December 28

Template:Pp-pc1 Template:Pp-move-indef Template:Calendar Template:This date in recent years Template:Day

Events

Pre-1600

418 – A papal election begins, resulting in the election of Pope Boniface I.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
457 – Majorian is acclaimed as Western Roman emperor.
484 – Alaric II succeeds his father Euric and becomes king of the Visigoths. He establishes his capital at Aire-sur-l'Adour (Southern Gaul).
893 – An earthquake destroys the city of Dvin, Armenia.
1065 – Edward the Confessor's Romanesque monastic church at Westminster Abbey is consecrated.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1308 – The reign of Emperor Hanazono of Japan begins.

1601–1900

1659 – The Marathas defeat the Adilshahi forces in the Battle of Kolhapur.
1768 – King Taksin's coronation achieved through conquest as a king of Thailand and established Thonburi as a capital.
1795 – Construction of Yonge Street, formerly recognized as the longest street in the world, begins in York, Upper Canada (present-day Toronto).
1832 – John C. Calhoun becomes the first Vice President of the United States to resign. He resigned after being elected Senator from South Carolina.
1835 – Osceola leads his Seminole warriors in Florida into the Second Seminole War against the United States Army.
1836 – South Australia and Adelaide are founded.
1836 – Spain recognizes the independence of Mexico with the signing of the Santa María–Calatrava Treaty.
1846 – Iowa is admitted as the 29th U.S. state.
1879 – Tay Bridge disaster: The central part of the Tay Rail Bridge in Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom collapses as a train passes over it, killing 75.
1885 – Indian National Congress, a political party of India, is founded in Bombay Presidency, British India.
1895 – The Lumière brothers perform for their first paying audience at the Grand Cafe in Boulevard des Capucines.
1895 – Wilhelm Röntgen publishes a paper detailing his discovery of a new type of radiation, which later will be known as x-rays.

1901–present

1902 – The Syracuse Athletic Club defeat the New York Philadelphians, 5–0, in the first indoor professional football game, which was held at Madison Square Garden.
1908 – The 7.1 Template:M Messina earthquake shakes Southern Italy with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), killing between about 80,000.<ref name="CFTI5">Template:Cite web</ref>
1912 – The first municipally owned streetcars take to the streets in San Francisco.
1918 – Constance Markievicz, while detained in Holloway prison, becomes the first woman to be elected Member of Parliament (MP) to the British House of Commons.
1941 – World War II: Operation Anthropoid, the plot to assassinate high-ranking Nazi officer Reinhard Heydrich, commences.
1943 – Soviet authorities launch Operation Ulussy, beginning the deportation of the Kalmyk nation to Siberia and Central Asia.
1943 – World War II: After eight days of brutal house-to-house fighting, the Battle of Ortona concludes with the victory of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division over the German 1st Parachute Division and the capture of the Italian town of Ortona.
1944 – Maurice Richard becomes the first player to score eight points in one game of NHL ice hockey.
1948 – The DC-3 airliner NC16002 disappears Template:Convert south of Miami.
1956 – Chin Peng, David Marshall and Tunku Abdul Rahman meet in Baling, Malaya to try and resolve the Malayan Emergency situation.
1958 – "Greatest Game Ever Played": The Baltimore Colts defeat the New York Giants in the first ever National Football League sudden death overtime game at New York's Yankee Stadium to win the NFL Championship.
1967 – American businesswoman Muriel Siebert becomes the first woman to own a seat on the New York Stock Exchange.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Cbignore</ref>
1972 – The last scheduled day for induction into the military by the Selective Service System. Due to the fact that President Richard Nixon declared this day a national day of mourning due to former President Harry S Truman's death, approximately 300 men were not able to report due to most Federal offices being closed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Since the draft was not resumed in 1973, they were never drafted.
1973 – The United States Endangered Species Act is signed into law by President Richard Nixon.
1978 – United Airlines Flight 173 crashes in a residential neighborhood near Portland International Airport, killing 10 people.<ref name="ergtend">Template:Cite news</ref>
1989 – A magnitude 5.6 earthquake hits Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, killing 13 people.
2006 – War in Somalia: The militaries of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government and Ethiopian troops capture Mogadishu unopposed.
2009 – Forty-three people die in a suicide bombing in Karachi, Pakistan, where Shia Muslims are observing the Day of Ashura.
2014 – Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 crashes into the Karimata Strait en route from Surabaya to Singapore, killing all 162 people aboard.
2014 – Nine people die and another 19 are reported missing, when the MS Norman Atlantic catches fire in the Strait of Otranto, in the Adriatic Sea, in Italian waters.

