1981 in the United States

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 1981
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Decades:
  • 1960s
  • 1970s
  • 1980s
  • 1990s
  • 2000s
See also:

Events from the year 1981 in the United States.

Incumbents[]

Federal government[]

  • President: Jimmy Carter (D-Georgia) (until January 20), Ronald Reagan (R-California) (starting January 20)
  • Vice President: Walter Mondale (D-Minnesota) (until January 20), George H. W. Bush (R-Texas) (starting January 20)
  • Chief Justice: Warren E. Burger (Minnesota)
  • Speaker of the House of Representatives: Tip O'Neill (D-Massachusetts)
  • Senate Majority Leader: Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia) (until January 3), Howard Baker (R-Tennessee) (starting January 3)
  • Congress: 96th (until January 3), 97th (starting January 3)

Events[]

January[]

January 20: Ronald Reagan becomes the 40th U.S. President
January 20: George H. W. Bush becomes the 43rd U.S. Vice President
January 20: The Iran hostage crisis ends with their release
  • January 19 – United States and Iranian officials sign an agreement to release 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity.
  • January 20 – Ronald Reagan is sworn in as the 40th President of the United States, and George H. W. Bush is sworn in as Vice President of the United States. Minutes later, Iran releases the 52 Americans held for 444 days, ending the Iran hostage crisis.
  • January 25 – Super Bowl XV: The Oakland Raiders defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 27–10 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

February[]

  • February 10 – A fire at the Las Vegas Hilton hotel-casino kills eight and injures 198.

March[]

March 30: Reagan assassination attempt
  • March 6 – After 19 years hosting the CBS Evening News, Walter Cronkite signs off for the last time.
  • March 19 – Three workers are killed and five are injured during a test of the Space Shuttle Columbia.
  • March 21 – Michael Donald is lynched in Mobile, Alabama.
  • March 30 – U.S. President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C., hotel by John Hinckley Jr. Two police officers and Press Secretary James Brady are also wounded.
  • March 31 – The 53rd Academy Awards, hosted by Johnny Carson, are held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. Robert Redford's directorial debut, Ordinary People, wins four awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. David Lynch's The Elephant Man and Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull tie in receiving eight nominations each.

April[]

April 12: The first Space Shuttle launch
  • April 12 – The Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Columbia (John Young, Robert Crippen) launches on the STS-1 mission, returning to Earth on April 14.
  • April 18 – A Minor League Baseball game between the Rochester Red Wings and the Pawtucket Red Sox at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, becomes the longest professional baseball game in history: 8 hours and 25 minutes/33 innings (the 33rd inning is not played until June 23).
  • April 26 – The 5.9 Mw Westmorland earthquake shook the Imperial Valley of California with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong), causing $1–3 million in damage.

May[]

  • May 15 – Donna Payant is murdered by serial killer Lemuel Smith, the first time a female correctional officer has been killed on-duty in the United States.

June[]

  • June – The United States enters the severe early 1980s recession, exactly a year after the more minor 1980 recession ended; the unemployment rate is 7.2%
  • June 5 – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that five homosexual men in Los Angeles, California, have a rare form of pneumonia seen only in patients with weakened immune systems (the first recognized cases of AIDS).
  • June 12
    • Major League Baseball goes on strike, forcing the cancellation of 38 percent of the schedule.
    • Raiders of the Lost Ark, directed by Steven Spielberg is released as the first film of the Indiana Jones film series.
  • June 21 – Wayne Williams, a 23-year-old African American, is arrested and charged with the murders of two other African Americans. He is later accused of 28 others, in the Atlanta child murders.
  • June 29 – Morris Edwin Robert, armed with a machine gun, holds hostages in the FBI section at the Atlanta, Georgia Federal Building. After three hours, the hostages are rescued and Robert is killed in a shootout with federal agents.

July[]

July 17: Hyatt Regency walkway collapse
  • July 7 – President Ronald Reagan nominates the first woman, Sandra Day O'Connor, to the Supreme Court of the United States.
  • July 8 – California Governor Jerry Brown, faced with a Mediterranean fruit fly infestation, chooses to delay the aerial spraying of malathion, in favor of continuing ground-based eradication efforts.
  • July 9 – First release of Donkey Kong and debut of Mario.
  • July 10 – Walt Disney Productions' 24th feature film, The Fox and the Hound, is released after a six month delay due to the departure of Don Bluth and his animation team from the studio. The film receives mixed-to-positive reviews and is a box office success.
  • July 17
    • Hyatt Regency walkway collapse: Two skywalks filled with people at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri collapse into a crowded atrium lobby, killing 114.
    • Israeli aircraft bomb Beirut, destroying multi-story apartment blocks containing the offices of PLO associated groups, killing approximately 300 civilians and resulting in worldwide condemnation and a U.S. embargo on the export of aircraft to Israel.[1]
  • July 27 – Adam Walsh, 6, is kidnapped from a Sears store in Hollywood, Florida.

