Vintage News · Odd history for December 21

What Happened On December 21

Q: What happened on December 21?

1879: the fictional character of Nora Helmer is first portrayed by Betty Hennings (pictured) at a showing of A Doll's House at the Royal Danish Theatre. 1826: Settlers from the United States in Mexican Texas made the first attempt to secede from Mexico, establishing the short-lived Republic of Fredonia. 1883: The Royal Canadian Dragoons and The Royal Canadian Regiment, the first Permanent Force cavalry and infantry regiments of the Canadian Army, are formed. 1879: the fictional character of Nora Helmer is first portrayed by Betty Hennings at a showing of A Doll's House at the Royal Danish Theatre. 2022: A Vega C rocket carrying two Pléiades Neo satellites fails after liftoff. 1124: Pope Honorius II is consecrated, having been elected after the controversial dethroning of Pope-Elect Celestine II. 69: The Roman Senate declares Vespasian emperor of Rome, the last in the Year of the Four Emperors. 1988: The world's heaviest aircraft, the Antonov An-225 Mriya, made its first flight. 1968: Apollo 8 launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a trajectory to the Moon; its crew (pictured) became the first humans to visit another celestial body. 1937: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length cel-animated feature in film history, premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles.

39 events and 178 births, refreshed daily. OddlyTrue's own archive for 21 December →

December 20 December 22

10 odd things that happened on December 21

1879 First ever
the fictional character of Nora Helmer is first portrayed by Betty Hennings (pictured) at a showing of A Doll's House at the Royal Danish Theatre.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1826 First ever
Settlers from the United States in Mexican Texas made the first attempt to secede from Mexico, establishing the short-lived Republic of Fredonia.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1883 First ever
The Royal Canadian Dragoons and The Royal Canadian Regiment, the first Permanent Force cavalry and infantry regiments of the Canadian Army, are formed.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1879 First ever
the fictional character of Nora Helmer is first portrayed by Betty Hennings at a showing of A Doll's House at the Royal Danish Theatre.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2022 Weird
A Vega C rocket carrying two Pléiades Neo satellites fails after liftoff.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1124 Oddly true
Pope Honorius II is consecrated, having been elected after the controversial dethroning of Pope-Elect Celestine II.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
69 Oddly true
The Roman Senate declares Vespasian emperor of Rome, the last in the Year of the Four Emperors.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1988 First ever
The world's heaviest aircraft, the Antonov An-225 Mriya, made its first flight.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1968 First ever
Apollo 8 launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a trajectory to the Moon; its crew (pictured) became the first humans to visit another celestial body.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1937 First ever
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length cel-animated feature in film history, premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Observed today