Births

Pre-1600

1461 – Louise of Savoy, French nun (d. 1503)
1510 – Nicholas Bacon, English politician (d. 1579)
1535 – Martin Eisengrein, German theologian (d. 1578)

1601–1900

1619 – Antoine Furetière, French author and scholar (d. 1688)
1635 – Elizabeth Stuart, second daughter of King Charles I of England (d. 1650)
1651 – Johann Krieger, German organist and composer (d. 1735)
1655 – Charles Cornwallis, 3rd Baron Cornwallis, English politician, Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk (d. 1698)
1665 – George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire (d. 1716)
1722 – Eliza Lucas, Caribbean-American agriculturalist (d. 1793)
1724 – Christoph Franz von Buseck, Prince-Bishop of Bamberg (d. 1805)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1763 – John Molson, English-Canadian brewer, founded the Molson Brewery (d. 1836)
1775 – Jean-Gabriel Eynard, Swiss banker and photographer (d. 1863)
1789 – Catharine Maria Sedgwick, American novelist of "domestic fiction" (d. 1867)<ref name="Damon-BachClements2003">Template:Cite book</ref>
1798 – Thomas Henderson, Scottish astronomer and mathematician (d. 1844)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1818 – Carl Remigius Fresenius, German chemist and academic (d. 1897)
1842 – Calixa Lavallée, Canadian-American lieutenant and composer (d. 1891)
1856 – Woodrow Wilson, American historian and politician, 28th President of the United States, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1924)
1865 – Félix Vallotton, Swiss/French painter (d. 1925)
1870 – Charles Bennett, English runner (d. 1949)
1882 – Arthur Eddington, English astronomer, physicist, and mathematician (d. 1944)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1882 – Lili Elbe, Danish model and painter (d. 1931)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1887 – Werner Kolhörster, German physicist and academic (d. 1946)
1888 – F. W. Murnau, German-American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1931)
1890 – Quincy Wright, American political scientist, historian, and academic (d. 1970)
1895 – Carol Ryrie Brink, American author and playwright (d. 1981)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1898 – Carl-Gustaf Rossby, Swedish-American meteorologist and academic (d. 1957)
1898 – Shigematsu Sakaibara, Japanese admiral (d. 1947)
1900 – Ted Lyons, American baseball player (d. 1986)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1901–present

