12 History Lessons + 7 Births & 7 Deaths for December 9, 2025
Today’s History
- 536 – Byzantine general Belisarius enters Rome unopposed during the Gothic War, forcing the Ostrogothic garrison to flee the city.
- 1531 – Indigenous peasant Juan Diego reports the first apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Tepeyac near Mexico City, a vision that becomes central to Mexican Catholic devotion.
- 1835 – The Texan Army captures San Antonio, a key early victory in the Texas Revolution against Mexico and a prelude to the Alamo campaign.
- 1905 – France passes a landmark law formally separating church and state, cementing the principle of laïcité in French public life.
- 1917 – World War I: British forces under General Edmund Allenby capture Jerusalem from the Ottoman Empire, ending centuries of Muslim rule.
- 1946 – The first of the subsequent Nuremberg Trials, the Doctors’ Trial, begins, prosecuting Nazi physicians for human experimentation and mass murder.
- 1946 – The Constituent Assembly of India meets for the first time in New Delhi to begin drafting what will become the Constitution of independent India.
- 1948 – The United Nations General Assembly adopts the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, defining genocide in international law.
- 1961 – Tanganyika (mainland Tanzania) gains independence from Britain, a major milestone in East African decolonization.
- 1965 – The TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas” premieres on CBS, becoming a beloved holiday classic and a quiet critique of commercialized Christmas.
- 1979 – An international commission of scientists formally certifies the global eradication of smallpox, the first human disease ever wiped out.
- 1990 – Lech Wałęsa wins Poland’s first fully free presidential election since 1926, symbolizing the collapse of communist rule in Eastern Europe.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1934 – Judi Dench – English actor widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest performers, from Shakespearean stage roles to playing M in the James Bond films. (91)
- 1941 – Beau Bridges – American actor known for a long career in film and television, including The Fabulous Baker Boys and numerous character roles. (84)
- 1949 – Tom Kite – American professional golfer, major champion, and member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. (76)
- 1953 – John Malkovich – American actor and producer noted for intense, offbeat performances in films such as Dangerous Liaisons and Being John Malkovich. (72)
- 1957 – Donny Osmond – American singer, entertainer, and TV personality who rose to fame as a teen idol with The Osmonds and later as a solo artist and host. (68)
- 1966 – Kirsten Gillibrand – U.S. Senator from New York, known for advocacy on military sexual assault, family policy, and ethics reform. (59)
- 1995 – McKayla Maroney – American gymnast, Olympic team gold and vault silver medalist at London 2012, and one of the sport’s most recognizable stars of her era. (30)
Today’s Deaths:
- 1641 – Anthony van Dyck – Flemish Baroque painter and leading court portraitist to England’s Charles I, famed for elegant depictions of European aristocracy. (42)
- 1971 – Ralph Bunche – American diplomat and political scientist, UN mediator in the Arab–Israeli conflict and the first Black Nobel Peace Prize laureate. (67)
- 1979 – Fulton J. Sheen – American Catholic archbishop and pioneering religious broadcaster whose radio and TV programs made him a mid-20th-century media star. (84)
- 2012 – Jenni Rivera – Mexican-American singer and TV personality, a dominant figure in regional Mexican music, killed in a plane crash in northern Mexico. (43)
- 2019 – Marie Fredriksson – Swedish singer and co-founder of pop-rock duo Roxette, whose powerful vocals drove hits like “It Must Have Been Love.” (61)
- 2021 – Demaryius Thomas – American wide receiver and Super Bowl 50 champion with the Denver Broncos, who died from complications of a seizure disorder. (33)
- 2024 – Nikki Giovanni – American poet, activist, and major voice of the Black Arts Movement, celebrated for work exploring Black identity, love, and resistance. (81)
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