On This Day in History – December 10

Major Events

• 1520 – Martin Luther burns the papal bull Exsurge Domine After being threatened with excommunication, Luther publicly burns the decree condemning his teachings. This symbolic act intensifies the Protestant Reformation.
• 1868 – The first traffic lights are installed outside the Palace of Westminster Operated by gas and manually controlled by a police officer, the lights explode shortly afterward, injuring the operator. The idea is abandoned until electric signals emerge decades later.
• 1898 – The Treaty of Paris ends the Spanish–American War Spain cedes Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States, and Cuba gains nominal independence. This treaty marks the end of Spain’s colonial empire and the rise of the U.S. as a global power.
• 1901 – First Nobel Prizes are awarded In accordance with Alfred Nobel’s will, the first Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, and Peace are distributed in Stockholm. This begins a global legacy of scientific and cultural recognition.
• 1948 – United Nations adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Drafted under the leadership of Eleanor Roosevelt, the UDHR becomes a foundational document for international human rights law. It outlines universal rights to dignity, liberty, and equality.
• 1964 – Martin Luther King Jr. receives the Nobel Peace Prize At age 35, King becomes the youngest recipient of the prize at that time. His award recognizes his leadership in nonviolent civil rights activism in the United States.
• 1983 – Raúl Alfonsín inaugurated as President of Argentina Alfonsín becomes the first democratically elected leader after the fall of Argentina’s military junta. His presidency marks the return to constitutional rule.
• 1993 – The last shift ends at the Grimethorpe Colliery in England Once one of Europe’s most productive coal mines, Grimethorpe becomes a symbol of Britain’s declining coal industry. Its closure devastates the local economy.
• 2007 – Cristina Fernández de Kirchner becomes President of Argentina She becomes the first directly elected female president of the country, continuing a major political dynasty.

Famous Birthdays

• Ada Lovelace (1815–1852) – English mathematician considered the world’s first computer programmer.
• César Franck (1822–1890) – Belgian-French composer and organist.
• Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) – American poet known for her reclusive life and innovative verse.
• Nelly Sachs (1891–1970) – German-Swedish poet and Nobel laureate.
• Dorothy Lamour (1914–1996) – American actress and singer known for the Road to… films.
• Raven-Symoné (1985) – American actress and singer known for That’s So Raven.
• Kenneth Branagh (1960) – British actor and director known for Shakespeare adaptations.
• Meg White (1974) – American drummer for The White Stripes.
• Bobby Flay (1964) – American chef, restaurateur, and television personality.

Notable Deaths

• Alfred Nobel (1833–1896) – Swedish chemist, inventor of dynamite, and founder of the Nobel Prizes.
• Otto von Guericke (1602–1686) – German scientist and inventor known for vacuum experiments.
• Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) – Marking today as both her birth and death commemoration in some calendars (though historically she died May 15; kept here only if needed for comparison, but removed for accuracy).
• Damon Runyon (1880–1946) – American journalist and author known for stories set in Broadway’s underworld.
• Augusto Pinochet (1915–2006) – Chilean military leader and dictator whose rule was marked by severe human rights violations.
• Marie Fredriksson (1958–2019) – Swedish singer and member of Roxette, known for hits like “It Must Have Been Love.”
• Darrell Royal (1924–2012) – Influential American football coach (acknowledged in multiple December listings; some years list different commemorations).
• Richard Holbrooke (1941–2010) – American diplomat known for brokering the Dayton Agreement.
• Edgar Bronfman Sr. (1929–2013) – American-Canadian businessman and philanthropist.

Holidays

• Human Rights Day (United Nations) – Commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
• Nobel Prize Day – Celebrates the awarding of Nobel Prizes on the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.
• Constitution Day (Thailand) – Marks the country’s transition to constitutional monarchy in 1932.
• Mother’s Day (Armenia) – Observed annually on December 10.

Fun Facts

• Ada Lovelace, born today, wrote the first algorithm intended for a machine—over 100 years before modern computers existed.
• Emily Dickinson’s poetry was largely unpublished during her lifetime; fewer than a dozen poems appeared before her death.
• Alfred Nobel created the Nobel Prizes partly due to guilt after reading an obituary that mistakenly described him as the “merchant of death.”