A Sosoliso Airlines passenger flight crashed at Port Harcourt International Airport in Nigeria. 107 people died in the crash.

American comedian, Richard Pryor, died from hearth failure at the age of 65. He is most remembered for his numerous collaborations with fellow comedian Gene Wilder.

The computer game, Doom, was released. It is one of the most popular videogames of all time.

Apartheid activist, Desmond Tutu, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Democracy was restored in Argentina after a right-wing military dictatorship has assumed power in 1976.

Lech Walesa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work as the leader of Solidarity. Solidarity was a trade union federation and a force in the anti-communist social movement.

American soul singer, Otis Redding, died at the age of 26. He was an influential singer who died along with most members of his band in a plane crash.

Legendary rock band, The Grateful Dead, played their first ever concert, in San Francisco.

Northern Irish actor and director, Kenneth Branagh, was born in Belfast. He is best known for his film adaptations of several of the works of William Shakespeare, such as Henry V and Much Ado about Nothing.

Thailand became a constitutional monarchy and is officially known as the Kingdom of Thailand.

The first Nobel Prizes were awarded. The Nobel Prizes were instituted through the will of Alfred Nobel, in order to award people who made an outstanding contribution to society.

Swedish inventor, Alfred Nobel, died at the age 63. He was the inventor of dynamite and the founder of the Nobel Prizes.

Mississippi became the 20th U.S. state.

Arab physician and philosopher, Averroes, died at the age of 72. He is considered as one of the most influential Islamic philosophers and mathematicians in history.