1981 in the United States

Events from the year 1981 in the United States.

Incumbents

Federal government

President:
President of the United States|Vice President]:
Chief Justice: Warren E. Burger
Speaker of the House of Representatives: Tip O'Neill
Senate Majority Leader:
Congress: 96th, 97th

Events

January

January 16 - Women in Housing and Finance: conduct first meeting in New York City.
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 the 43rd vice president. 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.
February 18 - President Reagan February 1981 [Ronald Reagan speech to a joint session of Congress|delivers his first address] to the 97th Congress.

March

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 - President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a D.C.">Democratic Party (United States)">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 Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Columbia 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.
April 26 - The 5.9 Westmorland earthquake shook the Imperial Valley of California with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII, causing $1–3 million in damage.

May

May 11 – The Jamaican reggae singer Bob Marley dies at age 36 from cancer.
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.
June 12
* Major League Baseball goes on 1981 [Major League Baseball strike|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 7 - President 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.
July 27 - Adam Walsh, 6, is kidnapped from a Sears store in Hollywood, Florida.

August

August 1 - MTV is launched on cable television in the United States.
August 5 - 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 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.
*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 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, 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.

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

Births">:Category:1981 births">Births

January

January 1
* Kelly Fremon Craig, screenwriter, producer, and film director
* Eden Riegel, actress
January 2
* JT Daly, musician, producer, songwriter, and visual artist, and frontman for Paper Route
* Kirk Hinrich, basketball player
January 3 - Eli Manning, football player
January 4
* Alicia Garza, civil rights activist and co-founder of Black Lives Matter
* Aaron Schwartz, actor
January 5
* Chris Drake, tennis player
* Brooklyn Sudano, actress
January 6
* Ejiro Evero, English-born football player and coach
* Betty Gabriel, actress
* Camila Grey, singer/songwriter and guitarist
* Mike Jones, rapper
* Mobetta, jazz trumpeter, producer, and composer
January 7
* Marquis Daniels, basketball player
* Jinxx, guitarist and member of Black Veil Brides
January 8 - Genevieve Cortese, actress
January 9
* Sam Arora, politician
* Nate Boyer, football player and Army Green Beret
* Cedric Cobbs, football player
* Caroline Lufkin, singer
January 10
* Matt Brown, mixed martial artist
* Brian Joo, R&B singer
* Jared Kushner, investor
January 11 - Mary Beth Decker, model and television personality
January 12 - Quentin Griffin, football player
January 13
* Reggie Brown, football player
* Shad Gaspard, wrestler
January 14 - Trieste Kelly Dunn, actress
January 15
* Elvin Ayala, boxer
* Charleene Closshey, actress, musician, composer, and producer
* Alex Cremidan, baseball player
* Howie Day, singer/songwriter
* Pitbull, hip-hop musician and record producer
January 16 - Kurt Sauer, ice hockey player
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, baseball player
* Annie Black, politician
* Erika Davies, jazz vocalist and actress
* Jason Richardson, basketball player
* Clarke Tucker, politician
January 21
* Amanda Aday, actress
* Damane Duckett, football player
* Josh Revak, politician
* Josh Riley, lawyer and politician
January 22
* Chantelle Anderson, basketball player
* Cameron Echols, basketball player
* Willa Ford, singer, television hostess, and actress
* Beverley Mitchell, actress
* Ben Moody, guitarist
* Raymond Raposa, singer/songwriter and frontman for Castanets
January 23
* Dan Antoniuk, soccer player
* Nathan Baskerville, politician
* Chuckie Campbell, musician, poet, fiction writer, editor, publisher, and educator
* Miss Eighty 6, rapper
January 24 - Carrie Coon, actress
January 25 - Alicia Keys, singer, pianist and actress
January 26 - Ronald Dupree, basketball player
January 27 - Gorilla Zoe, rapper
January 28 - Elijah Wood, actor and producer
January 29 - Jonny Lang, musician
January 30 - Jonathan Bender, basketball player
January 31 - Justin Timberlake, singer/songwriter, actor, record producer, and member of NSYNC

