for

DECEMBER 23
 
 
 
Teaching - there can be no finer calling requiring the clearest demonstration of moral and ethical behavior.
Ira Shull, For the Love of Teaching
 
Why do you teach? Let Us Know. Tell Us about your most memorable teacher.
 
 
 








 







 
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Calendar
Children's Authors & Illustrators
1937 Avi (New York City-born Children's Author) Avi Young-Adult Authors
1950 Erick Ingraham (Pennsylvania-born Artist, Children's Author, Illustrator) Pennsylvania Artists Primary Children's Authors Artists Official Web Site.
1951 Keiko Kasza (Japanese-American Children's Author, Illustrator) Japanese Authors Primary Children's Authors Asian-American Authors Houghton-Mifflin Penguin Putnam
Authors, Poets and Journalists
1860 Harriet Monroe (Chicago-born Poet) Chicago Authors Poetry Yale University Writer's Almanac
1902 Norman Maclean (Iowa-born Author) Iowa Authors Writer's Almanac
1926 Robert Bly (Minnesota-born Poet, Editor, Translator, Author) Minnesota Authors Poetry Official Web Site Writer's Almanac Minnesota Historical Society
1963 Donna Tartt (Mississippi-born Novelist) Mississippi Authors BBC Writer's Almanac Mississippi Writer's Project
Artists, Architects and Designers
1862 James Gibbs (Scottish Architect) Scottish Artists & Photographers Architecture
1870 Jessie Tarbox Beals (Canadian-American Pioneer Photographer, Photojournalist) Canadian Artists & Photographers Photography Journalism Biography.com
1897 Helen Elizabeth Martins (South African Artist) South African Artists Artists South African History
Songwriters, Classical Composers, Conductors and Performing Artists
1906 Ross Lee Finney (Minnesota-born Composer) Minnesota Composers Amercian Composers American Public Media
Scientists, Mathematicians and Inventors
1732 Richard Arkwright (English Barber Who Developed a Machine for Spinning Cotton) English Scientists & Mathematicians Inventors & Inventions Business Historic UK
1790 Jean François Champollion (French "Father of Egyptology," Decipherer of Egyptian Hieroglyphs) French Scientists & Mathematicians Ancient Egypt Anthropology, Archaeology
Business Leaders
1815 Madam C.J. Walker (Louisiana-born Businesswoman, Philanthropist; The First African-American Female Millionaire) Madam C.J. Walker African-American Business Leaders
1856 James Buchanan Duke (North Carolina-born Tobacco Magnate, Philanthropist, Founder of Duke Energy, Namesake of Duke University) North Carolina Business Leaders Tobacco Philanthropy Duke University
Philsopher, Educators, Religious Leaders
1648 Robert Barclay (Scottish Quaker Author) Scottish Authors Quakers Authors Chambers Book of Days
1805 Joseph Smith (Vermont-born Founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)) Joseph Smith Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
1815 Henry Highland Garnet (Maryland-born African-American Religious Leader, Abolitionist) Maryland Political and Social Leaders Religious Leaders Abolition African-American Political and Social Leaders African American Registry
1889 Emil Brunner (Swiss Theologian) Swiss Political and Social Leaders Religious Leaders
1951 Dorothy Ruth Boxall (South African Music Teacher, Lecturer, Writer) South African Political and Social Leaders Educators of Note South African History
Political and Social Leaders
1799 Joseph Henry Lumpkin (The First Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court) Georgia State Supreme Court Law and Legal Resources University of Georgia
1819 Daniel Duane Tompkins Farnsworth (New York City-born Governor of West Virginia for 7 Days) New York City Political and Social Leaders West Virginia Political and Social Leaders West Virginia State Archive
1820 Ezra Wheeler (New York-born Member of the U.S. Congress from Wisconsin) New York Political and Social Leaders Wisconsin Political and Social Leaders U.S. Congress Wisconsin Historical Society
1832 Hans Mattson (Swedish Pioneer in Minnesota, Union Colonel, U.S. Consul General in India, Newspaper Publisher) Swedish Political and Social Leaders India Minnesota Political and Social Leaders American Civil War Journalism Minnesota Historical Society
1933 Akihito (The Heisei Emperor of Japan) Japanese Political and Social Leaders Asian History
Performing Artists
1903 Fredi Washington (Georgia-born African-American Actress, Writer, Dancer, Singer) Georgia Performing Artists Amercian Performing Artists Film Radio African-American Performing Artists Internet Movie Database African American Registry
1935 Esther Phillips (Texas-born African-American Rhythm & Blues Singer) Texas Performing Artists Jazz & Blues African-American Performing Artists African American Registry
1948 Susan Lucci (New York-born Actress) New York Performing Artists American Performing Artists Television Biography.com
1964 Eddie Vedder (Illinois-born Singer, Songwriter with Pearl Jam) Illinois Performing Artists Popular Musicians Biography.com
Sports Figures
