Updated December 22, 2011, 1:28 pm
On Dec. 23, 1986, the experimental airplane Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, completed the first non-stop, around-the-world flight without refueling as it landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
On Dec. 23, 1867, Sarah Breedlove Walker, the American businesswoman and philanthropist considered to be the first black female millionaire , was born. Following her death on May 25, 1919, her obituary appeared in The Times.
Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »
On This Date
By The Associated Press
1783 George Washington resigned as commander-in-chief of the Army and retired to his home at Mount Vernon, Va. 1788 Maryland passed an act to cede a parcel of land for the seat of the national government, part of which later became the District of Columbia. 1823 The poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement C. Moore was first published, in the Troy (N.Y.) Sentinel. 1941 American forces on Wake Island surrendered to the Japanese during World War II. 1948 Former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and six other Japanese war leaders were executed in Tokyo. 1972 The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Oakland Raiders 13-7 in an NFL playoff game on a last-second touchdown catch by Franco Harris that was dubbed the “immaculate reception.” 1995 A fire in Dabwali, India, killed 540 people, including 170 children, during a year-end party being held near the children’s school. 1997 A federal jury in Denver convicted Terry Nichols of involuntary manslaughter and conspiracy for his role in the Oklahoma City bombing. 2003 The government announced the first suspected case of mad cow disease in United States. 2003 A jury in Chesapeake, Va., sentenced teen sniper Lee Boyd Malvo to life in prison, sparing him the death penalty. 2004 Former Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland pleaded guilty to a corruption charge. (He served 10 months in prison.) 2009 The parents who pulled the “balloon boy” hoax in hopes of landing a reality TV show, were sentenced to jail by a judge in Fort Collins, Colo. Current Birthdays
By The Associated Press
Actress Susan Lucci (“All My Children”) turns 65 years old today.
AP Photo/Dan Steinberg
Japanese Emperor Akihito turns 78 years old today.
AP Photo/Koji Sasahara
1924 Bob Kurland, Basketball Hall of Famer, turns 87 1935 Paul Hornung, Football Hall of Famer, turns 76 1940 Jorma Kaukonen, Rock musician (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna), turns 71 1943 Harry Shearer, Actor, comedian (“The Simpsons”), turns 68 1948 Jack Ham, Football Hall of Famer, turns 63 1949 Adrian Belew, Rock musician, producer, turns 62 1964 Eddie Vedder, Rock singer (Pearl Jam), turns 47 1978 Victor Martinez, Baseball player, turns 33 1983 Hanley Ramirez, Baseball player, turns 28 Historic Birthdays
Sarah Breedlove Walker 12/23/1867 – 5/25/1919 American philanthropist. Go to obituary »
41 Robert Barclay 12/23/1648 – 10/3/1690
English-born American Quaker leader71 James Gibbs 12/23/1682 – 8/5/1754
Scottish architect41 Jean-Francois Champollion 12/23/1790 – 3/4/1832
French historian and linguist38 Joseph Smith 12/23/1805 – 6/27/1844
American founder of the Mormon Church75 Oscar Solomon Straus 12/23/1850 – 5/3/1926
American member of President Wilson’s cabinet68 James Buchanan Duke 12/23/1856 – 10/10/1925
American tobacco magnate84 Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko 12/23/1858 – 4/25/1943
Russian playwright76 Emil Brunner 12/23/1889 – 4/6/1966
Swiss theologian