February

February 1
* Bayard Elfvin, soccer player
* John Gemberling, actor and comedian
* Gina Ortiz Jones, politician
February 2
* Lance Allred, basketball player
* Nathan Barnatt, actor, comedian, dancer, YouTuber, and filmmaker
* Josh Kaul, politician
* Emily Rose, actress
February 3
* Kris Dielman, football player
* Alisa Reyes, actress
* Ben Wikler, politician
February 4 - Dennis Dottin-Carter, football player
February 5
* Jarvis Dortch, politician
* Nora Zehetner, actress
February 6
* Ricky Barnes, golfer
* Calum Best, TV personality
* Alison Haislip, actress and TV personality
February 7 - Jim Parrack, actor
February 8 - Dawn Olivieri, actress
February 9 - The Rev, drummer for Avenged Sevenfold
February 10
* Uzo Aduba, actress
* Stephanie Beatriz, actress
* Eric Dill, singer/songwriter
* Mike Spreitzer, guitarist for DevilDriver
February 11
* Jake Eaton, football player and athletic director
* Kelly Rowland, singer and actress
February 13 - Joshua Deahl, judge
February 15
*Matt Hoopes, guitarist and singer/songwriter,
*Jenna Morasca, TV personality
*Olivia, singer/songwriter and actress
February 17
* Sean Michael Becker, director, producer, and editor
* T. J. Duckett, football player
* Joseph Gordon-Levitt, actor, director, producer and writer
* Paris Hilton, model and socialite
February 18
* Jameel Dumas, football player
* Kamasi Washington, saxophonist
February 19
* Beth Ditto, singer/songwriter and actress
* Blake Elliott, football player
* Jocko Sims, actor
February 20
* Majandra Delfino, actress
* Cody Donovan, mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner
* Fred Jackson, football player
* Adrian Lamo, convicted computer hacker
* Chris Thile, mandolinist
February 21 - Katie Edwards-Walpole, politician
February 23
* Josh Gad, actor, comedian, and singer
* Paleo, singer/songwriter
* Charles Tillman, American football player
February 24 - Rob Bowen, baseball player
February 25 - Oliver Celestin, football safety player
February 26
* PJ Bianco, songwriter and record producer
* Kertus Davis, race car driver
* Demetrius Grosse, actor and producer
* Maria Sansone, journalist and Internet personality
February 27
* Josh Groban, singer
* Nick Langworthy, politician
February 28
* Brian Bannister, baseball player
* Erik Demaine, professor of Computer Science at MIT and former child prodigy

March

March 1
* Zach Cregger, actor, comedian, and filmmaker
* Adam LaVorgna, actor
* Brad Winchester, ice hockey player
March 2
* Lance Cade, wrestler
* Bryce Dallas Howard, actress
* Danielle Moné Truitt, actress
March 3
* David Bailey, basketball player
* Ed Carpenter, race car driver
* Lil' Flip, rapper
* Bryan Steil, politician
March 5 - Chris Arreola, boxer
March 6 - Ellen Muth, actress
March 8 - B. Dolan, rapper, spoken word artist, activist, screenwriter, and composer
March 9
* Antonio Bryant, football player
* Chad Gilbert, guitarist for New Found Glory
March 10 - Kristen Maloney, Olympic gymnast
March 11
* David Anders, actor
* Mike Dusi, actor and producer
* Lee Evans, football player
* LeToya Luckett, singer
March 13 - Mike Avilés, baseball player
March 14 - Bobby Jenks, baseball player and coach
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, basketball player
March 18
* Amir Abdur-Rahim, basketball player and coach
* Vanessa Lee Evigan, actress
March 19 - Benny Fine, co-founder of React Media, LLC
March 20
* Jake Hoffman, actor, director, and writer
* Levar Stoney, politician, mayor of Richmond, Virginia
March 21 - Juju Castaneda, media personality, author, actress, and businesswoman
March 22
* Will Ainsworth, politician, 31st Lieutenant Governor of Alabama
* Tiffany Dupont, actress
* MIMS, rapper
March 23
* Jenn Brown, sports broadcaster and television host
* Erin Crocker, race car driver and broadcaster
* Brett Young, country singer/songwriter
March 24
* Mike Adams, football player
* Mike Doss, football player
* Philip Winchester, actor
March 25 - Casey Neistat, YouTube personality
March 27
* Cory Butner, bobsledder
* Cesilie Carlton, diver
* Carey Davis, football player
* Keith Rodden, NASCAR crew chief
March 28
* Lindsay Frimodt, model
* Michael Sarver, musician
* Julia Stiles, actress
March 29
* Jasmine Crockett, politician
* Megan Hilty, actress and singer
* PJ Morton, musician, singer, and producer
* Willie Taylor, singer/songwriter, record producer, and member of Day26
March 30
* Jammal Brown, football player
* Jon DiSalvatore, ice hockey player
* Katy Mixon, actress
March 31
* Ryan Bingham, actor and singer/songwriter
* Mark Ellebracht, politician
* Reggie Moore, American-born Angolan basketball player

