The Kyoto Protocol came into effect. The protocol calls for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases, however the United States did not ratify the protocol, despite being the largest single producer of both, under the justification that it is flawed and that it would be too costly.

A China Airlines passenger flight crashed in a residential area near Taiwan's, Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, resulting in the death of 202 people, including 6 people on the ground.

The Lebanese Islamic militant group, Hezbollah, was founded.

The first computer bulletin board system (BBS) was created in Chicago.

Fidel Castro was sworn in as Premier of Cuba after the overthrow of president Fulgencio Batista on January 1. Castro was 32 years of age at the time.

American musician and actor, Ice-T, was born in Los Angeles. He is considered as one of the most influential rappers and an accomplished actor.

American actor, LeVar Burton, was born in in Landstuhl, Germany. He is most known for his part in the hit television series of the 1980's and 1990's Star Trek the Next Generation, where he performed the role of the blind chief Engineer, Geordi Laforge.

Computer game designer, Roberta Williams, was born in Los Angeles. She is arguably the most influential female figure in the field of computer game design, having created some of the most influential computer games in the early days of the computer entertainment industry. She was the creator of the King's Quest adventure games and the co-founder of the Sierra Online computer games company.

American actress, Katharine Cornell, was born in Berlin, Germany. She is considered as one of the most influential figures of the American stage of the 20th century.

Gallaudet University was established in Washington, DC. It was the first school offering advanced education of the deaf and is still the world's only university in which all courses are designed to accommodate the deaf and hard of hearing.