August[]

  • August 1 – MTV (Music Television) is launched on cable television in the United States.
  • August 5 – U.S. President Ronald Reagan fires 11,359 striking air-traffic controllers who ignored his order for them to return to work.
  • August 7 – The Washington Star ceases publication after 128 years.
  • August 9 – Major League Baseball resumes from the strike with the All-Star Game in Cleveland's Municipal Stadium.
  • August 10 – Exactly two weeks after his disappearance, the severed head of 6-year-old Hollywood, Florida native Adam Walsh is found in a canal in Vero Beach, Florida; to this day the rest of the boy's body has never been recovered.
  • August 12 – The original Model 5150 IBM PC (with a 4.77 MHz Intel 8088 processor) is released in the United States at a base price of $1,565.
  • August 19
    • Gulf of Sidra incident (1981): Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi sends 2 Sukhoi Su-22 fighter jets to intercept 2 U.S. fighters over the Gulf of Sidra. The American jets destroy the Libyan fighters.
    • U.S. President Ronald Reagan appoints the first female U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor.
  • August 24 – Mark David Chapman is sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, after being convicted of murdering John Lennon in Manhattan eight months earlier.
  • August 31 – A bomb explodes at the U.S. Air Force base in Ramstein, West Germany, injuring 20 people.

September[]

  • September 10 – Picasso's painting "Guernica" is moved from New York City to Madrid.
  • September 11 – A small plane crashes into the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino, California, damaging the venue beyond repair.
  • September 15 – The John Bull becomes the oldest operable steam locomotive in the world, at 150 years old, when it operates under its own power outside Washington, DC.
  • September 17 – Ric Flair defeats Dusty Rhodes to win his first World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship in Kansas City.
  • September 19 – Simon & Garfunkel perform The Concert in Central Park, a free concert in New York in front of approximately half a million people.
  • September 25
    • Sandra Day O'Connor takes her seat as the first female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
    • The Rolling Stones begin their Tattoo You tour at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.

October[]

  • October 28
    • The thrash metal band Metallica forms in Los Angeles.
    • The Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees, 4 games to 2, to win their fifth World Series Title.

November[]

  • November 12 – STS-2: Space Shuttle Columbia (Joe Engle, Richard Truly) lifts off for its second mission.
  • November 16 – Luke and Laura marry on the U.S. soap opera General Hospital; it is the highest-rated hour in daytime television history.
  • November 23 – Iran-Contra scandal: Ronald Reagan signs the top secret National Security Decision Directive 17 (NSDD-17), authorizing the Central Intelligence Agency to recruit and support Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
  • November 30 – Cold War: In Geneva, representatives from the United States and the Soviet Union begin negotiating intermediate-range nuclear weapon reductions in Europe (the meetings end inconclusively on Thursday, December 17).

December[]

  • December 5 – American general James L. Dozier is kidnapped in Verona by the Italian Red Brigades.
  • December 8 – The No. 21 Mine explosion in Whitwell, Tennessee kills 13.
  • December 11 – Boxing: Muhammad Ali loses to Trevor Berbick; this proved to be Ali's last-ever fight.
  • December 28 – The first American test-tube baby, Elizabeth Jordan Carr, is born in Norfolk, Virginia.

Ongoing[]

  • Cold War (1947–1991)
  • Iran hostage crisis (1979–1981)
  • Early 1980s recession (1981–1982)

Births[]

January[]

Eli Manning
Mike Jones
Jared Kushner
Pitbull
Alicia Keys
Elijah Wood
Justin Timberlake
  • January 1
    • Kelly Fremon Craig, Screenwriter, Producer, and Film Director
    • Eden Riegel, Actress
  • January 2 – Kirk Hinrich, Professional Basketball Player
  • January 3 – Eli Manning, Professional Football Player
  • January 4
    • Alicia Garza, Civil Rights Activist
    • Aaron Schwartz, Actor
  • January 5 – Brooklyn Sudano, Actress
  • January 6
    • Camila Grey, Singer/Songwriter and Guitarist
    • Mike Jones, Rapper
    • Mobetta, Jazz Trumpeter, Producer, and Composer
  • January 7
    • Marquis Daniels, Professional Basketball Player
    • Jinxx, Guitarist and Member of Black Veil Brides
  • January 8 – Genevieve Cortese, Actress
  • January 9
    • Sam Arora, Politician
    • Nate Boyer, Professional Football Player and Army Green Beret
    • Cedric Cobbs, Professional Football Player
    • Caroline Lufkin, Singer
  • January 10
    • Matt Brown, Professional Mixed Martial Artist
    • Brian Joo, R&B Singer
    • Jared Kushner, Investor
  • January 12 – Quentin Griffin, Professional Football Player
  • January 13 – Reggie Brown, Professional Football Player
  • January 15
    • Elvin Ayala, Professional Boxer
    • Charleene Closshey, Actress, Musician, Composer, and Producer
    • Howie Day, Singer/Songwriter
    • Pitbull, Hip-Hop Musician and Record Producer
  • January 17
    • Flash Brown, Pornographic Actor, Model, and Basketball Player
    • Scott Mechlowicz, Actor
    • Ray J, Rapper and Singer
  • January 19 – Elizabeth Tulloch, Actress
  • January 20
    • John Baker, Professional Baseball Player
    • Jason Richardson, Professional Basketball Player
  • January 21 – Amanda Aday, Actress
  • January 22 –
    • Chantelle Anderson, Professional Basketball Player
    • Willa Ford, Singer, Television Hostess, and Actress
    • Beverley Mitchell, Actress
    • Ben Moody, Guitarist
  • January 23
    • Dan Antoniuk, Professional Soccer Player
    • Chuckie Campbell, Musician, Poet, Fiction Writer, Editor, Publisher, and Educator
  • January 24 – Carrie Coon, Actress
  • January 25 – Alicia Keys, Singer, Pianist and Actress
  • January 28 – Elijah Wood, Actor and Music Producer
  • January 29 – Jonny Lang, Musician
  • January 30 – Jonathan Bender, Professional Basketball Player
  • January 31 – Justin Timberlake, Singer/Songwriter, Actor, Record Producer, Member of NSYNC