April

April 1 - Dewitt Ellerbe, football player
April 2
* Rod Davis, football player
* Josephine Decker, actress, filmmaker, and performance artist
* Bethany Joy Lenz, actress and singer
* Nicole Steinwedell, actress
April 3
* David Carlucci, politician
* Ryan Doumit, baseball player
April 4
* Currensy, rapper
* Casey Daigle, baseball player
* Heather Edelson, politician
April 5
* T.V. Carpio, actress
* Matthew Emmons, Olympic rifle shooter
* Michael A. Monsoor, Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient
April 6
* Eliza Coupe, actress
* Kari Jobe, Christian singer/songwriter
* Alex Suarez, musician/multi instrumentalist, producer, songwriter, DJ, remixer and mixing/mastering engineer for Cobra Starship and This is Ivy League
April 7
* Brian Dux, basketball player
* Vanessa Olivarez, singer
* Terrell Roberts, football player
April 8
* Lamon Archey, actor
* Brian Burres, baseball player
* Jeff Dugan, football player
April 9
* Moran Atias, Israeli-born actress and model
* A. J. Ellis, baseball player
* Eric Harris, mass murderer
April 10
* Gretchen Bleiler, Olympic snowboarder
* Laura Bell Bundy, actress and singer
* Jax Dane, wrestler
* Michael Pitt, actor
* Timmy Williams, actor and comedian
April 12
* Tulsi Gabbard, politician
* Paul Rust, actor and comedian
* JP Sears, comedian and internet personality
April 13
* Bryan Davis, inventor and distiller
* Courtney Peldon, actress
* Brenden Shucart, HIV/AIDS and LGBT rights activist, actor, and writer
April 16
* Russell Harvard, deaf actor
* Jake Scott, football player
April 18
* Alessandra Ambrosio, Brazilian-born model, actress, fashion designer, businesswoman, and television personality
* Brian Buscher, baseball player
* Cameron Carpenter, organist and composer
April 19
* Hayden Christensen, Canadian-born actor
* Troy Polamalu, football player
* Jonas Neubauer, tetris player
April 21 - Paul Curtman, politician
April 22
* Lindsay Nicole Chambers, actress
* Ken Dorsey, football player
April 24 - Taylor Dent, tennis player
April 26 - Michael Dorman, New Zealand-born actor
April 27 - Drew Elliott, fashion model and television personality
April 28
* Jessica Alba, actress and businesswoman
* Lester Estelle II, drummer and backing vocalist for Pillar
* Alex Riley, wrestler and commentator
April 29
* Guy Blakeslee, psychedelic and stoner rock musician
* Alex Vincent, actor
April 30
* Tom Barrett, politician
* Tom Goss, singer/songwriter and actor
* Kunal Nayyar, British-born Indian-raised American actor

May

May 1 - Wes Welker, football player
May 2 - Robert Buckley, actor
May 3
* Farrah Franklin, singer
* Trevor Strnad, singer and frontman for The Black Dahlia Murder
May 4
* Matt DeMarchi, American-born Italian ice hockey player
* Jason Kander, politician and podcaster
* Dallon Weekes, musician
May 5
* Chris Duncan, baseball player
* Danielle Fishel, actress
* Shane Landrum, television personality
May 6 - Bubba Dickerson, golfer
May 7
* Dave Canales, football coach
* Monzavous Edwards, American-born Nigerian sprinter
May 10 - Koko Archibong, Nigerian-born 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, baseball player
May 12 - Rami Malek, actor
May 13
* Jeremy Bobb, actor
* Herman Cornejo, Argentine-born ballet dancer
* Jimmy Yang, wrestler
May 15
* Laurel Libby, politician
* Jamie-Lynn Sigler, actress
May 16 - Dwan Edwards, football player
May 17
* Bronwen Dickey, author, journalist, and lecturer
* R. J. Helton, singer
May 18
* Jesse Cox, YouTube gaming personality, comedian, voice actor, and media commentator
* Desus Nice, television, YouTube, and Twitter personality
* Adam Green, singer/songwriter
May 20
* Wally Adeyemo, Nigerian-born politician
* Rachel Platten, singer/songwriter
* Lindsay Taylor, basketball player
May 21
* Scott Aaronson, theoretical computer scientist
* Craig Anderson, ice hockey player
* Belladonna, actress, director, producer, model, and pornographic and erotic actress
* Josh Hamilton, baseball player
May 22
* Eric Butorac, tennis Player
* Bryan Danielson, wrestler
* Melissa Gregory, figure skater
* Celeste Maloy, lawyer and politician
May 23
* Dessa, rapper, singer/songwriter, record executive, and member of Doomtree
* Tim Robinson, actor and comedian
* Charles Rogers, football player
May 24
* Elijah Burke, wrestler
* Jerod Mixon, actor, comedian, writer, and producer
May 25 - Logan Tom, Olympic volleyball player
May 26
* Craig Callahan, American-born Italian basketball player
* Anthony Ervin, Olympic swimmer
* Isaac Slade, singer/songwriter and pianist
* Ben Zobrist, baseball player
May 27
* Nick Barnett, football player
* Darnell Dockett, football player
May 28
* Laura Bailey, voice actress
* Aaron Schock, politician
May 29
* Justin Chon, actor
* Alton Ford, basketball player
* Anders Holm, actor and comedian
* Brian Simnjanovski, football player
* Randall Woodfin, politician, mayor of Birmingham, Alabama
May 30
* Devendra Banhart, singer/songwriter and visual artist
* Blake Bashoff, actor
* Frankie Delgado, Mexican-born actor, producer, and television personality
May 31 - Jake Peavy, baseball player

