Born in 1942 – Lou Reed, American poet and musician.

“The most important part of my religion is to play guitar.”

Previously: The Peace Corps was created.

Born in 1941 – Robert Hass, American poet.

                         Forty Something

She says to him, musing, “If you ever leave me,
and marry a younger woman and have another baby,
I’ll put a knife in your heart.” They are in bed,
so she climbs onto his chest, and looks directly
down into his eyes. “You understand? Your heart.”

Born in 1895 – Marcel Pagnol, French author, playwright and director.

Above: Still from Yves Robert’s 1990 film, My Father’s Glory, based on Pagnol’s autobiographical novel of the same name.

Born in 1902 – John Steinbeck, American journalist and author.

“Ain’t many guys travel around together…I don’t know why. Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other”

-Slim, in Steinbeck’s 1937 novella, Of Mice and Men.

In 1993 a truck bomb parked below the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City exploded, killing six and injuring over a thousand.

Above: Brian Rolford, who was on the 105th floor at the time of the bombing.

In 1980 the government of Suriname was overthrown by a military coup led by Dési Bouterse, pictured above, 3rd from right.

Born in 1836 – Winslow Homer, American painter and illustrator.

Above: Homer’s 1876 painting, Breezing Up (A Fair Wind).

Born in 1962 – David Foster Wallace, American writer.

“The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day.”

Previously: Nina Simone

Born in 1967 – Lili Taylor, American actress.

Above: Taylor in Cameron Crowe’s 1989 film, Say Anything.

Born in 1964 – Matt Dillon, American actor and director