February[]

Dawn Olivieri
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Paris Hilton
Josh Gad
Josh Groban
  • February 1 – John Gemberling, Actor and Comedian
  • February 2
    • Lance Allred, Professional Basketball Player and Motivational Speaker
    • Nathan Barnatt, Actor, Comedian, Dancer, YouTuber, and Filmmaker
    • Emily Rose, Actress
  • February 3 – Alisa Reyes, Actress
  • February 5 – Nora Zehetner, Actress
  • February 6
    • Ricky Barnes, Professional Golfer
    • Calum Best, Television Personality
    • Alison Haislip, Actress and TV Personality
  • February 8 – Dawn Olivieri, Actress
  • February 9 – The Rev, Drummer (d. 2009)
  • February 10
    • Uzo Aduba, Actress
    • Stephanie Beatriz, Actress
  • February 11 – Kelly Rowland, Singer and Actress
  • February 14 – Erin Torpey, Actress
  • February 15
    • Matt Hoopes, Musician, Guitarist and Singer/Songwriter, (Relient K)
    • Jenna Morasca, Television Personality
    • Olivia, Singer/Songwriter and Actress
  • February 17
    • Sean Michael Becker, Director, Producer, and Editor
    • Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Actor, Director, Producer and Writer
    • Paris Hilton, Model, Heiress, and Socialite
  • February 18 – Kamasi Washington, Crossover Jazz Saxophonist
  • February 19 – Jocko Sims, Actor
  • February 20
    • Majandra Delfino, Actress
    • Adrian Lamo, Convicted Computer Hacker (died 2018)
    • Chris Thile, Mandolinist
  • February 23
    • Josh Gad, Actor, Comedian, and Singer
    • Paleo, Singer/Songwriter
  • February 24 – Rob Bowen, Professional Baseball Player
  • February 26
    • PJ Bianco, Songwriter, Record Producer and Artist Developer
    • Maria Sansone, Journalist and Internet Personality
  • February 27 – Josh Groban, Singer
  • February 28 – Brian Bannister, Professional Baseball Player

March[]

Zach Cregger
Bryce Dallas Howard
Bryan Steil
Young Buck
Julia Stiles
Ryan Bingham
  • March 1
    • Adam LaVorgna, Actor
    • Zach Cregger, Actor and Comedian
    • Brad Winchester, Professional Hockey Player
  • March 2
    • Lance Cade, Professional Wrestler (d. 2010)
    • Bryce Dallas Howard, Actress
  • March 3
    • Ed Carpenter, Professional Race Car Driver
    • Lil' Flip, Rapper
    • Bryan Steil, Politician
  • March 5 – Chris Arreola, Professional Boxer
  • March 6 – Ellen Muth, Actress
  • March 9
    • Antonio Bryant, Professional Football Player
    • Chad Gilbert, Guitarist for New Found Glory
  • March 10 – Kristen Maloney, Olympic Gymnast
  • March 11
    • David Anders, Actor
    • Lee Evans, Professional Football Player
    • LeToya Luckett, Singer
  • March 13
    • Mike Avilés, Professional Baseball Player
    • David Bailey, Professional Basketball Player
  • March 15 – Young Buck, Rapper
  • March 16
    • Danny Brown, Rapper and Songwriter
    • Julia Letlow, Politician and Widow of Congressman-Elect Luke Letlow
  • March 17 – Kyle Korver, Professional Basketball Player
  • March 18 – Vanessa Lee Evigan, Actress
  • March 21 – Juju Castaneda, Media Personality, Author, Actress and Businesswoman
  • March 22
    • Tiffany Dupont, Actress
    • MIMS, Rapper
  • March 23
    • Jenn Brown, Sports Broadcaster and Television Host
    • Erin Crocker, Professional Race Car Driver and Broadcaster
  • March 24
    • Mike Adams, Professional Football Player
    • Philip Winchester, Actor
  • March 25 – Casey Neistat, YouTube Personality
  • March 27
    • Cory Butner, Professional Bobsledder
    • Cesilie Carlton, Professional Diver
  • March 28
    • Lindsay Frimodt, Model
    • Julia Stiles, Actress
  • March 29
    • Megan Hilty, Actress and Singer
    • PJ Morton, Musician, Singer, and Producer
  • March 30 – Jammal Brown, Professional Football Player
  • March 31 – Ryan Bingham, Actor and Singer/Songwriter

April[]