June

June 1
* Brandi Carlile, singer/songwriter
* David Eastman, politician
* Smush Parker, basketball player
* Johnny Pemberton, actor and comedian
* Amy Schumer, comedian, actress, and screenwriter
June 2
* Jared Burton, baseball player
* Velvet Sky, wrestler
June 3
* Sam Amidon, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
* Rich Rundles, baseball player
June 4
* Paul Daniels, rower
* Tonya Evinger, mixed martial artist
* T.J. Miller, comedian, actor, and screenwriter
June 6
* Brent Darby, basketball player
* Johnny Pacar, actor
June 7
* Shireen Ghorbani, politician
* Tyler Johnson, baseball player
* Larisa Oleynik, actress
June 8
* Alex Band, singer and frontman for the Calling
* 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
* John E. James, businessman, veteran, and political candidate
* Sara Watkins, violinist
June 9
* Drew Anderson, baseball player
* Natalie Portman, Israeli-born actress
June 10
* Jonathan Bennett, actor and model
* Joshua Claybourn, attorney, author, and historian
* Glenn Earl, football player
June 11 - Andy Dean, radio talk show host, political commentator, and media executive
June 12
* John Gourley, musician and singer
* Jeremy Howard, actor
June 13 - Chris Evans, actor
June 15
* Marie Harf, political commentator
* Billy Martin, guitarist, songwriter, and illustrator
* Jeremy Reed, baseball player
* Haley Scarnato, singer
* Nick Sirianni, football player and coach
* Maxey Whitehead, voice actress
June 16
* Ben Kweller musician
* Joe Saunders, baseball player
June 17
* Kyle Boller, football player
* Danny Core, baseball player
June 18 - Scooter Braun, media proprietor, record executive, and investor
June 19
* Mario Duplantier, French-born drummer for Gojira
* Melissa McMorrow, boxer
June 20 - Demarco Castle, singer and rapper
June 21
* Jeff Baker, baseball player
* Wesley Duke, football player
* Brandon Flowers, singer/songwriter and vocalist for The Killers
June 22 - Monty Oum, animator, director, and screenwriter
June 24
* Harvey Dahl, football player
* 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
* Josh Christy, politician
* Jon Watts, director, producer, and screenwriter
June 29
* Anthony Crawford, bassist, songwriter, producer, and recording artist
* Joe Johnson, basketball player
June 30
* Andrew Alberts, ice hockey player
* Anna Slotky, actress and attorney

July

July 1
* Jenna Arnold, businessperson, entrepreneur, and co-founder of ORGANIZE
* Matt Carson, baseball player
* Amanda Seales, comedian, actress, rapper and songwriter
July 2
* Yeti Beats, record producer and songwriter
* Alex Koroknay-Palicz, activist
July 3 - Colin Frangicetto, guitarist
July 4
* Brock Berlin, football player
* Will Smith, football player
July 5 - Ryan Hansen, actor
July 6
* Nnamdi Asomugha, football player
* Eddie Bonine, baseball player
* John Cox, Venezuelan-born basketball player
* Charles Drake, football player
* Mike Karney, football player
* Synyster Gates, guitarist for Avenged Sevenfold
July 7
* Brad James, actor
* Synyster Gates, guitarist for Avenged Sevenfold
* Tasha Cobbs Leonard, gospel musician and songwriter
July 8 - Lance Gross, actor, model and photographer
July 9 - Michelle Collins, comedian
July 11 - Andre Johnson, football player
July 12 - Phil Dumatrait, baseball player
July 13
* Monica Byrne, playwright and science fiction author
* Fran Kranz, actor
July 14
* Mark Evitts, composer, producer, string arranger, and multi-instrumentalist
* Teri Reeves, actress
July 15
* Lowell Bailey, Olympic biathlete
* Taylor Kinney, actor and model
July 16 - Jessica Clemmons, singer/songwriter
July 17
* Chris Brown, politician
* Leila Djansi, Ghanaian-born filmmaker
* Josh Scogin, singer and vocalist for '68
July 17 - Luke Dowler, songwriter, performer, and producer
July 19
* Scott Clements, poker player
* Josh Dobson, politician
* Angela Trimbur, actress, writer, dancer, choreographer, and television personality
July 20
* Jessica de la Cruz, politician
* James Dolan, computer security expert and co-developer of SecureDrop
July 21
* Gregory Chaney, politician
* Blake Lewis, singer/songwriter and beatboxer
* Chrishell Stause, actress
July 22 - Kevin Eakin, football player
July 23 - Jacob Frey, politician, mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota
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
* Vanessa Ray, actress
July 26
* Peter Depp, stand-up comedian, gay rights activist, anti-bullying activist, writer, and actor
* Clifford Dukes, football player
July 27 - Dash Snow, artist
July 28
* Billy Aaron Brown, actor
* Jen Day, politician and weightlifter
* Cole Williams, actor
July 29
* Jenna Edwards, beauty pageant title holder
* Mark Estelle, American-born Canadian football player
* Dyana Liu, actress
July 30
* Rob Emerson, mixed martial artist
* Nicky Hayden, motorcycle racer
July 31
* Vernon Carey, football player
* Donald Cumming, actor, musician, and singer/songwriter
* John Edwards, basketball player
* M. Shadows, singer and frontman for Avenged Sevenfold
* Eric Lively, actor

