600
* 1327 – The teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer.
* 1411 – The First Peace of Thorn is signed in Thorn (Toruń), ...
** William H. Brockman Jr., United States Navy admiral (b. 1904)
** Abdi İpekçi, Turkish journalist and human rights activist (b. 1929)
* February 2 – Sid Vicious, English musician (b. 1957)
* February 6 – Issa Pliyev, Soviet general (b. 1903)
*
February 7
Events Pre-1600
* 457 – Leo I becomes the Eastern Roman emperor.
* 987 – Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros, Byzantine generals of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II.
* 1301 & ...
–
Josef Mengele
Josef Mengele (; 16 March 19117 February 1979) was a Nazi German (SS) officer and physician during World War II at the Russian front and then at Auschwitz during the Holocaust, often dubbed the "Angel of Death" (). He performed Nazi hum ...
, German officer and physician (b. 1911)
* February 9 – Dennis Gabor, Hungarian-born British physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1900)
*
February 10
Events Pre-1600
* 1258 – The Siege of Baghdad ends with the surrender of the last Abbasid caliph to Hulegu Khan, a prince of the Mongol Empire.
* 1306 – In front of the high altar of Greyfriars Church in Dumfries, Robert the Bru ...
** Edvard Kardelj, Slovene general, economist, and politician, 2nd Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Yugoslavia), Foreign Minister of Yugoslavia (b. 1910)
** Karl von Eberstein, German politician (b. 1894)
*
February 12
Events Pre-1600
* 1096 – Pope Urban II confirms the foundation of the abbey of La Roë under Robert of Arbrissel as a community of canons regular.
* 1404 – The Italian professor Galeazzo di Santa Sofia performed the first post- ...
– Jean Renoir, French film director and actor (b. 1894)
*
February 14
It is observed in most countries as Valentine's Day.
Events Pre-1600
* 748 – Abbasid Revolution#Persian phase, Abbasid Revolution: The Kaysanites Shia#History, Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad ...
– Reginald Maudling, British politician (b. 1917)
* February 16 – William Gargan, American actor (b. 1905)
* February 20 – Nereo Rocco, Italian footballer and manager (b. 1912)
* February 23 – W. A. C. Bennett, Canadian politician, premier of British Columbia (b. 1900)
* February 25 – Henrich Focke, German aviation pioneer (b. 1890)
March
*
March 1
Events Pre-1600
* 509 BC – Publius Valerius Publicola celebrates the first triumph of the Roman Republic after his victory over the deposed king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus at the Battle of Silva Arsia.
* 293 – Emperor Diocleti ...
** Mustafa Barzani, Iraqi Kurdish politician (b. 1903)
** Dolores Costello, American actress (b. 1903)
*
March 13
Events Pre-1600
* 222 – Roman emperor Elagabalus is murdered alongside his mother, Julia Soaemias. He is replaced by his 14-year old cousin, Severus Alexander.
* 624 – The Battle of Badr, the first major battle between the Mu ...
– Tudor Owen (actor), Tudor Owen, Welsh-American actor (b. 1898)
* March 15 – Léonide Massine, Russian dancer and choreographer (b. 1896)
*
March 16
Events Pre-1600
* 1190 – Massacre of Jews at Clifford's Tower, York.
* 1244 – Over 200 Cathars who refuse to recant are burnt to death after the Fall of Montségur.
* 1355 – Amidst the Red Turban Rebellions, Han Lin'er, ...
– Jean Monnet, French political economist, diplomat and a Founding fathers of the European Union, founding father of the European Union (b. 1888)
*
March 19
Events Pre-1600
* 1277 – The Byzantine–Venetian treaty of 1277 is concluded, stipulating a two-year truce and renewing Venetian commercial privileges in the Byzantine Empire.
* 1279 – A Mongol victory at the Battle of Yamen en ...
– Richard Beckinsale, British actor (b. 1947)
*
March 22
Events Pre-1600
* 106 – Start of the Bostran era, the calendar of the province of Arabia Petraea.