Tulsi Gabbard
Hayden Christensen
Troy Polamalu
Jessica Alba
  • April 2 – Bethany Joy Lenz, Actress and Singer
  • April 3 – David Carlucci, Politician
  • April 4 – Currensy, Rapper
  • April 5 – Michael A. Monsoor, Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor Recipient (d.2006)
  • April 6 – Eliza Coupe, Actress
  • April 7 – Terrell Roberts, Professional Football Player (d. 2019)
  • April 8 – Brian Burres, Professional Baseball Player
  • April 9
    • Moran Atias, Israeli-born Actress and Model
    • Eric Harris, Mass Murderer (died 1999)
  • April 10
    • Gretchen Bleiler, Olympic Snowboarder
    • Laura Bell Bundy, Actress and Singer
    • Michael Pitt, Actor
    • Timmy Williams, Actor and Comedian
  • April 12
    • Tulsi Gabbard, Politician
    • Paul Rust, American Actor and Comedian
    • JP Sears, Comedian and Internet Personality
  • April 13
    • Courtney Peldon, Actress
    • Brenden Shucart, HIV/AIDS and LGBT Rights Activist, Actor, and Writer
  • April 16
    • Russell Harvard, Deaf Actor
    • Jake Scott, Professional Football Player
  • April 18
    • Alessandra Ambrosio, Brazilian-born Model, Actress, Fashion Designer, Businesswoman and Television Personality
    • Brian Buscher, Professional Baseball Player
    • Cameron Carpenter, Organist and Composer
  • April 19
    • Hayden Christensen, Canadian-born Actor
    • Troy Polamalu, Professional Football Player
    • Jonas Neubauer, Tetris Player
  • April 21 – Paul Curtman, Politician
  • April 22 – Ken Dorsey, Professional Football Player
  • April 28 – Jessica Alba, Actress and Businesswoman
  • April 29 – Alex Vincent, Actor
  • April 30
    • Tom Barrett, Politician
    • Tom Goss, Singer/Songwriter and Actor

May[]

Robert Buckley
Zach McGowan
Rami Malek
Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Daniel Bryan
Anders Holm
  • May 1 – Wes Welker, Professional Football Player
  • May 2 – Robert Buckley, Actor
  • May 3 – Farrah Franklin, Singer
  • May 4
    • Jason Kander, Politician and Podcaster
    • Dallon Weekes, Musician
  • May 5
    • Chris Duncan, Professional Baseball Player (died 2019)
    • Danielle Fishel, Actress
    • Zach McGowan, Actor
  • May 10 – Koko Archibong, Nigerian-born Professional Basketball Player
  • May 11
    • Heidi Cortez, Entrepreneur, Coach, Model, and Writer
    • JP Karliak, Actor, Voice Actor and Comedian
    • Austin O'Brien, Actor and Photographer
    • Daniel Ortmeier, Professional Baseball Player
  • May 12 – Rami Malek, Actor
  • May 13
    • Jeremy Bobb, Actor
    • Herman Cornejo, Argentine-born Ballet Dancer
  • May 15 – Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Actress
  • May 18
    • Jesse Cox, YouTube Gaming Personality, Comedian, Voice Actor, and Media Commentator
    • Adam Green, Singer/Songwriter
  • May 20
    • Wally Adeyemo, Nigerian-born Politician
    • Rachel Platten, Singer/Songwriter
    • Lindsay Taylor, Professional Basketball Player
  • May 21
    • Scott Aaronson, Theoretical Computer Scientist
    • Craig Anderson, Professional Hockey Player
    • Belladonna, Actress, Director, Producer, Model, and Pornographic and Erotic Actress
    • Josh Hamilton, Professional Baseball Player
  • May 22
    • Eric Butorac, Professional Tennis Player
    • Daniel Bryan, Professional Wrestler
    • Melissa Gregory, Figure Skater
  • May 23
    • Tim Robinson, Actor and Comedian
    • Charles Rogers, Professional Football Player (died 2019)
  • May 25 – Logan Tom, Olympic Volleyball Player
  • May 26
    • Craig Callahan, American-born Italian Professional Basketball Player
    • Anthony Ervin, Olympic Swimmer
    • Isaac Slade, Singer/Songwriter and Pianist
  • May 27 – Nick Barnett, Professional Football Player
  • May 28
    • Laura Bailey, Voice Actress
    • Aaron Schock, Politician
  • May 29
    • Justin Chon, Actor
    • Anders Holm, Actor and Comedian
    • Brian Simnjanovski, Professional Football Player (died 2009)
    • Alton Ford, Professional Basketball Player (died 2018)
  • May 30
    • Devendra Banhart, Singer/Songwriter and Visual Artist
    • Blake Bashoff, Actor
  • May 31 – Jake Peavy, Professional Baseball Player

June[]