1862 Connie Mack (Massachusetts-born Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame) Connie Mack Baseball Hall of Fame
Persons of Historic Significance Who Have Died on This Date Persons of Historic Significance Who Have Died on This Date
1879 Irwin Russell (Mississippi-born Poet) Mississippi Authors Poetry Mississippi Writer's Project
1947 Bob Lemmons (An African-American Mustanger) Texas Slavery Horses African American Heritage Texas State Historical Association
Historically Significant Events Historically Significant Events
Historic Events of the 1600s that Occurred on this Date
1620 In Present-day Massachusetts, Construction Begins on Plymouth, the First Permanent European Settlement in New England Plymouth, Massachusetts Colonial Massachusetts History Channel
1672 French Astronomer Giovanni Cassini Discovers the Saturn Moon Rhea Giovanni Cassini Space And Astronomy Saturn NASA USGS
Historic Events of the 1700s that Occurred on this Date
1743 King James III Hands over the Control of Wales to His Son Charles British Political and Social Leaders Wales King James III BBC
1783 George Washington Resigns as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army George Washington American Revolution History Channel Library of Congress
1788 Maryland Votes to Cede a 100-square-mile Area for the District of Columbia Maryland Washington, D.C. New York Times
Historic Events of the 1800s that Occurred on this Date
1813 In Alabama, American Forces Defeat Creek Warriors and Destroy Their Sacred Town of Holy Ground Alabama Creek Indians Alabama State Archives
1817 In Florida, Fernandina Is Surrendered to U.S. Military Forces by Officers of the "Republic of the Floridas" Independence Movement Fernandina, Florida Hispanic Heritage Florida Historical Society
1823 The Poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore Is Published Anonymously in the Troy, New York Sentinel New York City Authors Poetry Journalism Christmas American Collection Writer's Almanac
1825 Thomas and Lowndes Counties Are Created As Georgia's 67th and 68th Counties Georgia University of Georgia
1829 Prince Paul Wilhelm of Wurttemberg, Germany Leaves St. Louis Beginning the 2nd of His 3 Explorations of the American West German Explorers St. Louis, Missouri North American Explorers Westward Expansion History Channel
1830 Stewart County Is Created As Georgia's 78th County, Named for Daniel Stewart, an Officer in the American Revolution and War of 1812 Stewart County, Georgia American Revolution War of 1812 University of Georgia
1833 In Georgia, the Monroe Railroad Company Is Granting Authority to Build a Rail Line from Macon to Forsyth in Monroe County Monroe County, Georgia Railroads University of Georgia
1836 In Macon, the Georgia Female College (Wesleyan College) Is the First Female College Chartered by an American State Macon, Georgia Education Women Historic Firsts Wesleyan College University of Georgia
1847 In Wisconsin, The First Baptist Church of Madison Is Organized Madison, Wisconsin Religion Historic Firsts Wisconsin Historical Society
1856 Named for Revolutionary War Hero, the Marquis de Lafayette of France, Lafayette County, Florida Is Created as the State's 33rd County Marquis de Lafayette Lafayette County, Florida American Revolution Florida Historical Society
Named for President Zachary Taylor, Taylor County, Florida Is Created as the State's 35th County Taylor County, Florida Zachary Taylor American Presidency Florida Historical Society
1861 Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner Urges President Lincoln to End the Trent Affair by Surrendering Mason and Slidell Great Britain Senator Sumner President Abraham Lincoln The Trent Affair Lincoln Logs
1862 President Lincoln Seeks the Opinions of His Cabinet on the Admission of West Virginia to the Union West Virginia President Abraham Lincoln American Civil War Lincoln Logs
Andrew Johnson and Other State Leaders Request That President Lincoln Not Apply the Emancipation Proclamation to Tennessee Tennessee Political and Social Leaders President Abraham Lincoln Andrew Johnson American Civil War Slavery Emancipation Proclamation Lincoln Logs
Confederate President Jefferson Davis Declares Union General Benjamin Butler for His Actions as Military Commander of New Orleans New Orleans American Civil War History Channel
1879 Thomas Edison Patents a Magneto-Electric Machine Thomas Edison Patents & Trademarks Inventors & Inventions USPTO
An African-American Militia Is Organized in Nueces County, Texas Nueces County, Texas African-American Military Figures Texas State Historical Association
1880 Sheriff Pat Garrett Captures Billy the Kid at Stinking Springs in De Baca County, New Mexico De Baca County, New Mexico Pat Garrett Billy the Kid Notorious Americans Crime New Mexico Magazine
1888 Vincent Van Gogh Cuts Off His Ear Vincent Van Gogh Artists History Channel
1896 Georgia's General Assembly Approves Electric Lighting for the Senate Chamber Georgia's General Assembly Electricity Light Bulb University of Georgia
