Editing December 15

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{{This date in recent years}}
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==Events==
===Pre-1600===
* [[533]] &ndash; [[Vandalic War]]: [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] general [[Belisarius]] defeats the [[Vandals]], commanded by King [[Gelimer]], at the [[Battle of Tricamarum]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Jacobsen|first=Torsten Cumberland|title=The Gothic War: Rome's Final Conflict in the West|location=Yardley, Pa.|publisher=Westholme|date=2009|isbn=9781594160844|page=345}}</ref>
* [[687]] &ndash; [[Pope Sergius I]] is elected as a compromise between [[antipope]]s Paschal and Theodore.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ekonomou|first=Andrew|date=2007|title=Byzantine Rome and the Greek Popes: Eastern influences on Rome and the papacy from Gregory the Great to Zacharias, A.D. 590–752|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=978-0739119778}}</ref>
*[[1025]] &ndash; [[Constantine VIII]] becomes sole [[Byzantine Emperor|emperor]] of the [[Byzantine Empire]], 63 years after being crowned co-emperor.<ref>{{cite book|last=Vogt|first=Albert|chapter=The Macedonian Dynasty From 976 to 1057 A.D.|title=The Cambridge Medieval History. Vol. 4: The Eastern Roman Empire|editor-last1=Tanner|editor-first1=J.R.|editor-last2=Previté-Orton|editor-first2=C.W.|editor-last3=Brooke|editor-first3=Z.N.|location=New York|publisher=Macmillan|date=1926|oclc=14739796|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ihg_2ZXHB1cC|page=96}}</ref>
*[[1161]] &ndash; [[Jin–Song wars]]: Military officers conspire against the emperor [[Wanyan Liang]] of the [[Jin dynasty (1115–1234)|Jin dynasty]] after a military defeat at the [[Battle of Caishi]], and assassinate the emperor at his camp.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kuhn|first=Dieter|title=The Age of Confucian Rule: The Song Transformation of China|location=Cambridge, Mass.|publisher=Belknap Press of Harvard University Press|date=2011|isbn=9780674031463|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FnCbDwAAQBAJ|page=81}}</ref>
*[[1167]] &ndash; [[Kingdom of Sicily (Medieval and Early Modern)|Sicilian]] [[Chancellor]] [[Stephen du Perche]] moves the royal court to [[Messina]] to prevent a rebellion.
*[[1256]] &ndash; [[Mongols|Mongol]] forces under [[Hulagu Khan|Hulagu]] enter and dismantle the [[Nizari Ismaili state|Nizari Ismaili]] ([[Order of Assassins|Assassin]]) stronghold at [[Alamut Castle]] (in present-day [[Iran]]) as part of [[Mongol campaign against the Nizaris|their offensive]] on Islamic southwest Asia.
*[[1270]] &ndash; The [[Nizari Ismaili state|Nizari Ismaili]] garrison of [[Gerdkuh]], Persia surrender after 17 years to the [[Mongol campaign against the Nizaris|Mongols]].<ref name="Daftary1992p429">{{cite book |last1=Daftary |first1=Farhad |title=The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines |date=1992 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-42974-0 |page=429 |language=en}}</ref>
*[[1467]] &ndash; [[Stephen III of Moldavia]] defeats [[Matthias Corvinus]] of Hungary, with the latter being injured thrice, at the [[Battle of Baia]].
*[[1546]] &ndash; The town of [[Ekenäs, Finland|Ekenäs]] ({{langx|fi|Tammisaari}}) is founded by [[Gustav I of Sweden|King Gustav Vasa of Sweden]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kansallisbiografia.fi/paimenmuisto/seurakunta/5105|title=Tammisaari (Ekenäs)|publisher=[[Kansallisbiografia]]|access-date=8 January 2023|language=fi}}</ref>

===1601–1900===
*[[1651]] &ndash; [[Castle Cornet]] in [[Guernsey]], the last stronghold which had supported the King in the [[Third English Civil War]], surrenders.
*[[1778]] &ndash; [[American Revolutionary War]]: [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] and French fleets clash in the [[Battle of St. Lucia]].
*[[1791]] &ndash; The [[United States Bill of Rights]] becomes law when ratified by the [[Virginia General Assembly]].
*[[1836]] &ndash; The [[Old Patent Office Building|U.S. Patent Office]] building in Washington, D.C., nearly [[1836 U.S. Patent Office fire|burns to the ground]], destroying all 9,957 patents issued by the federal government to that date, as well as 7,000 related [[patent model]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Niemann|first=Paul|title=More Invention Mysteries|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tx9Zkz0XqA4C&q=%22In%201877%22|location=Quincy, Ill.|publisher=Horsefeathers Publishing Company|year=2006|isbn=9780974804118|page=130}}</ref>
*[[1862]] &ndash; [[American Civil War]]: The [[Battle of Fredericksburg]] ends in a [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] defeat as General [[Ambrose Burnside]] withdraws the [[Army of the Potomac]] across the [[Rappahannock River]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Battle of Fredericksburg History: Marye's Heights|url=https://www.nps.gov/frsp/learn/historyculture/fburg-hist-maryesh.htm|website=nps.gov|publisher=National Park Service|date=July 25, 2015|access-date=January 4, 2025}}</ref>
*[[1864]] &ndash; American Civil War: The [[Battle of Nashville]] begins at [[Nashville, Tennessee]], and ends the following day with the destruction of the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] [[Army of Tennessee]] under General [[John Bell Hood]] as a fighting force by the Union [[Army of the Cumberland]] under General [[George Henry Thomas|George H. Thomas]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Rigdon|first=John C.|title=Historical Sketch and Roster of the Mississippi 29th Infantry Regiment|location=Cartersville, Ga.|publisher=Eastern Digital Resources|date=2005|isbn=9780359384303|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HlmIDwAAQBAJ|page=58}}</ref>
*[[1869]] &ndash; The short-lived [[Republic of Ezo]] is proclaimed in the [[Ezo]] area of [[Japan]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Lu|first=Sidney Xu|title=The Making of Japanese Settler Colonialism|location=New York|publisher=Cambridge University Press|date=2019|isbn=9781108482424|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IDGdDwAAQBAJ|page=94, fn. 95}}</ref> It is the first attempt to establish a [[democracy]] in Japan.<ref>{{cite book|last=Willcock|first=Hiroko|title=The Japanese Political Thought of Uchimura Kanzō (1861-1930): Synthesizing Bushidō, Christianity, Nationalism, and Liberalism|location=Lewiston, N.Y.|publisher=Edwin Mellen Press|date=2008|isbn=9780773451513|page=10}}</ref>
*[[1871]] &ndash; Sixteen-year-old [[telegraphist]] [[Ella Stewart Udall|Ella Stewart]] keys and sends the first telegraphed message from [[Arizona Territory]] at the [[Deseret Telegraph Company]] office in [[Pipe Spring National Monument|Pipe Spring]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=McKoy |first=Kathleen L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JsD9o6SQQ6UC&q=%22The%20first%20message%20was%20sent%20from%20there%20on%20December%2015,%201871.%22 |title=Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History of Pipe Spring National Monument |publisher=[[United States Department of the Interior|U. S. Department of the Interior]], [[National Park Service]], Intermountain Region |year=2000 |pages=35}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Boren |first=Ray |date=February 28, 2013 |title=A Visit to Pioneer Oasis: Arizona's Pipe Spring |work=Deseret News |url=https://www.deseret.com/2013/2/28/20515246/a-visit-to-pioneer-oasis-arizona-s-pipe-spring |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109160947/https://www.deseret.com/2013/2/28/20515246/a-visit-to-pioneer-oasis-arizona-s-pipe-spring#a-year-round-water-source-and-range-lands-south-of-the-vermilion-cliffs-drew-pioneer-cattlemen-to-pipe-spring-in-the-mid-1800s-however-drought-and-over-grazing-turned-the-once-grassy-plain-into-a-terrain-dominated-by-sagebrush-and-tumbleweeds-by-the-late-19th-century |archive-date=November 9, 2020}}</ref>
*[[1890]] &ndash; [[Hunkpapa]] [[Lakota people|Lakota]] leader [[Sitting Bull]] is killed on [[Standing Rock Indian Reservation]], leading to the [[Wounded Knee Massacre]].
