This Day In History

A quarter-century after the Wright brothers first left the ground at Kitty Hawk, the world’s aviation leaders gathered in Washington, DC, to decide just how far—and how fast—human flight could go next. On December 12, 1928, the International Civil Aeronautics Conference opened with a bold mission: to celebrate the past, assess the present, and imagine a future where airplanes would shrink oceans, reshape economies, and bring nations closer together.

On December 11, 1946, the United Nations created UNICEF, originally known as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. The world was still reeling from the destruction of World War II, and millions of children were suffering from hunger, disease, and homelessness. UNICEF was founded to bring relief to these young victims and to ensure that the world did not overlook its most vulnerable population during the long road to recovery.

On December 10, 1901—exactly five years after the death of Alfred Nobel—the world witnessed something entirely new: a set of international awards created to honor people whose work advanced humanity itself. These first Nobel Prizes were not just a tribute to achievement; they were the fulfillment of a very unusual final wish.

On December 9, 1962, Petrified Forest National Park was officially established, upgrading an already protected landscape into a full national park. The designation ensured stronger protection for its fossil-rich badlands, archaeological sites, and striking deposits of petrified wood, and it marked a major milestone in decades of preservation efforts.

On November 29, 1944, the War Department officially adopted the Honorable Discharge Emblem, a small but meaningful symbol worn by millions of service members returning home from World War II. For many veterans, it represented not only their service, but also their safe return after years of sacrifice.

On November 27, 1950, the Korean War Battle of Chosin Reservoir began—a fighting withdrawal carried out in brutal subzero cold. What followed was a 17-day struggle for survival, where frozen weapons, relentless attacks, and unbroken determination turned a retreat into one of the Marine Corps’ most storied feats.

The last of the “log cabin presidents,” James A. Garfield was born November 19, 1831, near Cleveland, Ohio, to impoverished farmers. Rising from those humble beginnings, he forged a remarkable path as a scholar, Civil War general, and eventually the country’s 20th president.

On November 3, 1879, Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson was born in Manitoba, Canada. Over the course of his life, he became one of the most influential and controversial figures in Arctic exploration—celebrated for his discoveries and criticized for the tragic misfortunes that accompanied some of his expeditions.

On December 13, 1862, Union forces launched a bloody attack during the Battle of Fredericksburg. However, the tide turned and it became one of the most one-sided battles of the war.

On December 13, 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony established its own militia, the precursor to America’s National Guard. Militias were later established in every state, eventually becoming the National Guard in 1916.

On December 13, 1769, Dartmouth College received its charter.  It was the ninth and final college established in America under colonial rule and has become one of the country’s most prestigious universities.

Lawrence Eugene Doby was born on December 13, 1923, in Camden, South Carolina. Doby was the second black player in Major League Baseball, the first in the American League, and the first to make it directly to the majors.