Johnny Pemberton
Amy Schumer
T.J. Miller
Natalie Portman
Chris Evans
Brandon Flowers
  • June 1
    • Brandi Carlile, Singer/Songwriter
    • Smush Parker, Professional Basketball Player
    • Johnny Pemberton, Actor and Comedian
    • Amy Schumer, Comedian, Actress, and Screenwriter
  • June 2 – Jared Burton, Professional Baseball Player
  • June 3
    • Sam Amidon, Singer/Songwriter and Multi-Instrumentalist
    • Rich Rundles, Professional Baseball Player (d. 2019)
  • June 4 – T.J. Miller, Comedian, Actor, and Screenwriter
  • June 6 – Johnny Pacar, Actor
  • June 7
    • Tyler Johnson, Professional Baseball Player
    • Larisa Oleynik, Actress
  • June 8
    • Alex Band, Musician
    • Ashley Biden, Social Worker, Activist, Philanthropist, Fashion Designer, and Daughter of U.S. President Joe Biden
    • DJ Cobra, Deejay
    • Rachel Held Evans, Christian Columnist, Blogger and Author (died 2019)
    • Sara Watkins, Violinist
  • June 9
    • Drew Anderson, Professional Baseball Player
    • Natalie Portman, Israeli-born Actress
  • June 10
    • Jonathan Bennett, Actor and Model
    • Joshua Claybourn, Attorney, Author, and Historian
  • June 12
    • John Gourley, Musician and Singer
    • Jeremy Howard, Actor
  • June 13 – Chris Evans, Actor
  • June 15
    • Billy Martin, Guitarist, Songwriter, and Illustrator
    • Jeremy Reed, Professional Baseball Player
    • Haley Scarnato, Singer
    • Maxey Whitehead, Voice Actress
  • June 16
    • Ben Kweller Musician
    • Joe Saunders, Professional Baseball Player
  • June 17
    • Kyle Boller, Professional Football Player
    • Danny Core, Professional Baseball Player
  • June 18 – Scooter Braun, Media Proprietor, Record Executive, and Investor
  • June 19 – Melissa McMorrow, Professional Boxer
  • June 20 – Demarco Castle, Singer and Rapper
  • June 21
    • Jeff Baker, Professional Baseball Player
    • Brandon Flowers, Singer/Songwriter and Vocalist for The Killers
  • June 22 – Monty Oum, Animator, Director, and Screenwriter (d. 2015)
  • June 24
    • Tilky Jones, Singer and Actor
    • Cris Lankenau, Actor
    • Vanessa Ray, Actress and Singer
  • June 27
    • DJ Cassidy, Record Producer and MC
    • John Driscoll, Actor
  • June 28 – Antoine Becks, Canadian-born Musician, Singer, Producer, and Actor
  • June 29
    • Anthony Crawford, Bassist, Songwriter, Producer, and Recording Artist
    • Joe Johnson, Professional Basketball Player
  • June 30 – Andrew Alberts, Professional Hockey Player

July[]

Ryan Hansen
Brad James
Blake Lewis
Chrishell Stause
Summer Glau
M. Shadows
  • July 1
    • Jenna Arnold, Businessperson, Entrepreneur, and Co-Founder of ORGANIZE
    • Matt Carson, Professional Baseball Player
    • Amanda Seales, Comedian, Actress, Rapper and Songwriter
  • July 2
    • Yeti Beats, Record Producer and Songwriter
    • Alex Koroknay-Palicz, Activist
  • July 4
    • Brock Berlin, Professional Football Player
    • Will Smith, Professional Football Player (d. 2016)
  • July 5 – Ryan Hansen, Actor
  • July 6
    • Nnamdi Asomugha, Professional Football Player
    • Eddie Bonine, Professional Baseball Player
    • John Cox, Venezuelan-born Professional Basketball Player
    • Mike Karney, Professional Football Player
    • Synyster Gates, Guitarist for Avenged Sevenfold
  • July 7
    • Brad James, Actor
    • Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Gospel Musician and Songwriter
  • July 8 – Lance Gross, Actor, Model and Photographer
  • July 11 – Andre Johnson, Professional Football Player
  • July 13
    • Monica Byrne, Playwright and Science Fiction Author
    • Fran Kranz, Actor
  • July 15
    • Lowell Bailey, Olympic Biathlete
    • Taylor Kinney, Actor and Model
  • July 16 – Jessica Clemmons, Singer/Songwriter
  • July 17
    • Chris Brown, Politician
    • Josh Scogin, Singer and Vocalist for '68
  • July 19 – Scott Clements, Professional Poker Player
  • July 21
    • Gregory Chaney, Politician
    • Blake Lewis, Singer, Songwriter and Beatboxer
    • Chrishell Stause, Actress
  • July 24
    • Mohammed Amer, Kuwaiti-born Comedian
    • Steven Anderson, Evangelist and Founder of the New Independent Fundamentalist Baptist Movement
    • Liz Climo, Cartoonist, Animator, Children's Book Author, and Illustrator
    • Summer Glau, Actress
  • July 27 – Dash Snow, Artist (died 2009)
  • July 28
    • Billy Aaron Brown, Actor
    • Cole Williams, Actor
  • July 29 – Dyana Liu, Actress
  • July 30 – Nicky Hayden, Professional Motorcycle Racer (d. 2017)
  • July 31
    • Vernon Carey, Professional Football Player
    • M. Shadows, Singer and Frontman for Avenged Sevenfold
    • Eric Lively, Actor
    • Brandon Scott, Actor
    • Vernon Carey, Professional Football Player

August[]

Abigail Spencer
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
Ross Marquand
Chad Michael Murray
Rachel Bilson
Jake Owen
  • August 1
    • Jeremy Cooney, Politician
    • Jordan Wall, Actor
  • August 3 – Travis Willingham, Voice Actor
  • August 4
    • Amanda Congdon, Vlogger and Internet Host
    • Marques Houston, Singer and Actor (IMx)
    • Abigail Spencer, Actress
    • Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, American-born Actress and Member of the British Royal Family
  • August 5
    • Reilly Brown, Comic Book Artist and Writer
    • Carl Crawford, Professional Baseball Player
    • Travie McCoy, Alternative Hip-Hop Artist
    • Rachel Scott, Murder Victim (d. 1999)
    • Jesse Williams, Actor, Director, Producer, and Activist
  • August 6
    • Marc Cavosie, Professional Hockey Player
    • Leslie Odom Jr., Actor and Singer
  • August 8 – Meagan Good, Actress
  • August 12
    • Matt Caldwell, Politician
    • Steve Talley, Actor
  • August 14
    • Earl Barron, Professional Basketball Player
    • Barrett Brown, Journalist and Founder of Project PM
    • Scott Lipsky, Professional Tennis Player
    • Ray William Johnson, Actor, Comedian, Rapper and YouTuber
  • August 15
    • Nate Butler, Songwriter, Music Producer, Vocal Producer, and Recording Artist
    • Adam Craig, Professional Mountain Bike Cyclist
  • August 17 – Clinton Romesha, U.S. Army Veteran in the Afghan War and Medal of Honor Recipient
  • August 18 – Jeff Bourns, Amputee Tennis Player
  • August 21
    • John Beck, Professional Football Player and Coaching Consultant
    • Ross Thomas, Actor
  • August 22
    • Olivier Busquet, Professional Poker Player
    • Justin R. Cox, Professional Soccer Player and Entrepreneur
    • Ross Marquand, Actor
  • August 24 – Chad Michael Murray, Fashion Model, Actor and Spokesperson
  • August 25
    • Rachel Bilson, Actress
    • Andrew Chambliss, Television Writer and Producer
  • August 26
    • Jon Condo, Professional Football Player
    • Nico Muhly, Contemporary Classical Composer
  • August 27
    • Sahba Aminikia, Iranian-born Composer, Artistic Director, Performer and Educator
    • Allison Ball, Politician
  • August 28
    • Charlie Frye, Professional Football Player
    • Jake Owen, Country Singer
  • August 29 – Brian Chesky, Co-Founder and CEO of Airbnb
  • August 31 – T. J. Cummings, Professional Basketball Player