*[[1893]] &ndash; [[Symphony No. 9 (Dvořák)|''Symphony No. 9'' ("From the New World" {{aka}} the "New World Symphony")]] by [[Antonín Dvořák]] premieres in a public afternoon rehearsal at [[Carnegie Hall]] in New York City, followed by a concert premiere on the evening of December 16.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Philharmonic Society|work=The New York Times|date=December 16, 1893|page=8|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1893/12/16/109271873.html?pageNumber=8|access-date=December 15, 2020|postscript=none}}; {{cite news|title=Dr. Dvorak's Latest Work|work=The New York Times|date=December 17, 1893|page=19|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1893/12/17/109272197.html?pageNumber=19|access-date=December 15, 2020}}</ref>
*[[1899]] &ndash; [[British Army]] forces are defeated at the [[Battle of Colenso]] in [[Natal (province)|Natal]], [[South Africa]], the third and final battle fought during the [[Black Week]] of the [[Second Boer War]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Bunting|first=Tony|chapter=Colenso|title=1001 Battles That Changed the Course of World History|editor-last=Grant|editor-first=R.G.|location=New York|publisher=Chartwell Books|date=2017|isbn=9780785835530|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2ZNADwAAQBAJ|page=683}}</ref>

===1901–present===
*[[1903]] &ndash; [[Italian American]] food cart vendor Italo Marchiony receives a [[United States patent law|U.S. patent]] for inventing a machine that makes [[ice cream cone]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Barth|first=Linda J.|title=A History of Inventing in New Jersey: From Thomas Edison to the Ice Cream Cone|location=Charleston, S.C.|publisher=The History Press|date=2013|isbn=9781626192065|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lex2CQAAQBAJ|page=61}}</ref>
*[[1905]] &ndash; The [[Pushkin House]] is established in [[Saint Petersburg]], Russia, to preserve the cultural heritage of [[Alexander Pushkin]].
*[[1906]] &ndash; The [[London Underground]]'s [[Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway]] opens.
*[[1914]] &ndash; [[World War I]]: The [[Serbian Army]] recaptures [[Belgrade]] from the invading [[Austro-Hungarian Army]].
*  1914   &ndash; [[Hōjō Coal Mine Disaster|A gas explosion]] at [[Mitsubishi]] Hōjō coal mine, in [[Kyushu]], Japan, kills 687.
*[[1917]] &ndash; World War I: An [[armistice between Russia and the Central Powers]] is signed.
*[[1933]] &ndash; [[Anarchist insurrection of December 1933|Anarchist insurrection]] suppressed in [[Zaragoza]], [[Second Spanish Republic|Spain]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Casanova|first=Julián|author-link=Julián Casanova|year=2005|chapter=On the road to insurrection|title=Anarchism, the Republic and Civil War in Spain: 1931–1939|publisher=[[Routledge]]|translator-first1=Andrew|translator-last1=Dowling|translator-first2=Graham|translator-last2=Pollok|editor-first=Paul|editor-last=Preston|editor-link=Paul Preston|pages=75–76|isbn=0-415-32095-X}}</ref>
*[[1939]] &ndash; ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'' (highest inflation adjusted grossing film) receives its premiere at [[Loew's Grand Theatre]] in [[Atlanta|Atlanta, Georgia]], United States.
*[[1941]] &ndash; [[The Holocaust in Ukraine]]: [[Nazi Germany|German]] troops murder over 15,000 Jews at [[Drobytsky Yar]], a ravine southeast of the city of [[Kharkiv]].
*[[1942]] &ndash; [[World War II]]: The [[Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse]] begins during the [[Guadalcanal Campaign]].
*[[1943]] &ndash; World War II: The [[Battle of Arawe]] begins during the [[New Britain campaign]].
*[[1944]] &ndash; World War II: a single-engine [[UC-64A Norseman]] aeroplane carrying [[United States Army Air Forces]] Major [[Glenn Miller]] is lost in a flight over the English Channel.
*[[1945]] &ndash; [[Occupation of Japan]]/[[Shinto Directive]]: General [[Douglas MacArthur]] orders that [[Shinto]] be abolished as the state religion of Japan.
*[[1960]] &ndash; [[Richard Paul Pavlick|Richard Pavlick]] is arrested for plotting to assassinate [[President-elect of the United States|U.S. President-Elect]] [[John F. Kennedy]].
*  1960   &ndash; King [[Mahendra of Nepal]] suspends the country's constitution, dissolves parliament, dismisses the cabinet, and imposes direct rule.
*[[1961]] &ndash; [[Eichmann trial]]: [[Adolf Eichmann]] is sentenced to death after being found guilty by an [[Judicial system of Israel|Israeli court]] of 15 criminal charges, including charges of crimes against humanity, crimes against the Jewish people, and membership of an outlawed organization.
*[[1965]] &ndash; [[Project Gemini]]: [[Gemini 6A]], crewed by [[Wally Schirra]] and [[Thomas P. Stafford|Thomas Stafford]], is launched from [[Cape Canaveral|Cape Kennedy]], [[Florida]]. Four orbits later, it achieves the first [[space rendezvous]], with [[Gemini 7]].
*[[1970]] &ndash; Soviet spacecraft [[Venera 7]] successfully lands on [[Venus]]. It is the first successful soft [[List of landings on extraterrestrial bodies|landing on another planet]].
*[[1973]] &ndash; [[John Paul Getty III]], grandson of American billionaire [[J. Paul Getty]], is found alive near [[Naples]], Italy, after being kidnapped by an Italian gang on July 10.
*  1973   &ndash; The [[American Psychiatric Association]] votes 13–0 to remove [[homosexuality]] from its official list of [[Mental disorder|psychiatric disorder]]s, the [[Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders]].
*[[1978]] &ndash; U.S. President [[Jimmy Carter]] announces that the United States will [[China–United States relations|recognize the People's Republic of China]] and [[Taiwan–United States relations|sever diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan)]].
*[[1981]] &ndash; A [[1981 Iraqi embassy bombing|suicide car bombing targeting the Iraqi embassy]] in [[Beirut|Beirut, Lebanon]], levels the embassy and kills 61 people, including Iraq's ambassador to Lebanon. The attack is considered the first modern [[Suicide attack|suicide bombing]].