1902 – Mortimer J. Adler, American philosopher and author (d. 2001)
1902 – Shen Congwen, Chinese author and educator (d. 1988)
1903 – Earl Hines, American pianist and bandleader (d. 1983)<ref name="UPI">Template:Cite web</ref>
1903 – John von Neumann, Hungarian-American mathematician and physicist (d. 1957)
1907 – Ze'ev Ben-Haim, Ukrainian-Israeli linguist and academic (d. 2013)
1908 – Lew Ayres, American actor (d. 1996)
1910 – Billy Williams, American singer (d. 1972)
1911 – Wil van Beveren, Dutch sprinter and journalist (d. 2003)
1913 – Lou Jacobi, Canadian-American actor (d. 2009)
1914 – Bidia Dandaron, Russian author and educator (d. 1974)
1914 – Pops Staples, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2000)
1917 – Ellis Clarke, Trinidadian politician, 1st President of Trinidad and Tobago (d. 2010)
1919 – Emily Cheney Neville, American author (d. 1997)
1920 – Tufty Mann, South African cricketer (d. 1952)
1920 – Bruce McCarty, American architect, designed the Knoxville City-County Building (d. 2013)
1920 – Steve Van Buren, Honduran-American football player (d. 2012)
1920 – Al Wistert, American football player and coach (d. 2016)
1921 – Johnny Otis, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2012)
1922 – Lionel Bowen, Australian politician, 6th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia (d. 2012)<ref name=nsw>Template:Cite NSW Parliament</ref>
1922 – Stan Lee, American publisher, producer, and actor (d. 2018)<ref name="UPI"></ref>
1924 – Girma Wolde-Giorgis, Ethiopian politician; President of Ethiopia (d. 2018)
1925 – Hildegard Knef, German actress and singer (d. 2002)
1925 – Milton Obote, Ugandan engineer and politician, 2nd President of Uganda (d. 2005)
1926 – Donald Carr, German-English cricketer and referee (d. 2016)
1928 – Moe Koffman, Canadian flute player, saxophonist, and composer (d. 2001)
1928 – John William Thomson, Canadian politician (d. 2025)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1929 – Brian Redhead, English journalist and author (d. 1994)
1929 – Terry Sawchuk, Canadian-American ice hockey player (d. 1970)
1929 – Maarten Schmidt, Dutch astronomer (d. 2022)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1930 – Mariam A. Aleem, Egyptian illustrator and academic (d. 2010)
1931 – Guy Debord, French theorist and author (d. 1994)
1931 – Martin Milner, American actor (d. 2015)<ref name="UPI"></ref>
1932 – Dhirubhai Ambani, Indian businessman, founded Reliance Industries (d. 2002)
1932 – Dorsey Burnette, American singer-songwriter (d. 1979)
1932 – Roy Hattersley, English journalist and politician, Shadow Home Secretary
1932 – Harry Howell, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 2019)
1932 – Nichelle Nichols, American actress (d. 2022)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1932 – Manuel Puig, Argentine author and playwright (d. 1990)
1933 – John Y. Brown Jr., American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 55th Governor of Kentucky (d. 2022)
1934 – Rudi Faßnacht, German footballer and manager (d. 2000)
1934 – Maggie Smith, English actress<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (d. 2024)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1936 – Alan Coleman, English-Australian director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2013)
1936 – Lawrence Schiller, American journalist, director, and producer
1937 – Ratan Tata, Indian businessman and philanthropist (d. 2024)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1938 – Dick Sudhalter, American trumpet player, scholar, and critic (d. 2008)
1939 – Philip Anschutz, American businessman, founded Anschutz Entertainment Group<ref name="UPI"></ref>
1939 – Frank McLintock, Scottish footballer and manager
1939 – Michelle Urry, American journalist and illustrator (d. 2006)
1940 – A. K. Antony, Indian lawyer and politician, Indian Minister of Defence
1940 – Don Francisco, Chilean-American journalist and talk show host
1941 – Intikhab Alam, Indian-Pakistani cricketer and coach
1942 – Roger Swerts, Belgian cyclist
1943 – Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, Peruvian cardinal
1943 – David Peterson, Canadian lawyer and politician, 20th Premier of Ontario
1943 – Joan Ruddock, Welsh politician
1944 – Sandra Faber, American astronomer and academic
1944 – Johnny Isakson, American sergeant and politician (d. 2021)
1944 – Kary Mullis, American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2019)
1944 – Gordon Taylor, English footballer
1945 – Birendra, King of Nepal (d. 2001)
1945 – Max Hastings, English journalist, historian, and author
1946 – Mike Beebe, American lawyer and politician, 45th Governor of Arkansas
1946 – Pierre Falardeau, Canadian director, screenwriter, and activist (d. 2009)
1946 – Hubert Green, American golfer (d. 2018)
1946 – Tim Johnson, American lawyer and politician (d. 2024)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1946 – Barbara, Lady Judge, American-English lawyer and businesswoman (d. 2020)
1946 – Bill Lee, American baseball player and author
1946 – Laffit Pincay Jr., Panamanian jockey
1946 – Edgar Winter, American singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and producer<ref name="AP"></ref>
1947 – Dick Diamonde, Dutch-Australian rock bass player (d. 2024)
1947 – Aurelio Rodríguez, Mexican baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 2000)
1948 – Ziggy Modeliste, American drummer
1950 – Alex Chilton, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2010)
1950 – Clifford Cocks, English mathematician and cryptographer
1950 – Rainer Maria Latzke, German-American painter and academic
1952 – Arun Jaitley, Indian lawyer and politician, 9th Indian Minister of Law and Justice (d. 2019)
1952 – Bridget Prentice, Scottish educator and politician<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1953 – Richard Clayderman, French pianist
1953 – Tatsumi Fujinami, Japanese wrestler and promoter, founded Dradition wrestling promotion
1953 – Charlie Pierce, American journalist and author
1953 – Martha Wash, American singer-songwriter
1954 – Tony Ables, American serial killer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1954 – Gayle King, American television journalist<ref name="AP"></ref>