August

August 1
* Jeremy Cooney, politician
* Jordan Wall, actor
August 2
* Dylan Dreyer, television meteorologist and news correspondent
* Rich Edson, journalist for Fox News
* Ebi Ere, American-born Nigerian basketball player
August 3 - Travis Willingham, voice actor
August 4
* Amanda Congdon, vlogger and internet host
* Andy Dillard, basketball player
* Marques Houston, singer and actor
* 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, baseball player
* Travie McCoy, alternative hip-hop artist and frontman for Gym Class Heroes
* Rachel Scott, murder victim
* Jesse Williams, actor, director, producer, and activist
August 6
* Marc Cavosie, ice hockey player
* Leslie Odom Jr., actor and singer
August 7 - Randy Wayne, actor
August 8
*Meagan Good, actress
*Henry Dillon, politician
August 9 - Pam Dreyer, ice hockey player
August 12
* Matt Caldwell, politician
* Steve Talley, actor
August 13
* Jarrod Alexander, rock drummer
* Cory Doyne, baseball player
August 14
* Earl Barron, basketball player
* Barrett Brown, journalist and founder of Project PM
* Scott Lipsky, tennis player
* Ray William Johnson, actor, comedian, rapper and YouTuber
August 15
* Nate Butler, songwriter, music producer, vocal producer, and recording artist
* Adam Craig, 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 19 - Percy Watson, wrestler and football player
August 20
* Epiphany, wrestler
* Michael Rady, actor
* Byron Saxton, wrestler, ring announcer, and commentator
August 21
* John Beck, football player and coaching consultant
* Ross Thomas, actor
* Cameron Winklevoss, investor, Olympic rower, and co-founder of Winklevoss Capital Management, Gemini cryptocurrency exchange, and ConnectU
* Tyler Winklevoss, investor, Olympic rower, and co-founder of Winklevoss Capital Management, Gemini cryptocurrency exchange, and ConnectU
August 22
* Olivier Busquet, poker player
* Justin R. Cox, soccer player and entrepreneur
* Frank Davis, football player
* Ross Marquand, actor
August 23
* Anthony Dobbins, American-born Italian basketball player
* Jaime Lee Kirchner, German-born actress
August 24 - Chad Michael Murray, fashion model, actor and spokesperson
August 25
* Bobby Berk, reality star and interior designer
* Rachel Bilson, actress
* Andrew Chambliss, television writer and producer
August 26
* Jon Condo, football player
* Kosha Dillz, rapper
* Derek Edwardson, ice hockey player
* Nico Muhly, contemporary classical composer
* Karla Mosley, actress and singer
August 27
* Patrick J. Adams, Canadian-born actor
* Sahba Aminikia, Iranian-born composer, artistic director, performer and educator
* Allison Ball, politician
* Aaron Espe, singer/songwriter, instrumentalist, and record producer
August 28
* Dan Deacon, electronic music composer
* Ben Ferguson, political commentator
* Charlie Frye, football player
* Jake Owen, country singer
August 29
* Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb
* Brandon Trost, cinematographer, screenwriter, and director
August 30 - Cole Escovedo, mixed martial artist
August 31
* T. J. Cummings, basketball player
* Dennis Dove, baseball player
* ForBiddeN, cosmetologist and MySpace Internet celebrity

