Welcome to Monday, Dec. 9, 2024 – the 344th day of the year with only 22 days left.
Historical Events on This Day:
On Dec. 9, 1979, scientists declared the global eradication of smallpox, a disease that claimed the lives of approximately 300 million people in the 20th century.
Other Notable Events:
In 1965, the beloved animated TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas” featuring characters from Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strip premiered on CBS.
On this date in 1990, Solidarity founder Lech Wałęsa won Poland’s first free presidential election since 1926.
In 1992, the first U.S. Marines carried out a pre-dawn beach landing in Somalia as part of Operation Restore Hope.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges, including attempting to profit from filling the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama in 2008.
Scientists announced in 2013 that NASA’s Curiosity rover had discovered evidence of an ancient freshwater lake on Mars.
Celebrity Birthdays Today:
- Actor Judi Dench turns 90.
- Actor Beau Bridges celebrates his 83rd birthday.
- World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Kite is 75 years old.
- Actor John Malkovich is 71 today.
- Singer Donny Osmond turns 67.
- Actor Felicity Huffman is 62.
- Empress Masako of Japan celebrates her 61st birthday.
- U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., turns 58.
- Rock singer-musician Jakob Dylan (Wallflowers) is 55.
- Actor Simon Helberg is 44.
- Olympic gymnastics gold medalist McKayla Maroney is 29.