*[[1989]] &ndash; [[Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]] relating the [[abolition of capital punishment]] is adopted.
*[[1993]] &ndash; [[The Troubles]]: The [[Downing Street Declaration]] is issued by British [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[John Major]] and Irish [[Taoiseach]] [[Albert Reynolds]].
*[[1997]] &ndash; [[Tajikistan Airlines Flight 3183]] crashes in the desert near [[Emirate of Sharjah|Sharjah]], [[United Arab Emirates]], killing 85.
*[[2000]] &ndash; The third reactor at the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shut down.
*[[2001]] &ndash; The [[Leaning Tower of Pisa]] reopens after 11 years and $27,000,000 spent to stabilize it, without fixing its famous lean.
*[[2005]] &ndash; Introduction of the [[Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor]] into [[United States Air Force|USAF]] active service.
*[[2010]] &ndash; A boat carrying 90 [[Refugee#Asylum seekers|asylum seeker]]s [[2010 Christmas Island boat disaster|crashes into rocks]] off the coast of [[Christmas Island]], Australia, killing 48 people.
*[[2013]] &ndash; The [[South Sudanese Civil War]] begins when opposition leaders Dr. [[Riek Machar]], [[Pagan Amum]] and [[Rebecca Nyandeng]] vote to boycott the meeting of the National Liberation Council at Nyakuron.
*[[2014]] &ndash; Gunman [[Man Haron Monis]] takes [[2014 Sydney hostage crisis|18 hostages]] inside a café in [[Martin Place, Sydney|Martin Place]] for 16 hours in Sydney. Monis and two hostages are killed when police raid the café the following morning.
*[[2017]] &ndash; A 6.5{{M|w}}[[2017 Java earthquake|earthquake]] strikes the Indonesian island of [[Java]] in the city of [[Tasikmalaya]], resulting in four deaths.

==Births==
===Pre-1600===
*[[AD 37]] &ndash; [[Nero]], Roman emperor (d. 68)<ref>{{cite web |title=Nero {{!}} Biography, Claudius, Rome, Burning, Fate, Accomplishments, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nero-Roman-emperor |website=www.britannica.com |access-date=4 December 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
*[[AD 130|130]] &ndash; [[Lucius Verus]], Roman emperor (d. 169)
*[[1242]] &ndash; [[Prince Munetaka]], Japanese [[List of shōguns|shōgun]] (d. 1274)
*[[1447]] &ndash; [[Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria]] (d. 1508)
*[[1567]] &ndash; [[Christoph Demantius]], German composer, poet, and theorist (d. 1643)
===1601–1900===
*[[1610]] &ndash; [[David Teniers the Younger]], Flemish painter (d. 1690)
*[[1657]] &ndash; [[Michel Richard Delalande]], French organist and composer (d. 1726)
*[[1686]] &ndash; [[Jean-Joseph Fiocco]], Flemish violinist and composer (d. 1746)
*[[1710]] &ndash; [[Francesco Zahra]], Maltese painter (d. 1773)
*[[1789]] &ndash; [[Carlos Soublette]], Venezuelan general and politician, 11th [[President of Venezuela]] (d. 1870)
*[[1832]] &ndash; [[Gustave Eiffel]], French architect and engineer, co-designed the [[Eiffel Tower]] (d. 1923)
*[[1837]] &ndash; [[E. W. Bullinger]], English minister, scholar, and theologian (d. 1913)
*[[1846]] &ndash; [[Amunda Kolderup]], Norwegian opera singer (d. 1882)<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last=Haavet |first=Inger Elisabeth|title=Amunda Kolderup |url=https://nbl.snl.no/Amunda_Kolderup|encyclopedia=[[Norsk biografisk leksikon]]|access-date=20 January 2025|language=no}}</ref>
*[[1852]] &ndash; [[Henri Becquerel]], French physicist and chemist, [[Nobel Prize in Physics|Nobel Prize]] laureate (d. 1908)
*[[1859]] &ndash; [[L. L. Zamenhof]], Polish linguist and ophthalmologist, created [[Esperanto]] (d. 1917)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Korzhenkov |first1=Aleksander |editor1-last=Tonkin |editor1-first=Humphrey |title=Zamenhof: The Life, Works and Ideas of the Author of Esperanto |date=2010 |publisher=Mondial |isbn=9781595691675 |page=3 |translator-first1=Ian M. |translator-last1=Richmond}}</ref>
*[[1860]] &ndash; [[Niels Ryberg Finsen]], Faroese-Danish physician and educator, [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine|Nobel Prize]] laureate (d. 1904)
*  1860   &ndash; [[Abner Powell]], American baseball player and manager (d. 1953)
*[[1861]] &ndash; [[Charles Duryea]], American engineer and businessman, co-founded the [[Duryea Motor Wagon Company]] (d. 1938)
*  1861   &ndash; [[Pehr Evind Svinhufvud]], Finnish lawyer, judge, and politician, 3rd [[President of Finland]] (d. 1944)
*[[1863]] &ndash; [[Arthur Dehon Little]], American chemist and engineer (d. 1935)
*[[1869]] &ndash; [[Leon Marchlewski]], Polish chemist and academic (d. 1946)
*[[1875]] &ndash; [[Emilio Jacinto]], Filipino journalist and activist (d. 1899)
*[[1878]] &ndash; [[Hans Carossa]], German author and poet (d. 1956)
*[[1885]] &ndash; [[Leonid Pitamic]], Slovenian lawyer, philosopher, and academic (d. 1971)
*[[1886]] &ndash; [[Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz]], Polish politician and resistance fighter (d. 1968)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sprawiedliwi.org.pl/en/stories-of-rescue/story-wanda-krahelska-filipowiczowa|title=The story of Wanda Krahelska-Filipowiczowa {{!}} Polscy Sprawiedliwi|website=sprawiedliwi.org.pl|access-date=2019-01-10}}</ref>
*  1886   &ndash; [[Florence Jepperson Madsen]], American [[contralto]] singer and professor of music (d. 1977)
*[[1888]] &ndash; [[Maxwell Anderson]], American journalist and playwright (d. 1959)
*[[1890]] &ndash; [[Harry Babcock (pole vaulter)|Harry Babcock]], American pole vaulter (d. 1965)
*[[1891]] &ndash; [[A.P. Carter]], American country singer-songwriter and musician (d. 1960)
*[[1892]] &ndash; [[J. Paul Getty]], American-English businessman and art collector, founded [[Getty Oil]] (d. 1976)
*[[1894]] &ndash; [[Vibert Douglas]], Canadian astrophysicist and astronomer (d. 1988)
*  1894   &ndash; [[Josef Imbach (athlete)|Josef Imbach]], Swiss sprinter (d. 1964)
*[[1896]] &ndash; [[Betty Smith]], American author and playwright (d. 1972)
*[[1899]] &ndash; [[Harold Abrahams]], English sprinter, lawyer, and journalist (d. 1978)

===1901–present===
*[[1902]] &ndash; [[Robert F. Bradford]], American lawyer and politician, 57th [[Governor of Massachusetts]] (d. 1983)
*[[1903]] &ndash; [[Tamanishiki San'emon]], Japanese sumo wrestler, the 32nd [[Makuuchi#Yokozuna|Yokozuna]] (d. 1938)
*[[1907]] &ndash; [[Gordon Douglas (director)|Gordon Douglas]], American actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 1993)