1954 – Denzel Washington, American actor, director, and producer<ref name="AP">Template:Cite web</ref>
1955 – Stephen Frost, English comedian, actor, and screenwriter
1955 – Liu Xiaobo, Chinese author, academic, and activist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2017)<ref name="UPI"></ref>
1956 – Nigel Kennedy, English violinist
1958 – Terry Butcher, English footballer and manager
1958 – Curt Byrum, American golfer
1958 – Zoran Gajić, Serbian volleyball trainer
1959 – Hansjörg Kunze, German runner and sportscaster
1959 – Daniel Léo Simpson, American composer
1959 – Ana Torroja, Spanish singer-songwriter
1960 – Ray Bourque, Canadian ice hockey player
1960 – John Fitzgerald, Australian tennis player, coach, and sportscaster<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1960 – Chad McQueen, American actor and race car driver<ref name="AP"></ref> (d. 2024)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1960 – Melvin Turpin, American basketball player (d. 2010)
1961 – Kent Nielsen, Danish footballer and manager
1962 – Michel Petrucciani, French jazz pianist (d. 1999)
1964 – Tex Perkins, Australian singer-songwriter
1964 – Maite Zúñiga, Spanish runner
1965 – Allar Levandi, Estonian skier
1967 – Chris Ware, American illustrator
1968 – Akihiko Hoshide, Japanese engineer and astronaut<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1969 – Linus Torvalds, Finnish-American computer programmer, developed Linux kernel<ref name="AP"></ref>
1970 – Elaine Hendrix, American actress
1970 – James Jett, American sprinter and football player
1970 – Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, Dutch tennis player<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1971 – Benny Agbayani, American baseball player
1971 – Sergi Barjuán, Spanish footballer and manager
1971 – Anita Doth, Dutch singer-songwriter
1971 – William Gates, American basketball player
1972 – Roberto Palacios, Peruvian footballer
1972 – Patrick Rafter, Australian-Bermudian tennis player and model<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1972 – Adam Vinatieri, American football player
1973 – Holger Blume, German sprinter
1973 – Marc Blume, German sprinter
1973 – Seth Meyers, American actor, producer, screenwriter, and talk show host<ref name="AP"></ref>
1973 – Ids Postma, Dutch speed skater
1974 – Jocelyn Enriquez, American singer
1974 – Rob Niedermayer, Canadian ice hockey player
1974 – Markus Weinzierl, German footballer and manager
1975 – B. J. Ryan, American baseball player
1976 – Brendan Hines, American actor and singer<ref name="AP"></ref>
1976 – Joe Manganiello, American actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1976 – Trond Nymark, Norwegian race walker
1976 – Ben Tune, Australian rugby player
1976 – Igor Žiković, Croatian footballer
1976 – Deddy Corbuzier, Indonesian presenter and magician<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1977 – Derrick Brew, American sprinter
1977 – Shane Elford, Australian rugby league player
1977 – Vanessa Ferlito, American actress<ref name="AP"></ref>
1977 – Seun Ogunkoya, Nigerian sprinter
1978 – Chris Coyne, Australian footballer and manager
1978 – John Legend, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actor<ref name="AP"></ref>
1979 – James Blake, American tennis player<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1979 – Senna Gammour, German singer-songwriter
1979 – Bill Hall, American baseball player
1979 – Zach Hill, American musician and artist
1979 – André Holland, American actor<ref name="AP"></ref>
1979 – Noomi Rapace, Swedish actress<ref name="UPI"></ref>
1980 – Lomana LuaLua, Congolese footballer
1980 – Ryta Turava, Belarusian race walker
1981 – Khalid Boulahrouz, Dutch footballer
1981 – Elizabeth Jordan Carr, American journalist
1981 – Sienna Miller, American-British actress and fashion designer<ref name="AP"></ref>
1981 – David Moss, American ice hockey player<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1981 – Narsha, South Korean singer and dancer
1981 – Frank Turner, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
1981 – Mika Väyrynen, Finnish footballer
1982 – Cedric Benson, American football player (d. 2019)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1982 – Beau Garrett, American actress and model<ref name="AP"></ref>
1982 – François Gourmet, Belgian decathlete<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1982 – Curtis Glencross, Canadian hockey player<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1984 – Martin Kaymer, German golfer<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1984 – Duane Solomon, American runner<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1986 – Tom Huddlestone, English footballer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1987 – Thomas Dekker, American actor and musician<ref name="AP"></ref>
1989 – Austin Barnes, American baseball player<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1989 – Mackenzie Rosman, American actress<ref name="AP"></ref>
1990 – Ayele Abshero, Ethiopian runner<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1990 – Marcos Alonso, Spanish footballer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1990 – David Archuleta, American singer<ref name="AP"></ref>
1990 – John Henson, American basketball player<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1990 – Bastiaan Lijesen, Dutch swimmer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1992 – Tomáš Jurčo, Slovak ice hockey player<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1994 – Adam Peaty, English swimmer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1995 – Dylan Cease, American baseball player<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1995 – Mauricio Lemos, Uruguayan footballer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1995 – Nahitan Nández, Uruguayan footballer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1996 – Tanguy Ndombele, French footballer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1999 – Iqbaal Ramadhan, Indonesian actor and singer<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2001 – Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Canadian actress<ref name="UPI"></ref>
2002 – Tom Cannon, British-Irish footballer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Deaths

