December 6

Scott Winters December 6, 2025 1 Comment

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:

1768 – The first edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica was published.

1790 – The U.S. Congress moved from New York, NY to Philadelphia, PA.

1849 – Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in Maryland. She returned to the South 19 times and freed more than 300 slaves.

1865 – The 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery, was ratified.

1877 – Thomas Edison demonstrated the first gramophone, with a recording of himself reciting “Mary Had a Little Lamb” onto a cylinder.

1877 – The first edition of “The Washington Post” was published.

1883 – “Ladies’ Home Journal” was published for the first time.

1884 – After 34 years, construction of the Washington Monument was completed by Army engineers.

1907 – In Monongah, WV, 361 people were killed in America’s worst mine disaster.

1923 – President Calvin Coolidge became the first President to have a Presidential address broadcast on radio.

1947 – The Everglades National Park in Florida was dedicated by President Harry S. Truman.

1957 – America’s first attempt at putting a satellite (Vanguard TV3) into orbit failed when the satellite blew up on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, FL.

1960 – Gene Autry and Bob Reynolds were granted the Los Angeles Angels baseball franchise by the American League.

1964 – The stop animation TV Christmas special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” debuted on NBC.

1973 – Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the Vice President of the United States after the resignation of Spiro Agnew, becoming the first non-elected Vice President.

1990 – Vice President Dan Quayle was enshrined in the Little League Museum’s Hall of Excellence.

1994 – Orange County, CA, filed for bankruptcy protection due to investment losses of about $2 billion. The county was one of the richest in the United States and became the largest municipality to file for bankruptcy.

1998 – Astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour connected the first two building blocks of the International Space Station in the Shuttle cargo bay.

2002 – Winona Ryder was sentenced to 36 months of probation and 480 hours of community service stemming from her conviction for shoplifting from Saks Fifth Avenue. She also had to pay $10,000 in fines and restitution.

2004 – Dick Clark suffered a stroke that forced him to miss his annual assignment hosting “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”.

2005 – The iTunes Music Store reached more than 3 million videos sold.

2006 – NASA revealed photographs taken by the Mars Global Surveyor suggesting the presence of liquid water on Mars.

BIRTHDAYS:

Donald J. Kutyna – 92 years old (1933) – General

Kenneth Copeland – 89 years old (1936) – Evangelist and author

David Ossman – 89 years old (1936) – Writer and comedian

Patrick Bauchau – 87 years old (1938) – Belgian-American actor

Richard Edlund – 85 years old (1940) – Visual effects designer and cinematographer

Bruce Nauman – 84 years old (1941) – Sculptor and illustrator

Bill Thomas – 84 years old (1941) – Academic and politician

Robb Royer – 83 years old (1942) – Guitarist, keyboard player, and songwriter

Miroslav Vitouš – 78 years old (1947) – Czech-American bassist and songwriter

Don Nickles – 77 years old (1948) – Businessman and politician

JoBeth Williams – 77 years old (1948) – Actress

Linda Barnes – 76 years old (1949) – Author, playwright, and educator

Craig Newmark – 73 years old (1952) – Computer programmer and entrepreneur; founded Craigslist

Tom Hulce – 72 years old (1953) – Actor

Chris Stamey – 71 years old (1954) – Singer-songwriter, musician, and music producer

Steven Wright – 70 years old (1955) – Actor, comedian, and screenwriter

Peter Buck – 69 years old (1956) – Guitarist, songwriter, and producer

Andrew Cuomo – 68 years old (1957) – Politician, 56th Governor of New York

Bill Hanzlik – 68 years old (1957) – Basketball player and coach

Deborah Estrin – 66 years old (1959) – Computer scientist and academic

David Lovering – 64 years old (1961) – Drummer

Janine Turner – 63 years old (1962) – Actress

Judd Apatow – 58 years old (1967) – Director, producer, and screenwriter

Helen Greiner – 58 years old (1967) – Businesswoman and engineer

Adrian Fenty – 55 years old (1970) – Lawyer and politician, 6th Mayor of the District of Columbia

Jeff Rouse – 55 years old (1970) – Swimmer

Craig Brewer – 54 years old (1971) – Director, producer, and screenwriter

Heather Mizeur – 53 years old (1972) – Lawyer and politician

Jens Pulver – 51 years old (1974) – Mixed martial artist and boxer

Lindsay Price – 49 years old (1976) – Actress

Kevin Cash – 48 years old (1977) – Baseball player and manager

Chris Başak – 47 years old (1978) – Baseball player

Darrell Jackson – 47 years old (1978) – Football player

Ryan Carnes – 43 years old (1982) – Actor and producer

Robbie Gould – 43 years old (1982) – Football player

Syndric Steptoe – 41 years old (1984) – Football player

Nora Kirkpatrick – 41 years old (1984) – Actress and musician

Shannon Bobbitt – 40 years old (1985) – Basketball player

Matt Niskanen – 39 years old (1986) – Ice hockey player

Adam Eaton – 37 years old (1988) – Baseball player

Coco Vandeweghe – 34 years old (1991) – Tennis player

Johnny Manziel – 33 years old (1992) – Football player

A Boogie wit da Hoodie – 30 years old (1995) – Rapper and singer-songwriter

Stefanie Scott – 29 years old (1996) – Actress and singer

Sabrina Ionescu – 28 years old (1997) – Basketball player

TODAY IS:

National Microwave Oven Day:
National Gazpacho Day: A taste of Spain with a chilled soup of ripe tomatoes, peppers, and garlic — perfect for beating the heat and tantalizing taste buds.
National Miners’ Day: Digging deep, they unearth treasures from the belly of the earth, a relentless pursuit of resources that fuels progress and innovation.
National Pawnbrokers Day: When unexpected expenses pop up, they're the go-to folks, turning items into quick cash without the hassle of a traditional loan.
Put On Your Own Shoes Day: Step right up, young ones! It's time to learn the fine art of tying your own shoelaces. Loop, swoop, and pull!
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women:
Mitten Tree Day:
St. Nicholas Day:
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.
Candle Day: Candles offer more than just light — fill your home with sweet scents and transform any space into a warm oasis.
Tree Dressing Day:
National Cookie Cutter Week:
Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week:
Advent:
Clerc-Gallaudet Week:
Rakia and Spirits Festival:
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.