*  1907   &ndash; [[Oscar Niemeyer]], Brazilian architect, designed the [[United Nations Headquarters]] and the [[Cathedral of Brasília]] (d. 2012)
*[[1908]] &ndash; [[Swami Ranganathananda]], Indian monk, scholar, and author (d. 2005)
*[[1909]] &ndash; [[Sattar Bahlulzade]], Azerbaijani-Russian painter (d. 1974)
*  1909   &ndash; [[Eliza Atkins Gleason]], American librarian (d. 2009)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://louisville.edu/womenscenter/our-programs/faculty-staff/womens-empowerment-luncheon/past-luncheons/obituary-dr.-eliza-atkins-gleason|title=Obituary – Dr. Eliza Atkins Gleason — Women's Center|website=louisville.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-07-28}}</ref>
*[[1910]] &ndash; [[John Hammond (producer)|John Hammond]], American record producer and critic (d. 1987)
*[[1911]] &ndash; [[Nicholas P. Dallis]], American psychiatrist and illustrator (d. 1991)
*  1911   &ndash; [[Stan Kenton]], American pianist and composer (d. 1979)
*[[1913]] &ndash; [[Roger Gaudry]], Canadian chemist and businessman (d. 2001)
*  1913   &ndash; [[Muriel Rukeyser]], American poet, academic, and activist (d. 1980)
*[[1915]] &ndash; [[Eila Campbell]], English geographer and cartographer (d. 1994)<ref>{{cite web |title=Obituary: Professor Eila Campbell |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-professor-eila-campbell-1416267.html |website=The Independent |access-date=9 January 2020 |language=en |date=26 July 1994}}</ref>
*[[1916]] &ndash; [[Miguel Arraes]], Brazilian lawyer and politician, [[Governor of Pernambuco]] (d. 2005)
*  1916   &ndash; [[Buddy Cole (musician)|Buddy Cole]], American pianist and conductor (d. 1964)
*  1916   &ndash; [[Maurice Wilkins]], New Zealand-English physicist and biologist, [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine|Nobel Prize]] laureate (d. 2004)
*[[1917]] &ndash; [[Shan-ul-Haq Haqqee]], Indian-Pakistani linguist and lexicographer (d. 2005)
*[[1918]] &ndash; [[Jeff Chandler (actor)|Jeff Chandler]], American actor (d. 1961)
*  1918   &ndash; [[Chihiro Iwasaki]], Japanese painter and illustrator (d. 1974)
*[[1919]] &ndash; [[Max Yasgur]], American dairy farmer and host of the [[Woodstock|Woodstock Music & Art Fair]] (d. 1973)
*[[1920]] &ndash; [[Gamal al-Banna]], Egyptian author and scholar (d. 2013)
*  1920   &ndash; [[Kurt Schaffenberger]], German-American sergeant and illustrator (d. 2002)
*[[1921]] &ndash; [[Alan Freed]], American radio host (d. 1965)
*[[1923]] &ndash; [[Pierre Cossette]], American producer and manager (d. 2009)
*  1923   &ndash; [[Freeman Dyson]], English-American physicist and mathematician (d. 2020)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stone |first1=Andrea |title=Freeman Dyson, legendary theoretical physicist, dies at 96 |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/freeman-dyson-legendary-theoretical-physicist-dies-at-96/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228195322/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/freeman-dyson-legendary-theoretical-physicist-dies-at-96/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 28, 2020 |website=National Geographic |access-date=3 March 2020|language=en |date=28 February 2020}}</ref>
*  1923   &ndash; [[Uziel Gal]], German-Israeli engineer, designed the [[Uzi|Uzi gun]] (d. 2002)
*  1923   &ndash; [[Valentin Varennikov]], Russian general and politician (d. 2009)
*[[1924]] &ndash; [[Frank W. J. Olver]], English-American mathematician and academic (d. 2013)
*  1924   &ndash; [[Ruhi Sarıalp]], Turkish triple jumper and educator (d. 2001)
*[[1925]] &ndash; [[Kasey Rogers]], American actress and author (d. 2006)
*[[1926]] &ndash; [[Bill Pitt (racing driver)|Bill Pitt]], Australian race car driver (d. 2017) <ref>{{cite web|title=Driver Bill Pitt Career Statistics|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver/Bill_Pitt|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>
*[[1928]] &ndash; [[Ernest Ashworth]], American singer-songwriter (d. 2009)
*  1928   &ndash; [[Ida Haendel]], Polish-English violinist and educator (d. 2020)
*  1928   &ndash; [[Friedensreich Hundertwasser]], Austrian-New Zealand painter and architect (d. 2000)
*[[1930]] &ndash; [[Edna O'Brien]], Irish novelist, playwright, poet and short story writer (d. 2024)<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-07-28 |title=Edna O'Brien, groundbreaking Irish novelist, dies at 93 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2024/07/28/edna-obrien-irish-novelist-country-girls-dead/ |access-date=2024-07-29 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
*[[1931]] &ndash; [[Klaus Rifbjerg]], Danish author and poet (d. 2015)
*[[1932]] &ndash; [[Jesse Belvin]], American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 1960)
*  1932   &ndash; [[John Meurig Thomas]], Welsh chemist and academic<ref>{{cite news |title=Happy Birthday: Professor Sir John Meurig Thomas, 80 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/happy-birthday-professor-sir-john-meurig-thomas-80-z8g8zkchsxg |access-date=6 August 2020 |work=[[The Times]] |date=15 December 2012 |language=en}}</ref> (d. 2020)
*[[1933]] &ndash; [[Bapu (director)|Bapu]], Indian director and screenwriter (d. 2014)
*  1933   &ndash; [[Tim Conway]], American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2019)<ref name="UPI">{{cite web |title=Famous birthdays for Dec. 15: Charlie Cox, Lee Jung-Jae |url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2022/12/15/Famous-birthdays-for-Dec-15-Charlie-Cox-Lee-Jung-Jae/2081671066556/#:~:text=15%3A%20Charlie%20Cox%2C%20Lee%20Jung%2DJae,-By%20UPI%20Staff |publisher=[[UPI]] |access-date=12 December 2023 |date=15 December 2022}}</ref>
*  1933   &ndash; [[Donald Woods]], South African journalist and activist (d. 2001)
*[[1936]] &ndash; [[Joe D'Amato]], Italian director and producer (d. 1999)
*[[1938]] &ndash; [[Michael Bogdanov]], Welsh director and screenwriter (d. 2017)
*  1938 &ndash; [[Billy Shaw]], American football player (d. 2024)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-05 |title=HOF guard Shaw, 'driving force' for Bills, dies |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/41612623/billy-shaw-bills-great-star-afl-guard-dies-85 |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
*[[1939]] &ndash; [[Cindy Birdsong]], American singer-songwriter<ref name="AP"></ref> 
*  1939   &ndash; [[Dave Clark (musician)|Dave Clark]], English musician and songwriter<ref name="UPI" />
*[[1940]] &ndash; [[Nick Buoniconti]], American football player and sportscaster (d. 2019)