Pre-1600

925 – Wang Zongbi, general of the Chinese state of Former Shu
1218 – Robert II, Count of Dreux (b. 1154)
1297 – Hugh Aycelin, French cardinal (b. 1230)
1326 – Sir David II Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl, Constable of Scotland, and Chief Warden of Northumberland
1367 – Ashikaga Yoshiakira, Japanese shōgun (b. 1330)
1394 – Maria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina, queen of Epirus (b. 1350)
1446 – Antipope Clement VIII (b. 1369)
1491 – Bertoldo di Giovanni, Italian sculptor (b. c. 1435)
1503 – Piero the Unfortunate, Italian ruler (b. 1471)
1538 – Andrea Gritti, Doge of Venice (b. 1455)<ref name="BDI">Template:DBI</ref>
1547 – Konrad Peutinger, German humanist and antiquarian (b. 1465)
1558 – Hermann Finck, German organist and composer (b. 1527)

1601–1900

1622 – Francis de Sales, French bishop and saint (b. 1567)
1663 – Francesco Maria Grimaldi, Italian mathematician and physicist (b. 1618)
1671 – Johann Friedrich Gronovius, German scholar and critic (b. 1611)
1694 – Mary II of England (b. 1662)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1706 – Pierre Bayle, French philosopher and author (b. 1647)
1708 – Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, French botanist and mycologist (b. 1656)
1715 – William Carstares, Scottish minister and academic (b. 1649)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1734 – Rob Roy MacGregor, Scottish outlaw (b. 1671)
1736 – Antonio Caldara, Italian composer (b. 1670)
1785 – Peter Ernst Wilde, Polish-Estonian physician and journalist (b. 1732)
1795 – Eugenio Espejo, Ecuadorian physician and lawyer (b. 1747)
1859 – Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay, English historian and politician, Secretary at War (b. 1800)
1872 – James Van Ness, American lawyer and politician, 7th Mayor of San Francisco (b. 1808)
1890 – Dennis Miller Bunker, American painter (b. 1861)
1897 – William Corby, American priest and academic (b. 1833)
1900 – Alexandre de Serpa Pinto, Portuguese soldier and explorer (b. 1846)

