A quick look at Today in History, check out some Celebrity Birthdays, and find out what Days of the Year to celebrate.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
1863 – President Abraham Lincoln announced his plan for the Reconstruction of the South.
1886 – At a convention of union leaders in Columbus, OH, the American Federation of Labor was founded.
1936 – The NAACP filed its first lawsuit in a campaign to equalize the salaries of black and white school teachers.
1941 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared December 7 to be “a date which will live in infamy” when the United States entered World War II, declaring war against Japan. The act came one day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Britain and Canada also declared war on Japan.
1952 – The television show “I Love Lucy” broke a longstanding television taboo by acknowledging a pregnancy.
1953 – In Grand Rapids, MI, WOOD TV changed from its original Channel 7 to its current Channel 8. It became the first Michigan station to broadcast in color.
1953 – Los Angeles, CA became the third largest city in the United States.
1962 – A strike by the International Typographical Union closed nine New York City newspapers. The strike lasted 114 days and ended April 1, 1963.
1963 – A 19 year old Frank Sinatra Jr. was abducted at gunpoint. His father paid $240,000 in ransom and he was released several days later.
1963 – Pan Am Flight 24, a Boeing 707, was struck by lightning and crashed near Elkton, MD, killing all 81 people on board.
1972 – United Airlines Flight 553, a Boeing 737, crashed after aborting its landing attempt at Chicago, IL, Midway International Airport, killing 45. The crash was the first ever loss of a Boeing 737.
1980 – In New York, NY, John Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman as he returned home to The Dakota after a recording session at New York’s Record Plant. Earlier in the day, Lennon had autographed an album for Chapman.
1982 – Norman D. Mayer demanding an end to nuclear weapons held the Washington Monument hostage. He threatened to blow it up with explosives he claimed were inside a van. 10 hours later he was shot to death by police.
1982 – The movie “48 Hours”, starring Eddie Murphy, opened in movie theaters.
1984 – In Roanoke, VA, a jury found “Hustler” magazine publisher Larry Flynt innocent of libeling Reverend Jerry Falwell with a parody advertisement. However Falwell was awarded $200,000 for emotional distress.
1993 – President Bill Clinton signed into law the North American Free Trade Agreement.
1998 – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that police could not search a person, or their cars, after ticketing for a routine traffic violation.
1999 – In Memphis, TN, a jury found that Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. had been the victim of a vast murder conspiracy, not a lone assassin.
2000 – Sting received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2000 – Mario Lemieux announced to the Pittsburgh Penguins that he planned to return to the National Hockey League as a player at age 35. He would be the first modern owner-player in U.S. pro sports.
2010 – With the second launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 and the first launch of the SpaceX Dragon, SpaceX became the first private company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft.
2013 – Metallica became the first band to perform a concert on all seven of Earth’s continents. On this day, Metallica performed at the Argentine Carlini Station in Antarctica.
2019 – The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in China
BIRTHDAYS:
Bob Arum – 94 years old (1931) – Boxing promoter, founded Top Rank
Mary Woronov – 82 years old (1943) – Actress, director, and screenwriter
Bertie Higgins – 81 years old (1944) – Singer-songwriter
Julie Heldman – 80 years old (1945) – Tennis player
John Rubinstein – 79 years old (1946) – Actor, director, and composer
Thomas Cech – 78 years old (1947) – Chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
Margaret Geller – 78 years old (1947) – Astrophysicist, astronomer, and academic
Luis Caffarelli – 77 years old (1948) – Argentinian-American mathematician and academic
Mary Gordon – 76 years old (1949) – Author, critic, and academic
Nancy Meyers – 76 years old (1949) – Director, producer, and screenwriter
Robert Sternberg – 76 years old (1949) – Psychologist and academic
Rick Baker – 75 years old (1950) – Actor and makeup artist
Tim Foli – 75 years old (1950) – Baseball player, coach, and manager
Bill Bryson – 74 years old (1951) – Essayist, travel and science writer
Kim Basinger – 72 years old (1953) – Actress