*[[1942]] &ndash; [[Kathleen Blanco]], American educator and politician, 54th [[Governor of Louisiana]] (d. 2019)
*[[1943]] &ndash; [[Lucien den Arend]], Dutch sculptor
*[[1944]] &ndash; [[Jim Leyland]], American baseball player and manager
*  1944   &ndash; [[Chico Mendes]], Brazilian trade union leader and activist (d. 1988)
*[[1945]] &ndash; [[Heather Booth]], American civil rights activist, feminist, and political strategist
*  1945   &ndash; [[Ivor Crewe]], English political scientist and academic
*[[1946]] &ndash; [[Carmine Appice]], American drummer and songwriter<ref name="AP"></ref>
*  1946   &ndash; [[Art Howe]], American baseball player and manager
*  1946   &ndash; [[Genny Lim]], American writer<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QQI3FR5Elg0C&q=Genny+Lim+%22born%22&pg=PA189|title=Asian American Playwrights: A Bio-bibliographical Critical Sourcebook|last=Liu|first=Miles Xian|date=2002|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-31455-1|language=en}}</ref>
*  1946   &ndash; [[Comunardo Niccolai]], Italian footballer ([[SEF Torres 1903|Torres]], [[Cagliari Calcio|Cagliari]], [[Italy national football team|national team]]) (d. 2024)<ref>{{cite web |title=È morto Comunardo Niccolai, campione del Cagliari dello scudetto |url=https://www.lanuovasardegna.it/sport/2024/07/02/news/addio-a-comunardo-nicolai-campione-del-cagliari-dello-scudetto-1.100547751 |website=La Nuova Sardegna |access-date=2 July 2024 |archive-date=2 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240702064045/https://www.lanuovasardegna.it/sport/2024/07/02/news/addio-a-comunardo-nicolai-campione-del-cagliari-dello-scudetto-1.100547751 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Comunardo Niccolai è morto: re degli autogol, vinse lo scudetto con il Cagliari |url=https://www.corriere.it/sport/calcio/24_luglio_02/comunardo-niccolai-morto-autogol-fa3010c6-b5e8-42ae-b53a-95b29bf98xlk.shtml |website=Corriere della Sera |date=2 July 2024 |access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref>
*[[1948]] &ndash; [[Cassandra Harris]], Australian actress (d. 1991)
*  1948   &ndash; [[Charlie Scott (basketball)|Charlie Scott]], American basketball player<ref>{{cite web|title=Charlie Scott|url=http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/charles-scott/|publisher=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|access-date=8 February 2020}}</ref>
*[[1949]] &ndash; [[Don Johnson]], American actor<ref name="AP">{{cite web |last1=Rose |first1=Mike |title=Today's famous birthdays list for December 15, 2022 includes celebrities Don Johnson, Charlie Cox |url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2022/12/todays-famous-birthdays-list-for-december-15-2022-includes-celebrities-don-johnson-charlie-cox.html |website=[[The Plain Dealer]] |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=12 December 2023 |date=15 December 2022}}</ref>
*  1949   &ndash; [[Brian Roper (academic)|Brian Roper]], English economist and academic
*[[1950]] &ndash; [[Melanie Chartoff]], American actress and comedian<ref name="AP"></ref> 
*  1950   &ndash; [[Sylvester James Gates]], American theoretical physicist and professor 
*[[1951]] &ndash; [[George Donikian]], Australian journalist
*  1951   &ndash; [[Joe Jordan]], Scottish footballer and manager
*  1951   &ndash; [[Tim Webster]], Australian journalist and sportscaster
*[[1952]] &ndash; [[Rudi Protrudi]], American singer-songwriter and producer  
*  1952   &ndash; [[Allan Simonsen]], Danish footballer and manager
*  1952   &ndash; [[Julie Taymor]], American director, producer, and screenwriter<ref name="AP"></ref>
*[[1953]] &ndash; [[John R. Allen]], American general and diplomat
*  1953   &ndash; [[J. M. DeMatteis]], American author
*  1953   &ndash; [[Robert Charles Wilson]], American-Canadian author
*[[1954]] &ndash; [[Alex Cox]], English film director, screenwriter, actor, non-fiction author and broadcaster
*  1954   &ndash; [[Oliver Heald]], English lawyer and politician, [[Solicitor General for England and Wales]]
*  1954   &ndash; [[Mark Warner]], American businessman and politician, 69th [[Governor of Virginia]]
*[[1955]] &ndash; [[Hector Sants]], English banker
*  1955   &ndash; [[Paul Simonon]], English singer-songwriter and bass player<ref name="AP"></ref> 
*[[1956]] &ndash; [[John Lee Hancock]], American screenwriter, film director, and producer
*  1956   &ndash; [[Tony Leon]], South African lawyer and politician
*[[1957]] &ndash; [[Mario Marois]], Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
*  1957   &ndash; [[Mike McAlary]], American journalist and author (d. 1998)
*  1957   &ndash; [[Tim Reynolds]], German-American singer-songwriter and guitarist 
*[[1958]] &ndash; [[Carlo J. Caparas]], Filipino director and producer
*  1958   &ndash; [[Richard Kastle]], American classical pianist
*[[1959]] &ndash; [[Greg Matthews]], Australian cricketer
*  1959   &ndash; [[Alan Whetton]], New Zealand rugby player
*  1959   &ndash; [[Gary Whetton]], New Zealand rugby player
*[[1960]] &ndash; [[Walter Werzowa]], Austrian composer and producer
*[[1961]] &ndash; [[Karin Resetarits]], Austrian journalist and politician
*[[1962]] &ndash; [[Tim Gaines]], American bass player 
*  1962   &ndash; [[Simon Hodgkinson]], English rugby player and coach
*[[1963]] &ndash; [[Ellie Cornell]], American actress and producer
*  1963   &ndash; [[Norman J. Grossfeld]], American screenwriter and producer
*  1963   &ndash; [[Helen Slater]], American actress<ref name="AP"></ref> 
*  1963   &ndash; [[David Wingate (basketball)|David Wingate]], American basketball player
*[[1964]] &ndash; [[Paul Kaye]], English actor<ref name="AP"></ref>
*[[1966]] &ndash; [[Carl Hooper]], Guyanese cricketer and coach
*  1966   &ndash; [[Molly Price]], American actress
*[[1967]] &ndash; [[David Howells]], English footballer and coach
*  1967   &ndash; [[Mo Vaughn]], American baseball player
*[[1968]] &ndash; [[Garrett Wang]], American actor<ref name="AP"></ref>
*[[1969]] &ndash; [[Ralph Ineson]], English actor
*  1969   &ndash; [[Chantal Petitclerc]], Canadian wheelchair racer and senator
*  1969   &ndash; [[Adam Setliff]], American discus thrower and lawyer
*[[1970]] &ndash; [[Frankie Dettori]], Italian jockey
*  1970   &ndash; [[Lawrence Funderburke]], American basketball player
*  1970   &ndash; [[Michael Shanks]], Canadian actor, screenwriter and director<ref name="AP"></ref>
*[[1971]] &ndash; [[Clint Lowery]], American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer 