1901–present

1907 – Louise Granberg, Swedish playwright (b. 1812)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1913 – Ahmet Mithat Efendi, Turkish journalist and translator (b. 1844)
1916 – Eduard Strauss, Austrian violinist and composer (b. 1835)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1917 – Alfred Edwin McKay, Canadian captain and pilot (b. 1892)
1918 – Olavo Bilac, Brazilian poet and journalist (b. 1865)
1919 – Johannes Rydberg, Swedish physicist and academic (b. 1854)
1924 – Léon Bakst, Russian painter and costume designer (b. 1866)
1932 – Jack Blackham, Australian cricketer (b. 1854)
1935 – Clarence Day, American author and illustrator (b. 1874)
1937 – Maurice Ravel, French pianist and composer (b. 1875)
1938 – Florence Lawrence, Canadian actress (b. 1886)
1942 – Alfred Flatow, German gymnast (b. 1869)
1943 – Steve Evans, American baseball player (b. 1885)
1945 – Theodore Dreiser, American novelist and journalist (b. 1871)
1946 – Elie Nadelman, Polish-American sculptor (b. 1882)
1947 – Victor Emmanuel III of Italy (b. 1869)
1949 – Jack Lovelock, New Zealand runner and soldier (b. 1910)
1959 – Ante Pavelić, Croatian fascist dictator during World War II (b. 1889)
1960 – Philippe Panneton, Canadian physician, academic, and diplomat (b. 1895)
1963 – Paul Hindemith, German violist, composer, and conductor (b. 1895)
1967 – Katharine McCormick, American biologist and philanthropist (b. 1875)
1968 – David Ogilvy, 12th Earl of Airlie, Scottish peer, soldier and courtier (b. 1893)
1971 – Max Steiner, Austrian-American pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1888)
1976 – Katharine Byron, American politician (b. 1903)
1981 – Allan Dwan, Canadian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1885)
1983 – Dennis Wilson, American drummer, songwriter, and producer (b. 1944)
1984 – Sam Peckinpah, American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1925)
1984 – Mary Stewart, Baroness Stewart of Alvechurch, British politician and educator (b. 1903)
1986 – John D. MacDonald, American colonel and author (b. 1916)
1986 – Jan Nieuwenhuys, Dutch painter (b. 1922)
1989 – Hermann Oberth, Romanian-German physicist and engineer (b. 1894)
1990 – Warren Skaaren, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1946)
1992 – Sal Maglie, American baseball player and coach (b. 1917)
1993 – William L. Shirer, American journalist and historian (b. 1904)
1994 – Jean-Louis Lévesque, Canadian businessman and philanthropist (b. 1911)
1999 – Clayton Moore, American actor (b. 1914)
2001 – Samuel Abraham Goldblith, American lieutenant, biologist, and engineer (b. 1919)
2001 – William X. Kienzle, American priest and author (b. 1928)
2003 – Benjamin Thurman Hacker, American admiral (b. 1935)
2004 – Jerry Orbach, American actor and singer (b. 1935)
2004 – Susan Sontag, American novelist, essayist, critic, and playwright (b. 1933)
2006 – Jamal Karimi-Rad, Iranian politician, Iranian Minister of Justice (b. 1956)
2008 – Irene Lieblich, Polish-American painter and illustrator (b. 1923)
2009 – Jimmy Sullivan, American musician, composer and songwriter. Known by his stage name The Rev (b. 1981)
2010 – Billy Taylor, American pianist and composer (b. 1921)
2010 – Terry Peder Rasmussen, American serial killer (b. 1943)
2012 – Nicholas Ambraseys, Greek-English seismologist and engineer (b. 1929)
2012 – Mark Crispin, American computer scientist and academic, designed the IMAP (b. 1956)
2012 – Václav Drobný, Czech footballer (b. 1980)
2012 – Frankie Walsh, Irish hurler and manager (b. 1936)
2013 – Halton Arp, American-German astronomer and critic (b. 1927)
2013 – Esther Borja, Cuban soprano and actress (b. 1913)
2013 – Andrew Jacobs, Jr., American soldier, lawyer, and politician (b. 1932)
2013 – Alfred Marshall, American businessman, founded Marshalls (b. 1919)
2013 – Joseph Ruskin, American actor and producer (b. 1924)
2013 – Ilya Tsymbalar, Ukrainian-Russian footballer and manager (b. 1969)
2014 – Leelah Alcorn, American transgender teenager (b. 1997)
2014 – Vahan Hovhannisyan, Armenian politician (b. 1956)
2014 – Frankie Randall, American singer-songwriter (b. 1938)
2015 – John Bradbury, English drummer and songwriter (b. 1953)
2015 – Eloy Inos, Mariana Islander businessman and politician, 8th Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands (b. 1949)
2015 – Lemmy, English musician, singer, and songwriter (b. 1945)
2016 – Debbie Reynolds, American actress, singer and dancer (b. 1932)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2016 – Jean-Christophe Victor, French political scientist (b. 1947)
2017 – Rose Marie, American actress and comedienne (b. 1923)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2021 – Grichka Bogdanoff, French television presenter and scientific essayist (b. 1949)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2021 – John Madden, American football Hall of Fame coach and commentator (b. 1936)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2021 – Harry Reid, American lawyer, politician, and former Senate majority leader (b. 1939)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2022 – Philomena Franz, German Romani author (b. 1922)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2023 – Vijayakanth, Indian actor and politician (b. 1952)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2024 – Charles Dolan, American businessman, founded Cablevision and HBO (b. 1926)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Holidays and observances

Christian feast day:
- Abel (Coptic Church)
- Caterina Volpicelli
- Feast of the Holy Innocents or Childermas; in Spain and Latin American countries the festival is celebrated with pranks (inocentadas), similar to April Fools' Day (Catholic Church, Church of England, Lutheran Church), and its related observances:
  - Els Enfarinats (Ibi, Spain)
- Simon the Athonite
- December 28 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
King Taksin Memorial Day (Thailand)
Proclamation Day (South Australia), celebration started on the day following Christmas (South Australia)
Republic Day (South Sudan)
The fourth of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity)

References

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External links

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