* 235 – Roman emperor Severus Alexander is murdered, marking the start of the Crisis of the Third Century.
* 871 – Æthel ...
– Ben Lyon, American actor (b. 1901)
* March 24 – Yvonne Mitchell, English actress (b. 1915)
*
March 26
Events Pre-1600
* 590 – Emperor Maurice proclaims his son Theodosius as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire.
* 624 – First Eid al-Fitr celebration.
* 1021 – The death of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, kept secret ...
– Jean Stafford, American writer (b. 1915)
* March 28 – Emmett Kelly, American circus clown (b. 1898)
* March 29
** Yahya Petra of Kelantan, Sultan of Kelantan and 6th King of Malaysia (b. 1917)
** Milena Rudnytska, Ukrainian educator, women's activist, politician and writer (b. 1892)
* March 30
** Airey Neave, British politician (assassinated) (b. 1916)
** José María Velasco Ibarra, Ecuadorian politician, 24th President of Ecuador (b. 1893)
April

* April 4
** Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan and 4th President of Pakistan (executed) (b. 1928)
** Edgar Buchanan, American actor (b. 1903)
* April 10 – Nino Rota, Italian composer (b. 1911)
* April 11 – Hassan Pakravan, Iranian diplomat (b. 1911)
* April 19 – Wilhelm Bittrich, German ''Waffen SS'' general (b. 1894)
* April 23 – Blair Peach, New Zealand-born, British teacher (b. 1946)
* April 24 – John Carroll (actor), John Carroll, American actor (b. 1906)
* April 27 – Phan Huy Quát, 4th Prime Minister of the Republic of Vietnam, Prime Minister of South Vietnam (b. 1908)
May

* May 1 – Morteza Motahhari, Iranian cleric and politician (b. 1919)
* May 2 – Giulio Natta, Italian chemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1903)
* May 6 – Milton Ager, American songwriter (b. 1893)
* May 8 – Talcott Parsons, American sociologist (b. 1902)
* May 11
** Joan Chandler, American actress (b. 1923)
** Barbara Hutton, American socialite (b. 1912)
* May 13 – Predrag Đajić, Bosnian Serb and Yugoslavs, Yugoslav association football, footballer (b. 1922)
* May 14 – Jean Rhys, Dominican novelist (b. 1890)
* May 16 – A. Philip Randolph, African-American civil rights activist (b. 1889)
* May 19 – Benjamin W. Fortson Jr., Benjamin W. Fortson Jr, American politician and Georgia Secretary of State from 1946 to 1979 (b. 1904)
* May 21 – Bernadette Armiger, Catholic nun and president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing from 1972 to 1974 (b. 1915)
* May 27 – Ahmed Ould Bouceif, Mauritanian military officer, second Prime Minister of Mauritania (b. 1934)
* May 29 – Mary Pickford, Canadian-American actress and producer (b. 1892)
June

* June 1
** Werner Forssmann, German researcher and physician (b. 1904)
** Ján Kadár, Czechoslovakian film director (b. 1918)
** Jack Mulhall, American actor (b. 1887)
* June 2 – Jim Hutton, American actor (b. 1934)
* June 5 – Heinz Erhardt, German comedian, musician, entertainer, actor and poet (b. 1909)
* June 6 – Jack Haley, American actor (b. 1898)
* June 8 – Reinhard Gehlen, German general, 20 July Plotter (b. 1902)
* June 9 – Cyclone Taylor, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1884)
* June 11
**Edward Almond, American general (b. 1892)
** Loren Murchison, American Olympic athlete (b. 1898)
** John Wayne, American actor and film director (b. 1907)
* June 12 – Ferenc Nagy, 40th prime minister of Hungary (b. 1903)
* June 13 – Darla Hood, American actress (b. 1931)
* June 16 – Nicholas Ray, American film director, screenwriter and actor (b. 1911)
* June 22
** Louis Chiron, Monacan Grand Prix driver (b. 1899)
** Emory Parnell, American actor (b. 1892)
* June 25 – Dave Fleischer, American animator (b. 1894)