*[[1972]] &ndash; [[Rodney Harrison]], American football player and sportscaster
*  1972   &ndash; [[Lee Jung-jae]], South Korean actor<ref>{{cite web |title=Lee Jung-jae |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/lee-jung-jae |publisher=[[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] |access-date=9 December 2022}}</ref>
*  1972   &ndash; [[Stuart Townsend]], Irish actor<ref name="AP"></ref> 
*  1972   &ndash; [[Alexandra Tydings]], American actress, director, writer and producer
*[[1973]] &ndash; [[Surya Bonaly]], French figure skater
*  1973   &ndash; [[Ryoo Seung-wan]], South Korean actor, director, and screenwriter
*[[1974]] &ndash; [[Garath Archer]], English rugby player
*  1974   &ndash; [[P. J. Byrne]], American actor
*[[1975]] &ndash; [[Samira Saraya]],  Palestinian actor, filmmaker, poet and rapper 
*[[1976]] &ndash; [[Baichung Bhutia]], Indian footballer and manager
*  1976   &ndash; [[Kim Eagles]], Canadian sport shooter<ref>{{cite web |title=Kimberley-Anne Eagles |url=https://olympic.ca/team-canada/kimberley-anne-eagles/ |website=Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website |access-date=10 January 2020 |language=en |date=19 September 2011}}</ref>
*  1976   &ndash; [[Aaron Miles]], American baseball player and coach
*  1976   &ndash; [[Todd Tichenor]], American baseball player and umpire
*[[1977]] &ndash; [[Mehmet Aurélio]], Brazilian-Turkish footballer and manager
*  1977   &ndash; [[Geoff Stults]], American actor and producer
*[[1978]] &ndash; [[Ned Brower]], American drummer 
*  1978   &ndash; [[Mark Jansen]], Dutch guitarist and songwriter 
*  1978   &ndash; [[Jerome McDougle]], American football player
*[[1979]] &ndash; [[Adam Brody]], American actor<ref name="AP"></ref>
*  1979   &ndash; [[Eric Young (wrestler)|Eric Young]], Canadian-American wrestler
*[[1980]] &ndash; [[Élodie Gossuin]], French beauty pageant titleholder and model
*  1980   &ndash; [[Sergio Pizzorno]], English singer-songwriter and guitarist 
*  1980   &ndash; [[Manuel Wilhelm]], German rugby player
*[[1981]] &ndash; [[Michelle Dockery]], English actress<ref name="AP"></ref> 
*  1981   &ndash; [[Brendan Fletcher]], Canadian actor and screenwriter
*  1981   &ndash; [[Andy González (baseball)|Andy González]], Puerto Rican-American baseball player
*  1981   &ndash; [[Thomas Herrion]], American football player (d. 2005)
*  1981   &ndash; [[Roman Pavlyuchenko]], Russian footballer
*[[1982]] &ndash; [[Charlie Cox]], English actor<ref name="AP"></ref>
*  1982   &ndash; [[Borja García (racing driver)|Borja García]], Spanish race car driver
*  1982   &ndash; [[George O. Gore II]], American actor and comedian<ref name="AP"></ref>
*  1982   &ndash; [[Tatiana Perebiynis]], Ukrainian tennis player<ref>{{Cite web |title=Women's Tennis Association - Official Website |url=https://www.wtatennis.com/players/160405/name |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=Women's Tennis Association |language=en}}</ref>
*[[1983]] &ndash; [[Delon Armitage]], Trinidadian-English rugby player
*  1983   &ndash; [[René Duprée]], Canadian professional wrestler
*  1983   &ndash; [[Camilla Luddington]], English actress<ref name="AP"></ref>
*  1983   &ndash; [[Ronnie Radke]], American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer  
*  1983   &ndash; [[Sophia Young]], Vincentian-American basketball player<ref>{{cite web |title=Sophia Young-Malcolm |url=https://www.wnba.com/player/200674/sophia-young-malcolm |publisher=[[WNBA]] |access-date=12 December 2023}}</ref>
*[[1984]] &ndash; [[Martyn Bernard]], English high jumper
*  1984   &ndash; [[Martin Škrtel]], Slovak footballer<ref>{{cite web |title=Martin Skrtel: Overview |url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/3404/Martin-Skrtel/overview |publisher=Premier League |access-date=3 October 2021}}</ref>
*[[1985]] &ndash; [[Diogo Fernandes (footballer)|Diogo Fernandes]], Brazilian footballer
*[[1986]] &ndash; [[Kim Junsu]], South Korean singer-songwriter and dancer
*  1986   &ndash; [[Iveta Mazáčová]], Czech sprinter
*  1986   &ndash; [[Keylor Navas]], Costa Rican footballer
*  1986   &ndash; [[Snejana Onopka]], Ukrainian model
*[[1987]] &ndash; [[Josh Norman]], American football player
*[[1988]] &ndash; [[Erik Gustafsson (ice hockey, born 1988)|Erik Gustafsson]], Swedish ice hockey player<ref>{{cite web |title=Erik Gustafsson |url=https://www.nhl.com/player/erik-gustafsson-8475640 |publisher=[[National Hockey League]] |access-date=12 December 2023}}</ref>
*  1988   &ndash; [[Emily Head]], English actress
*  1988   &ndash; [[Steven Nzonzi]], French footballer
*[[1989]] &ndash; [[Nichole Bloom]], American actress and model
*[[1991]] &ndash; [[Conor Daly]], American race car driver
*  1991   &ndash; [[Yanni Gourde]], Canadian ice hockey player<ref>{{cite web |title=Yanni Gourde |url=https://www.nhl.com/kraken/player/yanni-gourde-8476826 |publisher=[[National Hockey League]] |access-date=12 December 2023}}</ref>
*  1991   &ndash; [[Alana Haim]], American musician and actress<ref name="AP"></ref>
*[[1992]] &ndash; [[Daiamami Genki]], Japanese sumo wrestler
*  1992   &ndash; [[Jesse Lingard]], English footballer
*  1992   &ndash; [[Maximiliano Meza (footballer, born 1992)|Maximiliano Meza]], Argentine footballer<ref>{{cite web|title=Maximiliano Meza|url=https://www.cariverplate.com.ar/ver-jugador-maximiliano-meza-1887|website=[[Club Atlético River Plate]]|access-date=15 December 2024}}</ref>
*  1992   &ndash; [[Alex Telles]], Brazilian footballer<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/5467/Alex-Telles/overview|title=Alex Telles|website=Premier League|access-date=10 December 2020}}</ref>
*[[1993]] &ndash; [[Daniel Ochefu]], American basketball player<ref>{{cite web |title=Daniel Ochefu |url=https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1627849/career |publisher=[[National Basketball Association]] |access-date=12 December 2023}}</ref>
*[[1995]] &ndash; [[Jahlil Okafor]], American basketball player<ref>{{cite web |title=Jahlil Okafor |url=https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1626143/career |publisher=[[National Basketball Association]] |access-date=12 December 2023}}</ref>
*[[1996]] &ndash; [[Jenifer Brening]], German singer<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-29 |title=Jenifer Brening - KHB Music - Dance & Pop Label |url=http://www.khb-music.de/artist/jenifer-brening/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929210539/http://www.khb-music.de/artist/jenifer-brening/ |archive-date=29 September 2020 }}</ref>
