• Human Rights Day celebrated in South Africa.
• 1788: Gustavus Vassa petitions Queen Charlotte, to free enslaved Africans.
• 1983: Only known typo on Time Magazine cover (control=contol), all recalled.
• 2013: The European Space Agency reveals new data that indicates that the universe is 13.82 billion years old.
• 1985: Bloodbath at Langa (Uitenhage) South-Africa, 19 killed.
• 1960: Sharpeville Massacre: Police kill 72 in South Africa & outlaws ANC

• 1994: 66th Academy Awards - "Schindler's List", Tom Hanks & Holly Hunter win.
• 1956: 28th Academy Awards - "Marty", Anna Magnani & Ernest Borgnine win.
• 2009: Star of Die Hard film Bruce Willis (52) weds model and actress Emma Heming (29) in Turks and Caicos Islands.
• 2013: Chinua Achebe, Nigerian poet and novelist, dies at 82.

• 1909: Moran & MacFarland (US) wins Europe's 1st 6 day bicycle race (Berlin).
• 1975: Joe Medwick, baseball player dies (b. 1911).
• 1959: 21st NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: California beats W Va 71-70.