September

September 1
* Boyd Holbrook, actor
* Coyote Peterson, internet personality and wildlife educator
* Clinton Portis, football player
September 2 - Dan Ramos, politician
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
* Lukas Biewald, entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Figure Eight Inc.
September 7 - Jeremy Arel, YouTuber and Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist
September 8
* Dan Fredinburg, Google executive
* Jonathan Taylor Thomas, actor
September 9
* Jessica D. Aber, attorney
* Basil Dannebohm, politician
* Julie Gonzalo, Argentine-born actress and producer
September 11
* Benjamin Downing, politician
* Aneesa Ferreira, television personality
* Hallowicked, wrestler
* Dylan Klebold, mass murderer
* Charles Kelley, country singer/songwriter and founding member of Lady Antebellum
September 12
* Jennifer Hudson, singer and actress
* Hosea Chanchez, actor
September 13 - EJay Day, singer/songwriter
September 14
* Cody Clark baseball player
* Ashley Roberts, singer and dancer for 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
* Patrick Dideum, freestyle swimmer
September 18 - Jennifer Tisdale, actress
September 19
* Ahmad Abousamra, Syrian-born terrorist
* Scott Baker, baseball player
* Atari Bigby, football player
* Scott Bradlee, musician, pianist, and YouTuber
September 20 - Shemia Fagan, politician
September 21 - Nicole Richie, actress, singer, and socialite
September 22
* Silas Daniels, football player
* Ashley Eckstein, actress, voice actress, and fashion designer
* Adam Lazzara, singer/songwriter and frontman for Taking Back Sunday
September 23
* Evan Brewer, bassist
* Brandon Victor Dixon, actor, singer, and theatrical producer
* Misti Traya, actress
September 24
* Leigh Bodden, football player
* Ryan Briscoe, Australian-born racing driver
* Andrew Leeds, actor, comedian, and writer
* Kris McCray, mixed martial artist
September 25
* Rocco Baldelli, baseball player
* Jason Bergmann, baseball player
* Nat Cassidy, actor, writer, and musician
* Jennifer Carroll Foy, politician
* Van Hansis, actor
* Lee Norris, actor
* Perfume Genius, singer/songwriter and musician
* Shane Tutmarc, singer/songwriter and frontman for Dolour
September 26
* Alondra Cano, politician
* Christina Milian, R&B singer and actress
* Serena Williams, tennis player
September 27
* Cytherea, pornographic actress and model
* Mike Esposito, baseball player
* Anand Giridharadas, writer
September 28
* Greg Anderson, pianist, composer, video producer, and writer
* David Baas, football player
* Melissa Claire Egan, actress
September 29
* Shay Astar, actress and singer/songwriter
* Atiyyah Ellison, football player
September 30
* Parks Bonifay, wakeboarder
* Rachael Eubanks, politician
* Dominique Moceanu, Romanian-born gymnast
* Ashleigh Aston Moore, child actress

October

October 2
* Erwin Dudley, basketball player
* Peter Evans, trumpeter
October 3
* Seth Gabel, actor
* Matthew O. Williams, U.S. Army veteran in the Afghan War and Medal of Honor recipient
October 4 - Curtis Deloatch, football player
October 5
* Jeanette Antolin, gymnast
* Isaiah Ekejiuba, Nigerian-born football player
* Robert Drysdale, Brazilian-born mixed martial artist
October 7
* Dria, singer/songwriter
* Austin Eubanks, motivational speaker
October 8 - Brett Dietz, football player and coach
October 9
* Zachery Ty Bryan, actor
* Tad Hilgenbrink, actor
* Phillip LaRue, singer/songwriter and producer
* Darius Miles, basketball player
October 10
* Lisa Davies, model
* Jonathan Evans, football player
* Michael Oliver, actor
October 12
* Jonathan Babineaux, football player
* Abigail DeVille, sculptor and installation artist
* Tom Guiry, actor
* Brian J. Smith, actor
October 13
* Taylor Buchholz, baseball player
* Jared Emerson-Johnson, video game music composer, sound designer, voice director, and voice actor
October 14 - Boof Bonser, baseball player
October 15
* Keyshia Cole, singer/songwriter and television personality
* Abram Elam, football player
October 16
* Frankie Edgar, mixed martial artist
* Boyd Melson, boxer
October 17
* Cameron Esposito, actor, comedian, and podcaster
* Holly Holm, mixed martial artist
October 20
* Zach Conine, politician
* Willis McGahee, football player
October 21
* Brian Claybourn, football player
* Kate Gallego, politician, mayor of Phoenix, Arizona
October 22
* John Boyd, actor
* Anthony Brown, gospel musician
* Michael Fishman, actor
October 24 - Tila Tequila, model and television personality
October 25
* Josh Henderson, actor, model, and singer
* Austin John, singer/songwriter and frontman for Hinder
October 26 - Sam Brown, actor and comedian
October 28
* Sean Considine, football player
* Dawen, singer/songwriter
* Noah Galloway, wounded Army Soldier, motivational speaker, and Dancing with the Stars contestant
October 29 - Amanda Beard, Olympic swimmer
October 30
* Chris Clemons, football player
* Fiona Dourif, actress, daughter of Brad Dourif
* Shaun Sipos, Canadian-born actor
* Ivanka Trump, model, advisor, and daughter of the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump
October 31
* Doveman, pianist, producer, and singer
* Frank Iero, guitarist for My Chemical Romance

