On This Day — December 22

🕰️ Notable Events on December 22

• 2016 — Syrian government forces retake control of the besieged areas of Aleppo. Wikipedia ↗
• 2010 — The repeal of the Don't ask, don't tell policy, the 17-year-old policy banning homosexuals serving openly in the United States military, is signed into law by President Barack Obama. Wikipedia ↗
• 2008 — An ash dike ruptured at a solid waste containment area in Roane County, Tennessee, releasing 1.1 billion US gallons (4,200,000 m3) of coal fly ash slurry. Wikipedia ↗
• 2001 — Burhanuddin Rabbani, political leader of the Northern Alliance, hands over power in Afghanistan to the interim government headed by President Hamid Karzai. Wikipedia ↗
• 2001 — Richard Reid attempts to destroy a passenger airliner by igniting explosives hidden in his shoes aboard American Airlines Flight 63. Wikipedia ↗
• 1997 — Acteal massacre: Attendees at a prayer meeting of Roman Catholic activists for indigenous causes in the small village of Acteal in the Mexican state of Chiapas are massacred by paramilitary forces. Wikipedia ↗
• 1997 — Hussein Farrah Aidid relinquishes the disputed title of President of Somalia by signing the Cairo Declaration, in Cairo, Egypt. It is the first major step towards reconciliation in Somalia since 1991. Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Lech Wałęsa is elected President of Poland. Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Final independence of Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia after termination of trusteeship. Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Communist President of Romania Nicolae Ceaușescu is overthrown by Ion Iliescu after days of bloody confrontations. The deposed dictator and his wife flee Bucharest in a helicopter as protesters erupt in cheers. Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Berlin's Brandenburg Gate re-opens after nearly 30 years, effectively ending the division of East and West Germany. Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — In Zimbabwe, the political parties ZANU and ZAPU reach an agreement that ends the violence in the Matabeleland region known as the Gukurahundi. Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Bernhard Goetz shoots four would-be muggers on an express train in Manhattan section of New York, New York. Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — The pivotal Third Plenum of the 11th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is held in Beijing, with Deng Xiaoping reversing Mao-era policies to pursue a program for Chinese economic reform. Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli vote to become the independent nation of Comoros. Mayotte remains under French administration. Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — The house of former British Prime Minister Edward Heath is attacked by members of the Provisional IRA. Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Cultural Revolution: People's Daily posted the instructions of Mao Zedong that "The intellectual youth must go to the country, and will be educated from living in rural poverty." Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — In the United Kingdom, a 70 mph speed limit is applied to all rural roads including motorways for the first time. Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — The first test flight of the SR-71 (Blackbird) took place at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — The cruise ship Lakonia burns 180 miles (290 km) north of Madeira, Portugal with the loss of 128 lives. Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — The Selangor Labour Party is founded in Selangor, Malaya. Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Sjafruddin Prawiranegara established the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (Pemerintah Darurat Republik Indonesia, PDRI) in West Sumatra. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: Battle of the Bulge: German troops demand the surrender of United States troops at Bastogne, Belgium, prompting the famous one word reply by General Anthony McAuliffe: "Nuts!" Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: The Vietnam People's Army is formed to resist Japanese occupation of Indochina, now Vietnam. Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — World War II: Adolf Hitler signs the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon. Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — World War II: Himara is captured by the Greek army. Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Indian Muslims observe a "Day of Deliverance" to celebrate the resignations of members of the Indian National Congress over their not having been consulted over the decision to enter World War II with the United Kingdom. Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — The Lincoln Tunnel opens to traffic in New York City. Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Opening of Visva-Bharati College, also known as Santiniketan College, now Visva Bharati University, India. Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — The GOELRO economic development plan is adopted by the 8th Congress of Soviets of the Russian SFSR. Wikipedia ↗
• 1894 — The Dreyfus affair begins in France, when Alfred Dreyfus is wrongly convicted of treason. Wikipedia ↗
• 1891 — Asteroid 323 Brucia becomes the first asteroid discovered using photography. Wikipedia ↗
• 1890 — Cornwallis Valley Railway begins operation between Kentville and Kingsport, Nova Scotia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1885 — Itō Hirobumi, a samurai, became the first Prime Minister of Japan. Wikipedia ↗
• 1864 — Savannah, Georgia falls to the forces of General Sherman. Wikipedia ↗
• 1851 — India's first freight train is operated in Roorkee, India. Wikipedia ↗
• 1808 — Ludwig van Beethoven conducts and performs in concert at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, with the premiere of his Fifth Symphony, Sixth Symphony, Fourth Piano Concerto (performed by Beethoven himself) and Choral Fantasy (with Beethoven at the piano). Wikipedia ↗
• 1807 — The Embargo Act, forbidding trade with all foreign countries, is passed by the U.S. Congress, at the urging of President Thomas Jefferson. Wikipedia ↗
• 1790 — The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Alexander Suvorov and his Russian armies. Wikipedia ↗
• 1788 — Nguyễn Huệ proclaims himself Emperor Quang Trung, in effect abolishing on his own the Lê dynasty. Wikipedia ↗
• 1769 — Sino-Burmese War: The war ends with an uneasy truce. Wikipedia ↗
• 1622 — Bucaramanga, Colombia is founded. Wikipedia ↗
• 1216 — Pope Honorius III approves the Dominican Order through the papal bull of confirmation Religiosam vitam. Wikipedia ↗
• 1135 — Stephen of Blois becomes King of England Wikipedia ↗
• 880 — Luoyang, eastern capital of the Tang dynasty, is captured by rebel leader Huang Chao during the reign of Emperor Xizong. Wikipedia ↗
• 856 — Damghan earthquake: An earthquake near the Persian city of Damghan kills an estimated 200,000 people, the sixth deadliest earthquake in recorded history. Wikipedia ↗
• 609 — Muhammad claims to receive his first revelation. Wikipedia ↗
• 401 — Pope Innocent I is elected. Wikipedia ↗
• Emperor Vitellius is captured and murdered at the Gemonian stairs in Rome. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on December 22

