- AD 39 - Lucan, Roman poet born
- 1558 - Thomas Kyd, author of The Spanish Tragedy born
- 1901 - André Malraux, French writer born
- 1920 - Oodgeroo Noonuccal, Australian writer born
- 1929 - Olav Aukrust, Norwegian poet died
- 1950 - Joe Queenan, American writer born
- 2003 - Rasul Gamzatov, Russian poet died