January 11, 1964 – United States Surgeon General Dr. Luther Leonidas Terry, M.D., publishes a landmark report saying that smoking may be hazardous to health, sparking nation- and worldwide anti-smoking efforts.

February 11, 1964 – Greeks and Turks begin fighting in Limassol, Cyprus.

February 13, 1964 – New Year’s Day in Chinese calendar. Start of the year of the Wood Dragon in Chinese astrology.

May 9, 1964 – Ngo Dinh Can, de facto ruler of central Vietnam under his brother President Ngo Dinh Diem before the family’s toppling, is executed.

June 19, 1964 – The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is approved after surviving an 83-day filibuster in the United States Senate.

August 2, 1964 – Vietnam War: Gulf of Tonkin incident – North Vietnamese gunboats allegedly fire on the U.S. destroyers USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy.

September 18, 1964 – North Vietnamese Army begins infiltration of South Vietnam.

September 29, 1964 – The Argentine comic strip Mafalda is published for the first time.

October 29, 1964 – The United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar is renamed the United Republic of Tanzania.

November 21, 1964 – Second Vatican Council: The third session of the Roman Catholic Church’s ecumenical council closes.

June 10, 1964 – Ben Daniels, British actor

June 25, 1964 – Johnny Herbert, English race car driver

July 24, 1964 – Banana Yoshimoto, Japanese author

August 4, 1964 – Andrew Bartlett, Australian politician and activist

August 24, 1964 – Salizhan Sharipov, Russian cosmonaut

September 8, 1964 – Michael Johns, American business executive

November 15, 1964 – Stelios Aposporis, Greek footballer

November 28, 1964 – Roy Tarpley, American basketball player

November 30, 1964 – Jushin Liger, Japanese professional wrestler

December 16, 1964 – Paul Vogt, American actor and comedian