Norman Finkelstein – 72 years old (1953) – Author, academic, and activist
Roy Firestone – 72 years old (1953) – Sportscaster and journalist
Harold Hongju Koh – 71 years old (1954) – Lawyer, academic, and politician
Warren Cuccurullo – 69 years old (1956) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Slick – 69 years old (1956) – Wrestler and manager
Rob Byrnes – 67 years old (1958) – Author and blogger
Bob Greene – 67 years old (1958) – Physiologist and author
George Rogers – 67 years old (1958) – Football player
Mark Steyn – 66 years old (1959) – Canadian-American author and critic
Ann Coulter – 64 years old (1961) – Political commentator and author
Steve Elkington – 63 years old (1962) – Australian-American golfer
Marty Friedman – 63 years old (1962) – American-Japanese guitarist, songwriter, and television host
Greg Howe – 62 years old (1963) – Guitarist, songwriter, and producer
Wendell Pierce – 62 years old (1963) – Actor
Teri Hatcher – 61 years old (1964) – Actress
Teresa Weatherspoon – 60 years old (1965) – Basketball player and coach
Matthew Labyorteaux – 59 years old (1966) – Actor
Jeff George – 58 years old (1967) – Football player
Michael Cole – 57 years old (1968) – Sportscaster and journalist
Mike Mussina – 57 years old (1968) – Baseball player and coach
Kristin Lauter – 56 years old (1969) – Mathematician and cryptographer
Janae Kroc – 53 years old (1972) – Powerlifter
Corey Taylor – 52 years old (1973) – Singer-songwriter, musician, and actor
Nick Zinner – 51 years old (1974) – Guitarist, songwriter, and producer
Kevin Harvick – 50 years old (1975) – Race car driver
Brettina – 49 years old (1976) – Bahamian-American singer-songwriter and actress
Reed Johnson – 49 years old (1976) – Baseball player
Ryan Newman – 48 years old (1977) – Race car driver
Ian Somerhalder – 47 years old (1978) – Actor
Vernon Wells – 47 years old (1978) – Baseball player
Ingrid Michaelson – 46 years old (1979) – Singer-songwriter and pianist
Brandt Snedeker – 45 years old (1980) – Golfer
Jeremy Accardo – 44 years old (1981) – Baseball player
Philip Rivers – 44 years old (1981) – Football player
Chrisette Michele – 43 years old (1982) – Singer-songwriter
Nicki Minaj – 43 years old (1982) – Trinidadian-American rapper and actress
Sam Hunt – 41 years old (1984) – Singer-songwriter
Josh Donaldson – 40 years old (1985) – Baseball player
Dwight Howard – 40 years old (1985) – Basketball player
Enzo Amore – 39 years old (1986) – Wrestler and rapper
Kate Voegele – 39 years old (1986) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress
Cara Mund – 32 years old (1993) – Model, Miss America 2018
AnnaSophia Robb – 32 years old (1993) – Actress
Thatcher Demko – 30 years old (1995) – Ice hockey player
Hakeem Adeniji – 28 years old (1997) – Football player
Sam Hauser – 28 years old (1997) – Basketball player
Josh Dunne – 27 years old (1998) – Ice hockey player
Owen Teague – 27 years old (1998) – Actor
Tyrus Wheat – 26 years old (1999) – Football player
DeMario Douglas – 25 years old (2000) – Football player
Bayron Matos – 25 years old (2000) – Dominican American football player
Josh Christopher – 24 years old (2001) – Basketball player
Billie Starkz – 21 years old (2004) – Professional wrestler
TODAY IS:
- Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day: Spin tall tales about journeys through the past or future, and leave folks with raised eyebrows and a confused chuckle.
- National Brownie Day: Indulge in a rich, chocolatey dessert, whether a mixed selection from the bakery, a tray bake rustled up at home or a brownie gathering with friends.
- National Donair Day: Savoring succulent meat, creamy sauce, and fresh veggies wrapped in warm pita offers a delightful taste experience.
- National Blue Collar Day:
- National Lard Day:
- National Health Savings Account Day:
- National Crossword Solvers Day:
- Bodhi Day:
- Take it in the Ear Day:
- Immaculate Conception:
- Zagreb Advent:
- Hanukkah: The festival of lights — a time for family, delicious eats, and stories that remind of hope's enduring glow in the darkest times.
- Advent:
- Computer Science Education Week:
- National Influenza Vaccination Week:
- Older Driver Safety Awareness Week:
- Inclusive Schools Week:
- Clerc-Gallaudet Week:
- Hornbill Festival:
- National Handwashing Awareness Week:
- Blue Christmas: While most people are at home opening presents, emergency workers are on duty, ensuring the safety of their communities over the holidays.
- Day of the Little Candles:
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For additional information check out websites like: www.on-this-day.com, www.born-today.com, www.famousbirthdays.com, www.daysoftheyear.com, and www.nationaldaycalendar.com.
