Welcome to Friday, December 26, 2025 – the 360th day of the year with only five days remaining.
Historical Highlights:
On this day in 1908, Jack Johnson made history by becoming the first Black boxer to claim the world heavyweight championship after defeating Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia.
Other significant events on December 26:
In 1941, amidst World War II, Winston Churchill addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
1966 marked the inaugural celebration of Kwanzaa, a week-long holiday aimed at reconnecting African Americans with their heritage.
In 1990, the case of Nancy Cruzan, a woman in a vegetative state, sparked a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the right to die.
The formal dissolution of the USSR was declared by the Supreme Soviet on this day in 1991.
2004 witnessed a devastating 9.1-magnitude earthquake triggering a tsunami in the Indian Ocean, claiming about 230,000 lives across multiple countries.
Former President Gerald R. Ford passed away in 2006 at the age of 93 in Rancho Mirage, California.
South African Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu, a staunch advocate against apartheid and a champion for racial and LGBTQ rights, passed away at 90 in 2021.
Notable Birthdays Today:
- John Walsh, host of “America’s Most Wanted,” turns 80.
- Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk celebrates his 78th birthday.
- Ozzie Smith, baseball Hall of Famer, is 71 today.
- Renowned humorist David Sedaris marks his 69th birthday.
- Lars Ulrich, the rock musician from Metallica, turns 62.
- Actor-musician Jared Leto celebrates his 54th birthday.
- Rock singer Chris Daughtry turns 46.
- Actor Beth Behrs is 40 today.
- Kit Harington, the actor, celebrates his 39th birthday.