* June 26 – Akwasi Afrifa, Ghanaian soldier and politician, List of heads of state of Ghana, Head of state (1969–1970) (b. 1936)
* June 28 – Philippe Cousteau, French diver and cinematographer (b. 1940)
* June 29 – Lowell George, American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer (b. 1945)
July

* July 2
** Carlyle S. Beals, Canadian astronomer (b. 1899)
** Larisa Shepitko, Ukrainian-Soviet film director, screenwriter and actress (b. 1938)
* July 3 – Louis Durey, French composer (b. 1888)
* July 4 – Theodora Kroeber, American writer and anthropologist (b. 1897)
* July 6
** Antonio María Barbieri, Uruguay Roman Catholic cardinal (b. 1892)
** Van McCoy, American musician noted for his 1975 hit "The Hustle (song), The Hustle" (b. 1940)
* July 8
** Elizabeth Ryan, American 30 Grand Slam (tennis) tennis champion (b. 1892)
** Shin'ichirō Tomonaga, Japanese physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1906)
** Michael Wilding (actor), Michael Wilding, English actor (b. 1912)
** Robert Burns Woodward, American chemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1917)
* July 10 – Arthur Fiedler, American conductor (''Boston Pops'') (b. 1894)
* July 12 – Minnie Riperton, American rhythm and blues singer (''Lovin' You'') (b. 1947)
* July 13 – Corinne Griffith, American actress and author (b. 1894)
* July 15
** Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, Mexican politician, 49th President of Mexico, 1964-1970 (b. 1911)
** Frederick Hanson (engineer), Frederick Hanson, New Zealand soldier, engineer, military leader and public servant (b. 1895)
** Juana de Ibarbourou, Uruguayan poet (b. 1892)
* July 16 – Alfred Deller, English countertenor (b. 1912)
* July 17 – Edward Akufo-Addo, Ghanese politician and lawyer, 5th President of Ghana (b. 1906)
* July 20 – Herbert Butterfield, Sir Herbert Butterfield, English philosopher and historian (b. 1900)
* July 22 – Sándor Kocsis, Hungarian footballer (b. 1929)
* July 23 – Joseph Kessel, French journalist and author (b. 1897)
* July 26 – Virginia Brissac, American actress (b. 1883)
* July 28 – George Seaton, American screenwriter and director (b. 1911)
* July 29 – Herbert Marcuse, German-American philosopher, sociologist and political theorist (b. 1898)
August

* August 2
** Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, Peruvian politician, founder and leader of American Popular Revolutionary Alliance, APRA party (b. 1895)
** Thurman Munson, American baseball player (b. 1947)
* August 3 – Bertil Ohlin, Swedish economist and Liberal politician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (b. 1899)
* August 6 – Feodor Lynen, German biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1911)
* August 9 – Walter O'Malley, American baseball executive (b. 1903)
* August 10
** Dick Foran, American actor (b. 1910)
** Walther Gerlach, German physicist (b. 1889)
** Mohammad Nur Ahmad Etemadi, Afghan politician, 9th Prime Minister of Afghanistan (b. 1921)
* August 12 – Ernst Chain, German-born British biochemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1906)
* August 16 – John Diefenbaker, 13th Prime Minister of Canada (b. 1895)
* August 17 – Vivian Vance, American actress and singer (b. 1909)
* August 19 – Saad Jumaa, Prime Minister of Jordan (b. 1916)
* August 21 – Stuart Heisler, American film and television director (b. 1896)
* August 24
** Ahmad Daouk, Lebanese politician, 12th Prime Minister of Lebanon (b. 1892)
** Hanna Reitsch, German aviator (b. 1912)
* August 25 – Stan Kenton, American jazz pianist (b. 1911)
* August 26