September[]

Beyoncé
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Jennifer Hudson
Alexis Bledel
Nicole Richie
Christina Milian
Serena Williams
  • September 1 – Clinton Portis, Professional Football Player
  • September 4
    • Beyoncé, Singer/Songwriter and Member of Destiny's Child
    • Hagar Chemali, Political Satirist, Writer, Producer, Television Personality, and Political Commentator
    • Jero, American-born Japanese enka Singer
    • Lacey Mosley, Vocalist for Flyleaf
  • September 5 – Aaron Bay-Schuck, Music Industry Executive and CEO and Co-Chairman of Warner Records
  • September 7 – Jeremy Arel, YouTuber and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Artist
  • September 8
    • Dan Fredinburg, Google Executive
    • Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Actor
  • September 9 – Julie Gonzalo, Argentine-born Actress and Producer
  • September 11
    • Hallowicked, Professional Wrestler
    • Dylan Klebold, Mass Murderer (died 1999)
    • Charles Kelley, Country Singer/Songwriter and Founding Member of Lady Antebellum
  • September 12
    • Jennifer Hudson, Singer and Actress
    • Hosea Chanchez, Actor
  • September 14
    • Cody Clark Professional Baseball Player
    • Ashley Roberts, Singer and Member of The Pussycat Dolls
  • September 15
    • Daniel Brummel, Singer/Songwriter, Composer, Producer, and Multi-Instrumentalist
    • Ben Schwartz, Actor, Voice Actor, Comedian, Writer, Director, and Producer
  • September 16 – Alexis Bledel, Actress and Model
  • September 18 – Jennifer Tisdale, Actress
  • September 19
    • Ahmad Abousamra, Syrian-born Terrorist (d. 2017)
    • Scott Baker, Professional Baseball Player
    • Atari Bigby, Professional Football Player
    • Scott Bradlee, Musician, Pianist, and YouTuber
  • September 21 – Nicole Richie, Actress, Singer and Socialite
  • September 22 – Ashley Eckstein, Actress, Voice Actress, and Fashion Designer
  • September 23
    • Evan Brewer, Bassist
    • Misti Traya, Actress
  • September 24
    • Leigh Bodden, Professional Football Player
    • Ryan Briscoe, Australian-born Professional Race Car Driver
    • Kris McCray, Professional Mixed Martial Artist
  • September 25
    • Rocco Baldelli, Professional Baseball Player
    • Jason Bergmann, Professional Baseball Player
    • Nat Cassidy, Actor, Writer, and Musician
    • Jennifer Carroll Foy, Politician
    • Van Hansis, Actor
    • Lee Norris, Actor
    • Shane Tutmarc, Singer/Songwriter and Frontman for Dolour
  • September 26
    • Alondra Cano, Politician
    • Christina Milian, R&B Singer and Actress
    • Serena Williams, Professional Tennis Player
  • September 27
    • Cytherea, Pornographic Actress and Model
    • Anand Giridharadas, Writer
  • September 28
    • Greg Anderson, Pianist, Composer, Video Producer, and Writer
    • David Baas, Professional Football Player
    • Melissa Claire Egan, Actress
  • September 29 – Shay Astar, Actress, Singer, and Songwriter
  • September 30
    • Dominique Moceanu, Romanian-born Gymnast
    • Ashleigh Aston Moore, Child Actress (d. 2007)

October[]