Historic Events that occurred 1900-1949 on this date
1906 Alaska's Kodiak Island Is the Epicenter of a 7.3 Magnitude Earthquake Kodiak Island, Alaska Earthquake USGS
1912 The Parisian Literary Review, Nouvelle Revue Francaise Refuses to Publish an Excerpt from Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust Marcel Proust Authors Journalism History Channel
Keystone Pictures Releases Its First "Keystone Kop" Movie, Directed by Mack Sennett Film Historic Firsts Internet Movie Database History Channel
1913 President Woodrow Wilson Signs the Owen-Glass Act, Creating the Federal Reserve System The Federal Reserve System President Woodrow Wilson Historic U.S. Documents Library of Congress History Channel
1918 In Washington, a Dam Burst at the Cedar River Watershed Washes Away the Logging Community of Edgewick Without Loss of Life Washington Dams Flooding History Link
1922 The World's First Regular Entertainment Radio Broadcasts Are Transmitted by the British Broadcasting Corporation British Media Radio Historic Firsts BBC Historic UK
1926 20 People Die As Two Florida-Bound Trains Collide in Georgia Georgia Florida Railroads Death Florida Historical Society
1930 Actress Bette Davis Signs with Universal After Years of Work as a Struggling Actress Bette Davis American Performing Artists Film History Channel
1941 American Forces on Wake Island Surrender to the Japanese Japan Miltiary Figures World War II New York Times
1944 General. Dwight Eisenhower Authorizes the Execution of Eddie Slovik, the Only American Executed for Desertion Dwight Eisenhower World War II War Crimes Capital Punishment History Channel
1946 President Truman Appoints a Board to Consider Amnesty for Conscientious Objectors Who Refused to Serve During World War II President Harry Truman World War II Human Rights/Civil Rights History Channel
In Alaska, the Auke Bay Post Office Near Juneau Opens for Business Juneau, Alaska U.S. Postal Service Alaska Historical Society
1948 Former Japanese Premier Hideki Tojo and Six Other Japanese War Leaders Are Executed in Tokyo Japan World War II War Crimes Capital Punishment Death History Channel Asian History
1949 In Temple, Texas, Scott and White Memorial Hospital Becomes a Nonprofit Hospital Foundation Temple, Texas Health Care Scott & White Texas State Historical Association
Historic Events that occurred 1950-1999 on this date
1956 French and British Troops Withdraw from the Suez Canal Suez Canal France Great Britain The Cold War BBC
1962 President Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana Orders the Release of the Last of His Political Prisoners Ghana Political and Social Leaders South African History
1968 83-Man Crew of the U.S. Intelligence Ship Pueblo Is Released After 11 Months of Captivity in North Korea North Korea Naval Military History POW/MIA The Cold War History Channel Asian History
1972 A 6.2-Magnitude Earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua, Kills More Than 10,000 People and Leaves 250,000 Homeless Nicaragua Earthquakes Death History Channel BBC USGS
With Franco Harris' ''Immaculate Reception," the Pittsburgh Steelers Beat the Oakland Raiders 13-7 in an NFL Playoff Game Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania Oakland, California Football National Football League New York Times
1978 The State of Michigan Raises Its Legal Drinking Age from 18 to 21 Michigan Government Substance Abuse State of Michigan
1982 U.S. Congress Raises the Federal Fuel Tax on Gasoline by 5¢ a Gallon to Raise $5.5B Annually for Road and Bridge Repairs U.S. Congress Transportation Bridges Taxes History Channel
1985 A 6.8-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Canada's Northwest Territories Canada Earthquakes USGS
1986 The Most Prominent Soviet Dissident, Andrei Sakharov, Returns to Moscow After Almost Seven Years of Internal Exile Andrei Sakharov The Cold War BBC
Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager Land in California, Completing the First non-Stop Flight Around the World Without Refueling California Aviation History Historic Firsts History Channel New York Times
1987 The Jimmy Carter National Historic Site Is Created in Plains, Georgia Plains, Georgia President Jimmy Carter National Park Service University of Georgia
1989 Ousted Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu Is Captured Trying to Flee the Country with His Wife Romanian Political and Social Leaders The Cold War New York Times
In Berlin, Leonard Bernstein Conducts Beethoven's Ninth Symphony to Celebrate the Fall of the Berlin Wall Berlin, Germany Leonard Bernstein American Composers The Cold War American Public Media
1995 A Fire in Dabwali, India, Kills 540 People, Including 170 Children, Attending a Year-End School Party India Education Child Advocacy Fire Death New York Times
Historic Events that occurred 2000-2009 on this date
2008 Military Coup Takes Control of Guinea Upon the Death of Dictator Lansana Conte Guinea BBC