** Alvin Karpis, American criminal (b. 1907)
** Mika Waltari, Finnish author (b. 1908)
* August 27 – Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, British Viceroy of India (assassinated) (b. 1900)
* August 30 – Jean Seberg, American actress (body found on September 8) (b. 1938)
* August 31 – Sally Rand, American dancer (b. 1904)
September
* September 1 – Doris Kenyon, American actress (b. 1897)
* September 2 – Felix Aylmer, British actor (b. 1889)
* September 5 – Alberto di Jorio, Italian Roman Catholic cardinal (b. 1884)
* September 9 – Norrie Paramor, British music producer (b. 1914)
* September 10 – Agostinho Neto, Angolan poet and politician, 1st President of Angola (b. 1922)
* September 12 – Jocelyne LaGarde, Tahitian actress (b. 1924)
* September 16
** Giò Ponti, Italian architect, industrial designer, furniture designer and artist (b. 1891)
** Rob Slotemaker, Indonesian-born, Dutch Formula 1 racing car driver (b. 1929)
* September 20
** Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, Sultan of Terengganu and 4th King of Malaysia (b. 1907)
** Ludvík Svoboda, 8th President of Czechoslovakia (b. 1895)
* September 22
** Abul A'la Maududi, Pakistani journalist and philosopher (b. 1903)
** Otto Robert Frisch, Austrian-born British physicist (b. 1904)
* September 24 – Carl Laemmle Jr., American film studio executive (b. 1908)
* September 25 – Yury Kovalyov, Soviet footballer (b. 1934)
* September 26
** John Cromwell (director), John Cromwell, American film director and actor (b. 1887)
** Arthur Hunnicutt, American actor (b. 1910)
* September 27
** Gracie Fields, Dame Gracie Fields, British actress (b. 1898)
** Jimmy McCulloch, Scottish guitarist (Paul McCartney & Wings) (b. 1953)
* September 29
** Francisco Macías Nguema, 1st President of Equatorial Guinea (executed) (b. 1924)
** Ivan Wyschnegradsky, Russian composer (b. 1893)
October
* October 1
** Dorothy Arzner, American film director (b. 1897)
** Roy Harris, American composer (b. 1898)
* October 6 – Elizabeth Bishop, American poet (b. 1911)
* October 9 – Nur Muhammad Taraki, Afghan revolutionary communist politician, journalist and writer (b. 1917)
* October 12 – Celia Lovsky, Austrian-born American actress (b. 1897)
* October 13
** Rebecca Clarke (composer), Rebecca Clarke, English composer and violist (b. 1886)
** Archibald Roosevelt, American army officer and conservative political activist (b. 1894)
* October 15 – Jacob L. Devers, American army general (b. 1887)
* October 17 – John Stuart (actor), John Stuart, Scottish actor (b. 1898)
* October 18 – Virgilio Piñera, Cuban author, playwright and poet (b. 1912)
* October 22 – Nadia Boulanger, French composer and composition teacher (b. 1887)
* October 23 – Antonio Caggiano, Argentine cardinal (b. 1889)
* October 25
** Maphevu Dlamini, 2nd Prime Minister of Swaziland (b. 1922)
** Gerald Templer, Sir Gerald Templer, British field marshal (b. 1898)
* October 26 – Park Chung Hee, Korean politician, 3rd President of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) (assassinated) (b. 1917)
* October 27 – Charles Coughlin, Canadian-born American priest and controversial conservative radio show commentator (b. 1891)
* October 30 – Barnes Wallis, Sir Barnes Wallis, British aeronautical engineer (b. 1887)
November

* November 1
** Albert Préjean, French actor (b. 1894)
** Mamie Eisenhower, 34th First Lady of the United States (b. 1896)
* November 2 – Jacques Mesrine, French criminal; known as the "French Robin Hood" (b. 1936)
* November 5
** Al Capp, American cartoonist (b. 1909)
** Amedeo Nazzari, Italian actor (b. 1907)
* November 7 – Frank O'Connor (actor, born 1897), Frank O'Connor, American actor, rancher, and painter (b. 1897)
