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On December 21, 1937, Walt Disney released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the world’s first full-length animated feature film, forever changing the landscape of cinema. What began as a daring experiment became a cultural phenomenon that launched Disney into global fame.
On December 20, 1812, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published the first volume of Children’s and Household Tales, a collection that would later become famous around the world as Grimm’s Fairy Tales. What began as a scholarly project to preserve German folklore soon grew into one of the most influential books in literary history.
On December 19, 1843, Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol, a small book that would become one of the most famous holiday stories ever written. Released just days before Christmas, the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghostly visitors captured the spirit of the season—and the conscience of Victorian England. Though Dickens was already a well-known author, few could have predicted that this short Christmas book would become his most enduring work, shaping how Christmas itself is celebrated and remembered.
On December 18, 1918, war-torn and recently independent Latvia issued its first stamps, printed on the back of German military maps.
Famed American conductor Arthur Fiedler was born on December 17, 1894, in Boston, Massachusetts. Best known for his long leadership of the Boston Pops Orchestra, Fiedler transformed classical music from a formal concert hall tradition into an experience enjoyed by millions. Through radio broadcasts, recordings, and outdoor performances, he helped make orchestral music accessible, entertaining, and deeply popular in American culture.
Anthropologist Margaret Mead was born on December 16, 1901, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She would go on to become one of the most influential and recognizable social scientists of the 20th century, known for bringing the study of culture and human behavior to a wide public audience.
On December 15, 1864, Union forces launched the decisive Battle of Nashville, delivering one of the most crushing Union victories of the Civil War. The battle ended the last major Confederate offensive in the West and broke the already-weakened Army of Tennessee beyond repair.
Margaret Madeline Chase Smith was born on December 14, 1897, in Skowhegan, Maine. A trailblazing legislator, she was the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress and was one of the longest-serving female US senators.
World War I hero Alvin Cullum York was born on December 13, 1887, in Pall Mall, Tennessee. One of America’s most decorated soldiers of World War I, York earned the Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross, among others.