• 1998 — G Hannelius, American actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Rúben Lameiras, Portuguese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — David Klemmer, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Meghan Trainor, American singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Michaela Hončová, Slovak tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Paul Alo-Emile, New Zealand-Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Jean-Baptiste Maunier, French actor and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Josef Newgarden, American race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Jordin Sparks, American singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Jharal Yow Yeh, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Leigh Halfpenny, Welsh rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Éder, Bissau-Portuguese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Johannes Ahun, Estonian windsurfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Garfield Darien, French hurdler Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Dennis Armfield, Australian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Fatih Öztürk, Turkish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Basshunter, Swedish singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Drew Hankinson, American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Viola Kibiwot, Kenyan runner Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Britta Heidemann, German fencer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Rodney Martin, American sprinter Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Marina Kuptsova, Russian high jumper Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Jamie Langfield, Scottish footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Joy Ali, Fijian boxer (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Emmanuel Olisadebe, Nigerian-Polish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Steve Kariya, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Katleen De Caluwé, Belgian sprinter Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Jason Lane, American baseball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Aya Takano, Japanese author and illustrator Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Sergei Aschwanden, Swiss martial artist Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Dmitri Khokhlov, Russian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Marcin Mięciel, Polish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Stanislav Neckář, Czech ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Michael Barron, English footballer, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Kirk Maltby, Canadian ice hockey player and scout Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Vanessa Paradis, French singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Mark Hill, English musician, producer and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Ajeenkya Patil, Indian economist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Ted Cruz, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Myriam Bédard, Canadian biathlete Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Mark Robins, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Emre Aracı, Turkish composer, conductor, and historian Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Luis Hernández, Mexican footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Dina Meyer, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Richey Edwards, Welsh singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Stéphane Gendron, Canadian lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Rebecca Harris, English businesswoman and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Paul Morris, Australian race car driver and businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Dan Petrescu, Romanian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Dmitry Bilozerchev, Russian gymnast and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Marcel Schirmer, German singer-songwriter and bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — David Wright, English lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — David S. Goyer, American screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Urszula Włodarczyk, Polish heptathlete and triple jumper Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Simon Kirby, English businessman and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Mike Jackson, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Giuseppe Bergomi, Italian footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Russell Lewis, British television writer and former child actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Brian McMillan, South African cricketer and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Luna H. Mitani, Japanese-American painter and illustrator Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Ralph Fiennes, English actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Andrew Fastow, American businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Yuri Malenchenko, Russian colonel, pilot, and astronaut Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Jean-Michel Basquiat, American painter and poet (d. 1988) Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Mark Brydon, English guitarist, songwriter, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Luther Campbell, American rapper and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Bernd Schuster, German footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Frank Gambale, Australian guitarist, songwriter, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — David Heavener, American singer-songwriter, producer, actor, and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Stephen Conway, English bishop Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Carole James, English-Canadian educator and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Peter Mortimer, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Jane Lighting, English businesswoman Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Galina Murašova, Lithuanian discus thrower Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Lonnie Smith, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Thomas C. Südhof, German-American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Hideshi Matsuda, Japanese race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Derick Parry, Nevisian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Ian Turnbull, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Tom Underwood, American baseball player (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Sandra Kalniete, Russian-Latvian politician and diplomat, Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Lasse