* November 8
** Edward Ardizzone, English painter, printmaker and author (b. 1900)
** Yvonne de Gaulle, French wife of Charles de Gaulle (b. 1900)
* November 11 – Dimitri Tiomkin, Russian film composer (b. 1894)
* November 13 – Ernest N. Harmon, American general (b. 1894)
* November 17 – Immanuel Velikovsky, Russian author and psychiatrist (b. 1895)
* November 21 – Marie Byles, Australian solicitor and conservationist (b. 1900)
* November 23
** Merle Oberon, British actress (b. 1911)
** Judee Sill, American singer and songwriter (b. 1944)
* November 26 – Marcel L'Herbier, French movie-maker (b. 1888)
* November 30 – Zeppo Marx, American actor and comedian (b. 1901)
December

* December 3 – Dhyan Chand, Indian hockey player (b. 1905)
* December 5 – Sonia Delaunay, Russian-born French artist (b. 1885)
* December 7 – Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, British-born American astronomer and astrophysicist (b. 1900)
* December 9 – Fulton J. Sheen, American Roman Catholic bishop and venerable (b. 1895)
* December 10 – Ann Dvorak, American actress (b. 1911)
* December 11 – James J. Gibson, American psychologist and academic (b. 1904)
* December 13 – Jon Hall (actor), Jon Hall, American actor (b. 1915)
* December 15 – Ethel Lackie, American Olympic swimmer (b. 1907)
* December 16 – Vagif Mustafazadeh, Azerbaijani jazz musician (b. 1940)
* December 21 – Ermindo Onega, Argentine footballer (b. 1940)
* December 22 – Darryl F. Zanuck, American film producer (b. 1902)
* December 23
** Peggy Guggenheim, American art collector (b. 1898)
** Ernest B. Schoedsack, American film producer and director (b. 1893)
* December 24 – Rudi Dutschke, German radical student leader (b. 1940)
* December 25
** Joan Blondell, American actress (b. 1906)
** Lee Bowman, American actor (b. 1914)
* December 26 – Helmut Hasse, German mathematician (b. 1898)
* December 27 – Hafizullah Amin, 2nd General Secretary of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, People's Democratic Party and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council (Afghanistan), Revolutionary Council (b. 1929)
* December 28 – Rafael Filiberto Bonnelly, 43rd President of the Dominican Republic (b. 1904)
* December 30 – Richard Rodgers, American composer (b. 1902)
Nobel Prizes
* Nobel Prize in Physics, Physics – Sheldon Glashow, Abdus Salam, Steven Weinberg
* Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Chemistry – Herbert C. Brown, Georg Wittig
* Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Medicine – Allan MacLeod Cormack, Godfrey Hounsfield
* Nobel Prize in Literature, Literature – Odysseas Elytis
* Nobel Peace Prize, Peace – Mother Teresa
* Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, Economics – Theodore Schultz, W. Arthur Lewis
Media
* The ''Doctor Who'' story ''City of Death'' is set in 1979, its year of broadcast.
* The events of the 2011 science fiction film ''Super 8 (2011 film), Super 8'' take place during 1979.
* 1979 Revolution: Black Friday, an interactive drama video game released in 2016, based on the events of the
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...
in 1979.
References
Further reading
* Caryl, Christian, ''Strange Rebels: 1979 and the Birth of the 21st Century'' (2013), 1979 as worldwide turning point
excerpt and text search* Facts on File. ''Facts on File Yearbook: 1979'' (1980) weekly factual report on events worldwide.
* Hodson, H.V. ''Annual Register of World Events 1979'' (1980), in-depth coverage of major countries
* Paxton, John, ed. ''Statesman's Yearbook 1978–1979'' (1980), statistical details on all countries
{{DEFAULTSORT:1979
1979,