Keyshia Cole
Holly Holm
Tila Tequila
Ivanka Trump
  • October 3
    • Seth Gabel, Actor
    • Matthew O. Williams, U.S. Army Veteran in the Afghan War and Medal of Honor Recipient
  • October 5 – Jeanette Antolin, Gymnast
  • October 7 – Austin Eubanks, Motivational Speaker (d. 2019)
  • October 9
    • Zachery Ty Bryan, Actor
    • Darius Miles, Professional Basketball Player
  • October 12
    • Jonathan Babineaux, Professional Football Player
    • Tom Guiry, Actor
    • Brian J. Smith, Actor
  • October 13 – Taylor Buchholz, Professional Baseball Player
  • October 14 – Boof Bonser, Professional Baseball Player
  • October 15 – Keyshia Cole, Singer/Songwriter and Television Personality
  • October 16
    • Frankie Edgar, Professional Mixed Martial Artist
    • Boyd Melson, Professional Boxer
  • October 17 – Holly Holm, Professional Mixed Martial Artist
  • October 20
    • Zach Conine, Politician
    • Willis McGahee, Professional Football Player
  • October 21 – Brian Claybourn, Professional Football Player
  • October 22
    • Anthony Brown, Gospel Musician
    • Michael Fishman, Actor
  • October 24 – Tila Tequila, Model and Television Personality
  • October 25 – Austin John, Singer/Songwriter
  • October 26 – Sam Brown, Actor and Comedian
  • October 28
    • Sean Considine, Professional Football Player
    • Noah Galloway, Wounded Army Soldier, Motivational Speaker, and Dancing With The Stars Contestant
  • October 29 – Amanda Beard, Olympic Swimmer
  • October 30
    • Chris Clemons, Professional Football Player
    • Fiona Dourif, Actress, Daughter of Brad Dourif
    • Ivanka Trump, Model, Advisor, and Daughter of 45th President of the United States Donald Trump
  • October 31 – Frank Iero, Guitarist for My Chemical Romance

November[]

Jason Dunham
Mekia Cox
Nasim Pedrad
Allison Tolman
Beau Bokan
  • November 1
    • Matt Jones, Actor and Comedian
    • LaTavia Roberson, Singer, Originally of (Destiny's Child)
  • November 2 – Ai, Japanese-born Singer/Songwriter
  • November 3
    • Blair Chenoweth, Beauty Queen
    • Jackie Gayda, Professional Wrestler
    • Travis Richter, Singer and Guitar for From First to Last
  • November 4
    • Robert Bingaman, Artist
    • Vince Wilfork, Professional Football Player
  • November 5 – Regulo Caro, Singer/Songwriter
  • November 6
    • Cassie Bernall, Murder Victim of the Columbine High School massacre (d. 1999)
    • Graham Colton, Singer/Songwriter
  • November 8 – Azura Skye, Actress
  • November 9 – Scottie Thompson, Film, Television and Stage Actress
  • November 10 – Jason Dunham, Medal of Honor Recipient (died 2004)
  • November 11 – Susan Kelechi Watson, Actress
  • November 13
    • Ryan Bertin, Professional Wrestler and Coach
    • Kirsten Price, Model and Adult Film Star
    • Rivkah, Author and Illustrator
  • November 14 – Vanessa Bayer, Actress and Comedian
  • November 15 – Drew Hodgdon, Professional Football Player
  • November 16 – Caitlin Glass, Voice Actress
  • November 17 – Doug Walker, Italian-born Internet Film Critic, Comedian, and Actor (Nostalgia Critic)
  • November 18
    • Mekia Cox, Actress and Dancer
    • Nasim Pedrad, Iranian-born Actress and Comedian
    • Maggie Stiefvater, Author
    • Allison Tolman, Actress
    • Christina Vidal, Actress and Singer
  • November 19 – Marcus Banks, Professional Basketball Player
  • November 20 – Carlos Boozer, Professional Basketball Player
  • November 21 – Bryant McFadden, Professional Football Player
  • November 24
    • Krystal Ball, Political Commentator and Television Host
    • Jared Cohen, Businessman and CEO of Jigsaw
  • November 25
    • Barbara Pierce Bush, Daughter of U.S. President George W. Bush
    • Jenna Bush Hager, Daughter of U.S. President George W. Bush
    • Chevon Troutman, Professional Basketball Player
  • November 29
    • Kimberly Cullum, Actress
    • John Milhiser, Actor and Comedian
  • November 30 – Beau Bokan, Singer and Frontman for Blessthefall

December[]

Britney Spears
Philip Rivers
Amy Lee
Krysten Ritter
Sienna Miller
  • December 2 – Britney Spears, Singer, Dancer and Actress
  • December 3
    • Brian Bonsall, Actor and Musician
    • Tiffany Cole, Convicted Murderer
    • Liza Lapira, Actress
    • Tyjuan Hagler, Professional Football Player
  • December 4 – Lila McCann, Singer
  • December 6 – Beth Allen, Professional Golfer
  • December 8
    • Jeremy Accardo, Professional Baseball Player
    • Charlie Anderson, Professional Football Player
    • Cory Blaser, MLB Umpire
    • Kory Casto, Professional Baseball Player
    • Philip Rivers, Professional Football Player
  • December 9 – Katie Cook, Comic Artist and Writer
  • December 11
    • Rebekkah Brunson, Professional Basketball Player and Coach
    • Jeff McComsey, Author and Illustrator
    • Kevin Phillips, Actor
    • Zacky Vengeance, Guitarist for Avenged Sevenfold
  • December 12
    • Ronnie Brown, Professional Football Player
    • C. S. E. Cooney, Fantasy Literature Writer
    • Shane Costa, Professional Baseball Player
    • Spencer Johnson, Professional Football Player
  • December 13
    • Astronautalis, Hip-Hop Artist
    • Mathis Bailey, American-born, Canadian Novelist and Fiction Writer
    • Amy Lee, Singer-Songwriter and Frontperson for Evanescence
  • December 15 – Thomas Herrion, Professional Football Player (died 2005)
  • December 16
    • Krysten Ritter, Actress, Musician, Model and Author
    • A. J. Allmendinger, Professional Race Car Driver
  • December 17 – Nick Baumgartner, Olympic Snowboarder
  • December 20
    • Royal Ivey, Professional Basketball Player
    • James Shields, Professional Baseball Player
    • Roy Williams, Professional Football Player
  • December 23
  • December 27 – Jay Ellis, Actor
  • December 28
    • Elizabeth Jordan Carr, First American Test-tube Baby
    • Sienna Miller, American-born English actress
  • December 30
    • Stevie Baggs, Professional Football Player
    • Kyle Eckel, Professional Football Player
  • December 31
    • Toby Barker, Politician
    • Jason Campbell, Professional Football Player