Bengtsson, Swedish journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Charles de Lint, Dutch-Canadian author and critic Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, Anglo-Irish Territorial Army general, landowner, businessman, philanthropist, and hereditary peer (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Jan Stephenson, Australian golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Maurice Gibb, Manx-English singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Robin Gibb, Manx-English singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Ray Guy, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Steve Garvey, American baseball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Don Kardong, American runner, journalist, and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Rick Nielsen, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Chris Old, English cricketer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Lynne Thigpen, American actress and singer (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Brian Daley, American author and screenwriter (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Dilip Doshi, Indian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Roger Carr, English businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — C. Eugene Steuerle, American economist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Frances Lannon, English historian and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Sam Newman, Australian footballer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Diane Sawyer, American journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Mary Archer, English chemist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Steve Carlton, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Barry Jenkins, English drummer Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Stefan Janos, Slovak-Swiss physicist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Paul Wolfowitz, American banker and politician, 25th United States Deputy Secretary of Defense Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Jerry Koosman, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Dick Parry, English saxophonist Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Luis Francisco Cuéllar, Colombian rancher and politician (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Mike Molloy, English journalist, author, and illustrator Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Matty Alou, Dominican-American baseball player and scout (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Lucien Bouchard, Canadian lawyer and politician, 27th Premier of Quebec Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Red Steagall, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and poet Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Charlotte Lamb, English author (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Eduard Uspensky, Russian author, poet, and playwright Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Ken Whitmore, English author and playwright Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — James Burke, Irish historian and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Héctor Elizondo, American actor and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Paulo Rocha, Portuguese director and screenwriter (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — David Pearson, American race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — John Hartle, English motorcycle racer (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Phil Woosnam, Welsh soccer player and manager (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Gisela Birkemeyer, German hurdler and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Carlos Graça, São Toméan lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Ardalion Ignatyev, Russian sprinter and educator (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Wazir Mohammad, Indian-Pakistani cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Fredrik Barth, German-Norwegian anthropologist and academic (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Roberta Leigh (Rita Shulman Lewin), British writer, artist and TV producer. Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Lewis Glucksman, American businessman and philanthropist (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Lefter Küçükandonyadis, Turkish footballer and manager (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Frank Corsaro, American actor and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Peregrine Worsthorne, English journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Ruth Roman, American actress (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Jim Wright, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Dimitri Fampas, Greek guitarist and composer (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Hawkshaw Hawkins, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1963) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Gene Rayburn, American game show host and actor (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Barbara Billingsley, American actress (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Phillip Glasier, English author and academic (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Giorgio Oberweger, Italian discus thrower and hurdler (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Elias Degiannis, Greek commander (d. 1943) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Lady Bird Johnson, American beautification activist; 38th First Lady of the United States (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — Danny O'Dea, English actor (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — Patricia Hayes, English actress (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — Giacomo Manzù, Italian sculptor and academic (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1907 — Peggy Ashcroft, English actress (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — Pierre Brasseur, French-Italian actor and screenwriter (d. 1972) Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — Pierre Levegh, French ice hockey player and race car driver (d. 1955) Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — Kenneth Rexroth, American poet, translator, and academic (d. 1982) Wikipedia ↗
• 1903 — Haldan Keffer Hartline, American physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
• 1901 — Andre Kostelanetz, Russian-American conductor and composer (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — Marc Allégret, French director and screenwriter (d. 1973) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on December 22 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on December 22

✡️ Religious Observances

• Islamic: Birth of Sayyidina `Ali ibn Abi Talib (ر)
• Chinese: Dongzhi Festival