*  1996   &ndash; [[Oleksandr Zinchenko (footballer)|Oleksandr Zinchenko]], Ukrainian footballer
*[[1997]] &ndash; [[Maude Apatow]], American actress<ref name="AP"></ref>
*  1997   &ndash; [[Zach Banks]], American race car driver
*  1997   &ndash; [[Magdalena Fręch]], Polish tennis player<ref>{{Cite web |title=Magdalena Frech {{!}} Player Stats & More – WTA Official |url=https://www.wtatennis.com/players/320277/name |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=Women's Tennis Association |language=en}}</ref>
*  1997   &ndash; [[Stefania LaVie Owen]], New Zealand-American actress
*[[1998]] &ndash; [[Chandler Canterbury]], American actor
*[[2000]] &ndash; [[Kayvon Thibodeaux]], American football player<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kayvon Thibodeaux Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThibKa00.htm |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
<!-- Do not add yourself or people without Wikipedia articles to this list. Do not trust "this year in history" websites for accurate date information, Do not link multiple occurrences of the same year, just link the first occurrence. -->

==Deaths==
===Pre-1600===
* [[933]] &ndash; [[Li Siyuan]], Chinese emperor (b. 867)
*[[1025]] &ndash; [[Basil II]], Byzantine emperor (b. 958)
*[[1072]] &ndash; [[Alp Arslan]], Turkish sultan (b. 1029)
*[[1161]] &ndash; [[Wanyan Liang]], Chinese emperor (b. 1122)
*[[1230]] &ndash; [[Ottokar I of Bohemia|Ottokar I]], duke of Bohemia (b. 1155)
*[[1283]] &ndash; [[Philip I, Latin Emperor|Philip I]], Latin emperor (b. 1243)
*[[1343]] &ndash; [[Hasan Kucek]], Chopanid prince (b. c. 1319)
*[[1467]] &ndash; [[Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna]], archbishop and regent of Sweden (b. 1417)
*[[1574]] &ndash; [[Selim II]], Ottoman sultan (b. 1524)
*[[1598]] &ndash; [[Philips of Marnix, Lord of Saint-Aldegonde]], Dutch nobleman (b. 1540)
===1601–1900===
*[[1621]] &ndash; [[Charles d'Albert, duc de Luynes]], French courtier, [[Constable of France]] (b. 1578)
*[[1673]] &ndash; [[Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne]], English noblewoman (b. 1623)
*[[1675]] &ndash; [[Johannes Vermeer]], Dutch painter and educator (b. 1632)
*[[1683]] &ndash; [[Izaak Walton]], English author (b. 1593)
*[[1688]] &ndash; [[Gaspar Fagel]], Dutch lawyer and politician (b. 1634)
*  1698   &ndash; [[Louis Victor de Rochechouart de Mortemart]], French nobleman (b. 1636)
*[[1715]] &ndash; [[George Hickes (divine)|George Hickes]], English minister and scholar (b. 1642)
*[[1753]] &ndash; [[Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington]], English architect and politician, designed [[Chiswick House]] (b. 1694)
*[[1792]] &ndash; [[Joseph Martin Kraus]], Swedish pianist, violinist, and composer (b. 1756)
*[[1812]] &ndash; [[Shneur Zalman]], Russian rabbi, author and founder of [[Chabad]] (b. 1745)
*[[1817]] &ndash; [[Federigo Zuccari]], astronomer, director of the Astronomical Observatory of Naples (b. [[1783]])
*[[1819]] &ndash; [[Daniel Rutherford]], Scottish chemist and physician (b. 1749)<ref>{{cite book|last1=Waterston|first1=Charles D.|last2=Macmillan Shearer|first2=A.|title=Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002: Biographical Index|url=http://www.rse.org.uk/fellowship/fells_indexp2.pdf|access-date=8 February 2011|volume=II|date=July 2006|publisher=[[The Royal Society of Edinburgh]]|location=Edinburgh|isbn=978-0-902198-84-5|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004113303/http://www.rse.org.uk/fellowship/fells_indexp2.pdf|archive-date=4 October 2006}}</ref>
*[[1855]] &ndash; [[Jacques Charles François Sturm]], French mathematician and academic (b. 1803)
*[[1878]] &ndash; [[Alfred Bird]], English chemist and businessman, invented [[baking powder]] (b. 1811)
*[[1890]] &ndash; [[Sitting Bull]], [[Hunkpapa]] [[Lakota people|Lakota]] tribal chief (b. 1831)
===1901–present===
*[[1943]] &ndash; [[Fats Waller]], American singer-songwriter and pianist (b. 1904)
*[[1944]] &ndash; [[Glenn Miller]], American bandleader and composer (b. 1904)<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.glennmiller.org/history.html|title= Glenn Miller History|publisher= Glenn Miller Birthplace Society|access-date= 8 March 2011|archive-date= 13 May 2011|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110513114207/http://www.glennmiller.org/history.html|url-status= dead|language=en}}</ref>
*[[1947]] &ndash; [[Arthur Machen]], Welsh journalist and author (b. 1863)
*  1947   &ndash; [[Crawford Vaughan]], Australian politician, 27th [[Premier of South Australia]] (b. 1874)
*[[1950]] &ndash; [[Vallabhbhai Patel]], Indian lawyer and politician, 1st [[Deputy Prime Minister of India]] (b. 1875)
*[[1958]] &ndash; [[Wolfgang Pauli]], Austrian-Swiss physicist and academic, [[Nobel Prize in Physics|Nobel Prize]] laureate (b. 1900)
*[[1962]] &ndash; [[Charles Laughton]], English-American actor, director, and producer (b. 1899)
*[[1965]] &ndash; [[M. Balasundaram]], Sri Lankan journalist, lawyer, and politician (b. 1903)
*[[1966]] &ndash; [[Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott]], Indian-Scottish general and politician, [[Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire]] (b. 1897)
*  1966   &ndash; [[Walt Disney]], American animator, director, producer, and screenwriter, co-founded [[The Walt Disney Company]] (b. 1901)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ryan |first1=James Gilbert |last2=Schlup |first2=Leonard C. |title=Historical Dictionary of the 1940s |date=26 March 2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-46865-3 |page=107 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TnmsBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA107 |language=en}}</ref>
*[[1968]] &ndash; [[Antonio Barrette]], Canadian politician, 18th [[List of premiers of Quebec|Premier of Quebec]] (b. 1899)
*  1968   &ndash; [[Jess Willard]], American boxer and actor (b. 1881)
*[[1969]] &ndash; [[Karl Theodor Bleek]], German lawyer and politician, 12th [[List of mayors of Marburg|Mayor of Marburg]] (b. 1898)
*[[1971]] &ndash; [[Paul Lévy (mathematician)|Paul Lévy]], French mathematician and theorist (b. 1886)
*[[1974]] &ndash; [[Anatole Litvak]], Russian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1902)
*[[1977]] &ndash; [[Wilfred Kitching]], English 7th [[General of The Salvation Army]] (b. 1893)