November

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
* Karlos Dansby, football player
* Jackie Gayda, wrestler
* Travis Richter, singer and guitar for From First to Last
November 4
* Robert Bingaman, artist
* Vince Wilfork, football player
November 5
* Regulo Caro, singer/songwriter
* Megan Hauserman, model and television personality
November 6
* Cassie Bernall, murder victim of the Columbine High School massacre
* Graham Colton, singer/songwriter
* Vicente Escobedo, boxer
November 8
* Brad Davis, soccer player
* Jocelin Donahue, actress
* Alonzo Ephraim, football player
* Azura Skye, actress
November 9
* Eyedea, musician, rapper, and poet
* Sarah Godlewski, politician
* Scottie Thompson, actress
November 10
* Jeff Darlington, ESPN television reporter
* Jason Dunham, Medal of Honor recipient
* Ryback, wrestler
November 11 - Susan Kelechi Watson, actress
November 13
* Ryan Bertin, wrestler and coach
* Wesley Hunt, military veteran and politician
* Kirsten Price, model and adult film star
* Rivkah, author and illustrator
November 14
* Vanessa Bayer, actress and comedian
* Zach Dailey, tennis player
November 15
* Chris Dixon, football player
* Drew Hodgdon, football player
November 16 - Caitlin Glass, voice actress
November 17
* Tremmell Darden, basketball player
* Doug Walker, Italian-born internet film critic, comedian, and actor
November 18
* Mekia Cox, actress and dancer
* Tim DeChristopher, climate activist and co-founder of Peaceful Uprising
* Nasim Pedrad, Iranian-born actress and comedian
* Maggie Stiefvater, author
* Allison Tolman, actress
* Christina Vidal, actress and singer
November 19 - Marcus Banks, basketball player
November 20 - Carlos Boozer, basketball player
November 21
* Adimchinobe Echemandu, Nigerian-born football player
* Bryant McFadden, football player
November 22 - Rolando Delgado, mixed martial artist and trainer
November 24
* Krystal Ball, political commentator and television host
* Jared Cohen, businessman and CEO of Jigsaw
* Terrance Dotsy, football player
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, basketball player
November 26
* Julian Dorio, drummer for The Whigs
* Valerie Waugaman, actress, television personality, and bodybuilder
November 28
* Erick Rowan, wrestler
* Unk, rapper
November 29
* Kimberly Cullum, actress
* John Milhiser, actor and comedian
November 30
* Beau Bokan, singer and frontman for Blessthefall
* Billy Lush, actor

December

December 2 - Britney Spears, singer, dancer, and actress
December 3
* Brian Bonsall, actor and musician
* Tiffany Cole, convicted murderer
* Liza Lapira, actress
* Tyjuan Hagler, football player
December 4 - Lila McCann, singer
December 6
* Beth Allen, golfer
* Jerome Dennis, football player
December 7
* Shawn Dailey, bassist, music manager, and producer
* Matthew Dominick, United States Navy test pilot and NASA astronaut
December 8
* Jeremy Accardo, baseball player
* Charlie Anderson, football player
* Cory Blaser, MLB umpire
* Kory Casto, baseball player
* Philip Rivers, football player
December 9 - Katie Cook, comic artist and writer
December 11
* Rebekkah Brunson, basketball player and coach
* Jeff McComsey, author and illustrator
* Kevin Phillips, actor
* Zacky Vengeance, guitarist for Avenged Sevenfold
December 12
* Ronnie Brown, football player
* C. S. E. Cooney, fantasy literature writer
* Shane Costa, baseball player
* Jon Dunn, football player
* Spencer Johnson, football player
December 13
* Astronautalis, hip-hop artist
* Mathis Bailey, American-born Canadian novelist and fiction writer
* Lydia Edwards, politician
* Amy Lee, singer/songwriter and frontperson for Evanescence
December 15 - Thomas Herrion, football player
December 16
* A. J. Allmendinger, race car driver
* Andy Dugan, actor and filmmaker
* Krysten Ritter, actress, musician, model and author
December 17 - Nick Baumgartner, Olympic snowboarder
December 18 - Javarus Dudley, football player
December 19
* Drake Diener, basketball player
* Anne Marie Hochhalter, Columbine School Shooting Survivor and activist
December 20
* Patrick Damphier, singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer
* Royal Ivey, basketball player
* James Shields, baseball player
* Roy Williams, football player
December 21
* Frankie Abernathy, purse designer and television personality
* Eve Mauro, actress and model
December 23
* Jordan Baker, MLB umpire
* Arik Cannon, wrestler
December 25 - Tawny Ellis, film producer and daughter of stuntman turned director David R. Ellis
December 26
* Drama, dirty south rapper
* Kevin Lacz, Navy SEAL
December 27
* Tank Daniels, football player
* Jay Ellis, actor
December 28
* Elizabeth Jordan Carr, first American test-tube baby
* Nicholas Duran, politician
* Jamar Enzor, football player
* Sienna Miller, American-born English actress
* Sa-Roc, rapper
December 29
* Meena Dimian, broadcaster, writer, actor, and international television personality
* Ericka Dunlap, beauty pageant winner, Miss America 2003, and Miss America 2004
December 30
* Stevie Baggs, football player
* Kyle Eckel, football player
December 31
* Toby Barker, politician
* Jason Campbell, football player