2023Fourteen people are killed and 25 others injured during a mass shooting at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Wikipedia →
2022A Vega C rocket carrying two Pléiades Neo satellites fails after liftoff. Wikipedia →
2020A great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurs, with the two planets separated in the sky by 0.1 degrees. This is the closest conjunction between the two planets since 1623. Wikipedia →
20122012 phenomenon: Festivities are held in parts of Mesoamerica to commemorate the conclusion of b'ak'tun 13, a roughly 5,126-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar whose passing many New Age spiritualists had earlier held to portend a variety of cataclysmic or transformative events. Wikipedia →
2004Iraq War: A suicide bomber kills 22 at the forward operating base next to the main U.S. military airfield at Mosul, Iraq, the single deadliest suicide attack on American soldiers in Iraq. Wikipedia →
1999The Spanish Civil Guard intercepts a van loaded with 950 kg of explosives that ETA intended to use to blow up Torre Picasso in Madrid, Spain. Wikipedia →
1999Cubana de Aviación Flight 1216 overshoots the runway at La Aurora International Airport, killing 18. Wikipedia →
1995The city of Bethlehem passes from Israeli to Palestinian control. Wikipedia →
1992A Dutch DC-10, flight Martinair MP 495, crashes at Faro Airport, Portugal, killing 56. Wikipedia →
1991Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The leaders of 11 now effectively autonomous Soviet republics sign the Alma-Ata Protocol establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States in place of the collapsing Soviet Union. Wikipedia →
1988A bomb explodes on board Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, killing 270. This is to date the deadliest air disaster to occur on British soil. Wikipedia →
1979Lancaster House Agreement: An independence agreement for Rhodesia is signed in London by Lord Carrington, Sir Ian Gilmour, Robert Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo, Bishop Abel Muzorewa and S.C. Mundawarara. Wikipedia →
1973The Geneva Conference on the Arab–Israeli conflict opens. Wikipedia →
1968Apollo program: Apollo 8 is launched from the Kennedy Space Center, placing its crew on a lunar trajectory for the first visit to another celestial body by humans. Wikipedia →
1967Louis Washkansky, the first man to undergo a human-to-human heart transplant, dies in Cape Town, South Africa, having lived for 18 days after the transplant. Wikipedia →
1965International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is adopted. Wikipedia →
1963"Bloody Christmas" begins in Cyprus, ultimately resulting in the displacement of 25,000–30,000 Turkish Cypriots and destruction of more than 100 villages. Wikipedia →
1946An 8.1 Mw earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Nankaidō, Japan, kills over 1,300 people and destroys over 38,000 homes. Wikipedia →
1941World War II: A Thai-Japanese Pact of Alliance is signed. Wikipedia →
1934Lieutenant Kijé, one of Sergei Prokofiev's best-known works, premiered. Wikipedia →
1923United Kingdom and Nepal formally sign an agreement of friendship, called the Nepal–Britain Treaty of 1923, which superseded the Treaty of Sugauli signed in 1816. Wikipedia →
1919American anarchist Emma Goldman is deported to Russia. Wikipedia →
1910An underground explosion at the Hulton Bank Colliery No. 3 Pit in Over Hulton, Westhoughton, England, kills 344 miners. Wikipedia →
1907The Chilean Army commits a massacre of at least 2,000 striking saltpeter miners in Iquique, Chile. Wikipedia →
1883The Royal Canadian Dragoons and The Royal Canadian Regiment, the first Permanent Force cavalry and infantry regiments of the Canadian Army, are formed. Wikipedia →
1879the fictional character of Nora Helmer is first portrayed by Betty Hennings at a showing of A Doll's House at the Royal Danish Theatre. Wikipedia →
1872Challenger expedition: HMS Challenger, commanded by Captain George Nares, sails from Portsmouth, England. Wikipedia →
1861Medal of Honor: Public Resolution 82, containing a provision for a Navy Medal of Valor, is signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. Wikipedia →
1844The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers commences business at its cooperative in Rochdale, England, starting the Cooperative movement. Wikipedia →
1832Egyptian–Ottoman War: Egyptian forces decisively defeat Ottoman troops at the Battle of Konya. Wikipedia →
1826American settlers in Nacogdoches, Mexican Texas, declare their independence, starting the Fredonian Rebellion. Wikipedia →
1812The second earthquake to hit southern California in 13 days causes severe damage in Santa Barbara and Ventura. Wikipedia →
1620Plymouth Colony: William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims land near what is now known as Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Wikipedia →
1598Battle of Curalaba: The revolting Mapuche, led by cacique Pelentaru, inflict a major defeat on Spanish troops in southern Chile. Wikipedia →
1361The Battle of Linuesa is fought in the context of the Spanish Reconquista between the forces of the Emirate of Granada and the combined army of the Kingdom of Castile and of Jaén resulting in a Castilian victory. Wikipedia →
1237The city of Ryazan is sacked by the Mongol army of Batu Khan. Wikipedia →
1140After a siege of several weeks, the city of Weinsberg and its castle surrender to Conrad III of Germany. Wikipedia →
1124Pope Honorius II is consecrated, having been elected after the controversial dethroning of Pope-Elect Celestine II. Wikipedia →
69The Roman Senate declares Vespasian emperor of Rome, the last in the Year of the Four Emperors. Wikipedia →

From The Guardian Archives — On This Day

2025The Guardian
Louisiana nursing student speaks out during her six-month ICE detention
Vilma Palacios, 22, tells local outlet ‘I want my freedom back’ as she may be forced to return to Honduras
Read on The Guardian →
2020The Guardian
Jealous Guy: The Assassination of John Lennon review – what drives a fan to murder?
Forty years on from his death, this documentary tells the story of the Beatles star, the man who killed him for ‘self…
Read on The Guardian →
2002The New York Times · Front page
Bargains Are Plentiful For Shoppers This Season
Even intrepid bargain hunters are shocked by the prices they are seeing in the stores this holiday season. Last ye…
Read on NYTimes.com →

Headlines via The Guardian Open Platform · Historic front pages via the NYT Archive API

Facts from Wikipedia On This Day API (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia. Thumbnails CC BY-SA. Headlines via The Guardian Open Platform and the NYT Archive API. Historic pages via Library of Congress Chronicling America. Curated by OddlyTrue.