*[[1978]] &ndash; [[Chill Wills]], American actor (b. 1903)
*[[1980]] &ndash; [[Peter Gregg (racing driver)|Peter Gregg]], American race car driver (b. 1940)<ref>{{cite web|title=On this day in motoring - Monday 15th December 1980|url=http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/10893}}</ref>
*[[1984]] &ndash; [[Jan Peerce]], American tenor and actor (b. 1904)
*[[1985]] &ndash; [[Seewoosagur Ramgoolam]], Mauritian physician and politician, 1st [[List of Prime Ministers of Mauritius|Prime Minister of Mauritius]] (b. 1900)
*[[1986]] &ndash; [[Serge Lifar]], Russian-French ballet dancer and choreographer (b. 1905)
*[[1989]] &ndash; [[Edward Underdown]], English actor and jockey (b. 1908)
*[[1991]] &ndash; [[Vasily Zaitsev (sniper)|Vasily Zaytsev]], Russian captain (b. 1915)
*[[1993]] &ndash; [[William Dale Phillips]], American chemist and engineer (b. 1925)
*[[2000]] &ndash; [[Haris Brkić]], Bosnian-Serbian basketball player (b. 1974)
*[[2003]] &ndash; [[Vincent Apap]], Maltese sculptor (b. 1909)
*  2003   &ndash; [[George Fisher (cartoonist)|George Fisher]], American cartoonist (b. 1923)
*  2003   &ndash; [[Keith Magnuson]], Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1947)
*[[2004]] &ndash; [[Vassal Gadoengin]], Nauruan educator and politician, [[List of Speakers of the Parliament of Nauru|Speaker of the Nauru Parliament]] (b. 1943)
*[[2005]] &ndash; [[Heinrich Gross]], Austrian physician and psychiatrist (b. 1914)
*  2005   &ndash; [[Stan Leonard]], Canadian golfer (b. 1915)
*  2005   &ndash; [[William Proxmire]], American soldier, journalist, and politician (b. 1915)
*  2005   &ndash; [[Darrell Russell (American football)|Darrell Russell]], American football player (b. 1976)
*[[2006]] &ndash; [[Clay Regazzoni]], Swiss race car driver (b. 1939)
*  2006   &ndash; [[Mary Stolz]], American journalist and author (b. 1920)
*[[2007]] &ndash; [[Julia Carson]], American lawyer and politician (b. 1938)
*[[2008]] &ndash; [[León Febres Cordero]], Ecuadorian engineer and politician, 46th [[List of heads of state of Ecuador|President of Ecuador]] (b. 1931)
*[[2009]] &ndash; [[Eliza Atkins Gleason]], American librarian (b. 1909)<ref name=":0" /> 
*  2009   &ndash; [[Oral Roberts]], American evangelist, founded the [[Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association]] (b. 1918)
*[[2010]] &ndash; [[Blake Edwards]], American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1922)
*  2010   &ndash; [[Bob Feller]], American baseball player and sportscaster (b. 1918)
*  2010   &ndash; [[Eugene Victor Wolfenstein]], American psychoanalyst and theorist (b. 1940)
*[[2011]] &ndash; [[Bob Brookmeyer]], American trombone player and composer (b. 1929)
*  2011   &ndash; [[Christopher Hitchens]], English-American essayist, literary critic, and journalist (b. 1949)
*[[2012]] &ndash; [[Owoye Andrew Azazi]], Nigerian general (b. 1952)
*  2012   &ndash; [[Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa]], Nigerian politician, 18th [[List of Governors of Kaduna State|Governor of Kaduna State]] (b. 1948)
*  2012   &ndash; [[Olga Zubarry]], Argentinian actress (b. 1929)
*[[2013]] &ndash; [[Harold Camping]], American evangelist, author, radio host (b. 1921)
*  2013   &ndash; [[Joan Fontaine]], British-American actress (b. 1917)
*  2013   &ndash; [[Dyron Nix]], American basketball player (b. 1967)
*[[2014]] &ndash; [[Donald Metcalf]], Australian physiologist and immunologist (b. 1929)
*  2014   &ndash; [[Fausto Zapata]],  Mexican journalist, lawyer, and politician, [[Governor of San Luis Potosí]] (b. 1940)
*[[2015]] &ndash; [[Harry Zvi Tabor]], English-Israeli physicist and engineer (b. 1917)
*[[2016]] &ndash; [[Craig Sager]], American sports journalist (b. 1951)
*[[2017]] &ndash; [[Heinz Wolff]], scientist and TV presenter (b. 1928)<ref name="Buchanunn">{{cite web|last1=Buchanunn|first1=Joe|title=Professor Heinz Wolff, scientist and TV presenter, dies aged 89|url=http://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/Professor-Heinz-Wolff-scientist-and-TV-presenter-dies-aged-89|access-date=16 December 2017|date=16 December 2017}}</ref>
*  2017   &ndash; [[Calestous Juma]], academic (b. 1953)
*[[2018]] &ndash; [[Eryue He]], Chinese historical fiction writer (b.1945) <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201812/15/WS5c1471c1a3107d4c3a000fb0.html|title=Famous Chinese writer Ling Jiefang passed away|date=2018-12-15|newspaper=China Daily/China/Society}}</ref>
*  2018   &ndash; [[Girma Wolde-Giorgis]], President of [[Ethiopia]] (b. 1924)
*[[2020]] &ndash; [[Saufatu Sopoanga]], Tuvaluan politician, 8th [[Prime Minister of Tuvalu]] (b. 1952)<ref name=":02">{{cite web|date=21 December 2020|title=外交部對吐瓦魯前總理索法圖逝世表達深切哀悼|url=https://www.mofa.gov.tw/News_Content_M_2.aspx?n=8742DCE7A2A28761&s=0573FD177C2A572E|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224084707/https://www.mofa.gov.tw/News_Content_M_2.aspx?n=8742DCE7A2A28761&s=0573FD177C2A572E|archive-date=24 December 2020|access-date=22 December 2020|website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)|language=zh-tw}}</ref>
*[[2024]] &ndash; [[Zakir Hussain (musician)|Zakir Hussain]], Indian tabla player, musical producer, film actor and composer (b. 1951)<ref>{{cite news |work=The Times of India |date=15 December 2024|access-date=15 December 2024 |title=Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain passes away at 73 in the US |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/tabla-maestro-ustad-zakir-hussain-passes-away-at-73-in-the-us/articleshow/116341416.cms}}</ref>
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==Holidays and observances==
*[[Bill of Rights Day]] (United States)
**[[2nd Amendment Day]] ([[South Carolina]])
*Christian [[feast day]]:
**[[Drina Martyrs]]
**[[Drostan]] ([[Aberdeen Breviary]])
**[[John Horden]] and [[Robert McDonald (missionary)|Robert McDonald]] ([[Episcopal Church (USA)]])
**[[Maria Crocifissa di Rosa]]
**[[Mesmin]]
**[[Valerian of Abbenza]]
**[[Virginia Centurione Bracelli]]
**[[December 15 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)]]
*[[Homecoming Day (Alderney)]]
*[[Koninkrijksdag|Kingdom Day]] ([[Netherlands]]), moves to December 16 if the 15th is on a Sunday
*[[Zamenhof Day]] ([[Esperantist|International Esperanto Community]])

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/15 BBC: On This Day]
* {{NYT On this day|month=12|day=15}}
* [https://www.onthisday.com/events/december/15 Historical Events on December 15]

{{months}}

[[Category:Days of December]]