Major Events
1620 – The Mayflower passengers land at Plymouth Rock After weeks at sea, the Pilgrims disembark and begin establishing Plymouth Colony, one of the earliest successful English settlements in North America.
1879 – Thomas Edison unveils the first practical incandescent lightbulb Edison demonstrates a long-lasting carbon-filament bulb, revolutionising lighting and accelerating industrial and domestic electrification.
1913 – The first crossword puzzle is published Arthur Wynne’s crossword appears in the New York World, quickly becoming a beloved pastime and later a global puzzle phenomenon.
1937 – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premieres Walt Disney’s first full-length animated feature debuts, marking a groundbreaking moment in animation and film history.
1968 – Apollo 8 launches toward the Moon NASA sends the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon, paving the way for the Apollo 11 landing and delivering the iconic “Earthrise” photograph.
1970 – First flight of the Soviet Tu-144 supersonic airliner The USSR tests its high-speed passenger jet, the world’s first commercial supersonic aircraft to take flight.
1988 – Pan Am Flight 103 destroyed over Lockerbie A bomb explodes aboard the aircraft, leading to 270 deaths and major reforms in international airline security.
1991 – Kazakhstan declares independence from the Soviet Union Kazakhstan becomes the last republic to formally leave the USSR, completing the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
2012 – The world continues after end-of-world predictions Several apocalyptic claims tied to the Mayan calendar come and go without incident, becoming a cultural talking point of the early 2010s.
Famous Birthdays
1118 – Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1170) Influential medieval church leader whose conflict with Henry II shaped English religious history.
1804 – Benjamin Disraeli, British Prime Minister (d. 1881) Key Victorian political figure, statesman, and novelist associated with imperial policy.
1879 – Joseph Stalin, Soviet leader (d. 1953) General Secretary of the Communist Party and figure central to Soviet history and 20th-century geopolitics.
1913 – Lou Creekmur, American football player (d. 1990) Hall of Fame offensive tackle known for durability and 1950s athletic achievements.
1936 – Jane Fonda, American actress and activist Award-winning performer and high-profile figure in political and social activism.
1940 – Frank Zappa, American musician and composer (d. 1993) Innovative multi-genre artist known for experimental sound and prolific output.
1948 – Samuel L. Jackson, American actor One of modern cinema’s most recognisable actors, known for dynamic roles across genres.
1966 – Kiefer Sutherland, Canadian actor Known for television and film roles, including major award-winning performances.
1977 – Emmanuel Macron, French President Elected in 2017, notable for centrist politics and European Union advocacy.
Notable Deaths
1375 – Giovanni Boccaccio, Italian writer (b. 1313) Major Renaissance author known for “The Decameron.”
1863 – John Gould, English ornithologist (b. 1804) Renowned for extensive bird studies and hand-coloured illustrations.
1937 – Frank Billings Kellogg, American diplomat (b. 1856) Nobel laureate who co-authored the Kellogg-Briand Pact aimed at limiting war.
1940 – F. Scott Fitzgerald, American novelist (b. 1896) Writer of “The Great Gatsby,” influential in American modernist literature.
1946 – Paul Langevin, French physicist (b. 1872) Known for work in relativity, magnetism, and early sonar research.
1974 – Anthony Crosland, British politician (b. 1918) Key Labour Party thinker and Education Secretary who promoted comprehensive schooling.
1992 – Albert King, American blues guitarist (b. 1923) One of the “Three Kings of the Blues” whose style shaped modern guitar music.
2005 – Tanith Lee, British novelist (b. 1947) Prolific author in fantasy, science fiction, and gothic genres.
2012 – Charles Durning, American actor (b. 1923) Award-winning performer known for versatility across stage and film.
Holidays
- Winter Solstice (Northern Hemisphere)
- Yule (Pagan / Wiccan tradition)
- National Crossword Puzzle Day (United States)
- Forefathers’ Day (New England, USA)
Fun Facts
- December 21 marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
- The first crossword puzzle was so successful that newspapers rapidly adopted the format worldwide.
- Disney’s Snow White was a major risk at the time—many called it “Disney’s Folly”—but it became an enduring classic.
- The Apollo 8 mission provided humanity’s first view of Earth rising over the lunar horizon.