Date Unknown[]

  • Jessica D. Aber, Attorney
  • Josh Abramson, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of CollegeHumor
  • Katrina Andry, Visual Artist and Printmaker
  • Will Aronson, Composer
  • Clint Baclawski, Photography and Installation Artist
  • Annie Baker, Playwright and Teacher
  • Nathan Baskerville, Politician
  • Benjamin Beaton, Judge
  • Lukas Biewald, Entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of Figure Eight Inc.
  • Brandon B. Brown, Politician
  • Katie Brown, Rock Climber
  • Aileen Cannon, Judge
  • Beau Carey, Painter and Educator
  • Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Actor
  • Elizabeth Chomko, Playwright, Film Director, Screenwriter and Actress
  • Zachary Cotler, Filmmaker, Poet, and Novelist
  • Nick Courtright, Poet
  • Amber Cowan, Artist and Educator
  • Donald Cumming, Actor, Musician, and Singer/Songwriter

Deaths[]

See also: Deaths in 1981
  • January 5
    • Frederick Osborn, philanthropist and eugenicist (b. 1889)
    • Harold Urey, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (b. 1893)
  • January 7 – John Pascal, playwright, screenwriter, author and journalist (b. 1932)
  • January 8 – Matthew Beard, child film actor (b. 1925)
  • January 10
    • Katharine Alexander, film actress (b. 1898)
    • Richard Boone, Western film actor (b. 1917)
  • January 11 – Beulah Bondi, actress (b. 1888)
  • January 13 – Robert Kellard, film actor (b. 1915)
  • January 25 – Adele Astaire, dancer (b. 1896)
  • February 9
    • Jack Z. Anderson, U.S. Representative from California (b. 1904)
    • Bill Haley, rock & roll musician (b. 1925)
  • February 22 – Ilo Wallace, wife of Henry A. Wallace, Second Lady of the United States (born 1888)
  • March 5 – Yip Harburg, lyricist (b. 1896)
  • March 7 – Bosley Crowther, film critic (b. 1905)
  • March 9 – Max Delbrück, biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1906 in Germany)
  • April 4 – Brad Johnson, actor (b. 1924)
  • April 5
    • Bob Hite, musician (b. 1943)
    • Lucile Godbold, Olympic athlete (b. 1900)
  • April 7 – Norman Taurog, film director (b. 1899)
  • April 8 – Omar N. Bradley, U.S. Army General (b. 1893)
  • April 12 – Joe Louis, African American heavyweight boxer (b. 1914)
  • April 15 – John Thach, naval aviator and admiral (b. 1905)
  • April 26
    • Jim Davis, television actor (b. 1909)
    • Madge Evans, actress (b. 1909)
  • April 27 – John Aspinwall Roosevelt, businessman and philanthropist (b. 1916)
  • April 28 – Cliff Battles, American footballer (Boston Redskins) (b. 1910)
  • May 9 – Nelson Algren, novelist (b. 1909)
  • May 11 – Bob Marley, reggae musician (b. 1945 in Jamaica)
  • May 18
    • Arthur O'Connell, actor (b. 1908)
    • William Saroyan, dramatist and author (b. 1908)
  • May 23 – George Jessel, actor and entertainer (b. 1898)
  • May 28 – Mary Lou Williams, jazz pianist (b. 1910)
  • June 1 – Carl Vinson, U.S. Congressman (b. 1883)
  • June 9 – Allen Ludden, television game show host (b. 1917)
  • July 10 – Ken Rex McElroy, murder victim (b. 1934)
  • July 27
    • Adam Walsh, murder victim and son of John Walsh (b. 1974)
    • William Wyler, film director (b. 1902)
  • July 29 – Robert Moses, urban planner (b. 1888)
  • August 15 – Carol Ryrie Brink, author (b.)[2]
  • November 3 – H. C. Westermann, sculptor and printmaker (b. 1922)
  • November 7 – Will Durant, philosopher and writer (b. 1885)
  • November 12 – William Holden, film actor (b. 1918)
  • November 17 – Sibyl M. Rock, mathematician (b. 1909)
  • November 27 – Lotte Lenya, singer (b. 1898 in Vienna)
  • November 29 – Natalie Wood, actress (b. 1938)
  • December 2 – Wallace Harrison, architect (b. 1895)
  • December 6 – Harry Harlow, psychologist (b. 1905)
  • December 13 – Pigmeat Markham, African American vaudevillian (b. 1904)
  • December 27 – Hoagy Carmichael, composer and singer (b. 1899)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "The Bombing of Beirut". Journal of Palestine Studies. 11 (1): 218–225. 1981. doi:10.1525/jps.1981.11.1.00p0366x.
  2. ^ Cullinan, Bernice E.; Person, Diane Goetz (2005). The Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature. New York: Continuum. p. 112. ISBN 978-0-82641-778-7.

External links[]

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