Full date unknown

Josh Abramson, entrepreneur and co-founder of CollegeHumor
Katrina Andry, visual artist and printmaker
Antigirl, multidisciplinary artist and graphic designer
Will Aronson, composer
Clint Baclawski, photography and installation artist
Annie Baker, playwright and teacher
Benjamin Beaton, judge
Brandon B. Brown, politician
Katie Brown, rock climber
Aileen Cannon, judge
Beau Carey, painter and educator
Elizabeth Chomko, playwright, film director, screenwriter, and actress
Zachary Cotler, filmmaker, poet, and novelist
Nick Courtright, poet
Amber Cowan, artist and educator
Ryan Dahl, software engineer, creator of JavaScript as TypeScript
Angela Davis, chef, food blogger, recipe developer, and cookbook author
Adriana DeMeo, actress
Kevin Deutsch, criminal justice journalist and author
Francesca DiMattio, artist
Lucy Dodd, painter and installation artist
Kate Durbin, writer, digital and performance artist
Brian Elliot, social entrepreneur and speaker on technology, innovation, and social impact
Corrie Erickson, oil painter, graphic designer, and illustrator
Arlen Escarpeta, Belizean-born actor
JB McCuskey, politician
David McRae, politician
Emily Young McQueen, wheelchair racer
Frankie Shaw, actress and filmmaker
Weirdo, fine artist

Deaths

January 5
* Frederick Osborn, philanthropist and eugenicist
* Harold Urey, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
January 7 - John Pascal, playwright, screenwriter, author and journalist
January 8 - Matthew Beard, child film actor
January 10
* Katharine Alexander, film actress
* Richard Boone, Western film actor
January 11 - Beulah Bondi, actress
January 13 - Robert Kellard, film actor
January 25 - Adele Astaire, dancer
January 29
* Cozy Cole, jazz drummer
* Kipp Hamilton, American actress
February 1 - Donald Wills Douglas Sr., industrialist
* Bill Haley, rock & roll musician
February 15 - Mike Bloomfield, blues guitarist and composer
February 22
* Michael Maltese, screenwriter
* Ilo Wallace, wife of Henry A. Wallace, Second Lady of the United States
March 5 - Yip Harburg, lyricist
March 7 - Bosley Crowther, film critic
March 9 - Max Delbrück, biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
March 30 – DeWitt Wallace, magazine publisher
April 4 - Brad Johnson, actor
April 5
* Bob Hite, musician
* Lucile Godbold, Olympic athlete
April 7 - Norman Taurog, film director
April 8 - Omar N. Bradley, U.S. Army General
April 12 - Joe Louis, African American heavyweight boxer
April 15 - John Thach, naval aviator and admiral
April 26
* Jim Davis, television actor
* Madge Evans, actress
April 27 - John Aspinwall Roosevelt, businessman and philanthropist
April 28 - Cliff Battles, American footballer
May 9 - Nelson Algren, novelist
May 11 - Bob Marley, reggae musician
May 18
* Arthur O'Connell, actor
* William Saroyan, dramatist and author
May 21 - Charles W. Yost, diplomat
May 22 – Boris Sagal, director and producer
May 23 - George Jessel, actor and entertainer
May 28 - Mary Lou Williams, jazz pianist
June 1 - Carl Vinson, U.S. Congressman
June 9 - Allen Ludden, television game show host
June 10 – Jenny Maxwell, American actress
July 1 – George Voskovec, Czech-American actor
July 3 – Ross Martin, actor
July 10 - Ken Rex McElroy, murder victim
July 16 – Harry Chapin, singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and activist
July 27
* Adam Walsh, murder victim and son of John Walsh
* William Wyler, film director
July 29 - Robert Moses, urban planner
August 1 – Paddy Chayefsky, playwright, screenwriter and novelist
August 4 – Melvyn Douglas, actor
August 15 - Carol Ryrie Brink, author
August 30 – Vera-Ellen, actress, singer, and dancer
September 3 – Harold Houser, admiral, 35th Governor of American Samoa
September 18 – Lyle Goodhue, chemist, inventor and entomologist
September 22 – Harry Warren, composer and songwriter
September 27 – Robert Montgomery, actor, director, and producer
October 5 – Gloria Grahame, actress
October 6 – Blanche Noyes, aviator
October 24 – Edith Head, costume designer
November 2 – Wally Wood, comic book writer, artist, and independent publisher
November 3 - H. C. Westermann, sculptor and printmaker
November 7 - Will Durant, philosopher and writer
November 12 - William Holden, film actor
November 15 - William O. Gallery, admiral
November 17 - Sibyl M. Rock, mathematician
November 21 - Harry von Zell, actor, singer, and announcer
November 25 - Jack Albertson, actor
November 27 - Lotte Lenya, singer
November 29 - Natalie Wood, actress
December 2 - Wallace Harrison, architect
December 3 – Walter Knott, farmer and founder
December 6 - Harry Harlow, psychologist
December 13 - Pigmeat Markham, African American vaudevillian
December 27 - Hoagy Carmichael, composer and singer