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On This Day in History — December 20
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Highlights of December 20
- 2007 — Pablo Picasso's Portrait of Suzanne Bloch was stolen from the São Paulo Museum of Art before being recovered about three weeks later. Read more
- 1999 — Portugal transferred the sovereignty over Macau, which it had administered since the mid–16th century, to China. Read more
- 1995 — Mandated by the Dayton Agreement that ended the Bosnian War, the NATO-led Implementation Force (troops pictured) began peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Read more
- 1995 — American Airlines Flight 965 crashed into a mountain in Buga, Colombia, killing 159 of the 163 people on board. Read more
- 1987 — The deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in history occurred when the MV Doña Paz (pictured) sank after colliding with an oil tanker in the Tablas Strait in the Philippines, resulting in an estimated 4,385 deaths. Read more
- 1984 — Twelve-year-old Jonelle Matthews disappeared from her home in Greeley, Colorado; her body was not discovered until 2019. Read more
- 1980 — NBC aired the American football match between the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins without announcers. Read more
- 1951 — Experimental Breeder Reactor I near Arco, Idaho, U.S., became the world's first electricity-generating nuclear power plant when it became able to illuminate four 200-watt light bulbs. Read more
- 1940 — The superhero Captain America made his first published appearance in the comic book Captain America Comics #1. Read more
- 1852 — Led by George Cathcart, British troops defeated Basuto and Taung forces at the Battle of Berea in present-day Lesotho, leading to an offer of peace from King Moshoeshoe I. Read more
- 1248 — Attempting to form an alliance with the Mongol Empire, Louis IX of France met with two of their envoys while en route to the Seventh Crusade. Read more
Events
- 2024 — Six people are killed and over 200 are injured when an anti-Islam activist drives a car into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany. Read more
- 2024 — A mass stabbing occurs in a primary school in Zagreb, Croatia, in which a 7-year-old pupil is killed and six more are injured by a knife-wielding 19-year-old male. Read more
- 2019 — The United States Space Force becomes the first new branch of the United States Armed Forces since 1947. Read more
- 2016 — Aerosucre Flight 157 crashes during takeoff from Germán Olano Airport in Puerto Carreño, Colombia, killing five people. Read more
- 2007 — Elizabeth II becomes the oldest monarch in the history of the United Kingdom, surpassing Queen Victoria, who lived for 81 years and 243 days. Read more
- 2007 — The Portrait of Suzanne Bloch (1904), by the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, and O Lavrador de Café by Brazilian modernist painter Cândido Portinari, are stolen from the São Paulo Museum of Art in Brazil. Both will be recovered a few weeks later. Read more
- 2004 — A gang of thieves steal £26.5 million worth of currency from the Donegall Square West headquarters of Northern Bank in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, one of the largest bank robberies in British history. Read more
- 1999 — Macau is handed over to China by Portugal. Read more
- 1995 — American Airlines Flight 965, a Boeing 757, crashes into a mountain 50 km north of Cali, Colombia, killing 159 of the 163 people on board. Read more
- 1991 — A Missouri court sentences the Palestinian militant Zein Isa and his wife Maria to death for the honor killing of their daughter Palestina. Read more
- 1989 — The United States invasion of Panama deposes Manuel Noriega. Read more
- 1988 — War on drugs: The United Nations agrees upon and promulgates the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, one of three major drug control treaties currently in force. Read more
- 1987 — In the worst peacetime sea disaster, the passenger ferry Doña Paz sinks after colliding with the oil tanker MT Vector in the Tablas Strait of the Philippines, killing an estimated 4,000 people (1,749 official). Read more
- 1985 — Pope John Paul II announces the creation of World Youth Day. Read more
- 1984 — The Summit Tunnel fire, one of the largest transportation tunnel fires in history, burns after a freight train carrying over one million liters of gasoline derails near the town of Todmorden, England, in the Pennines. Read more
- 1984 — Disappearance of Jonelle Matthews from Greeley, Colorado. Her remains were discovered on July 23, 2019, located about 24 km (15 mi) southeast of Jonelle's home. The cause of death "was a gunshot wound to the head." Read more
- 1977 — With the approval of the State Council, China's two largest newspapers, the People's Daily and the Guangming Daily, publish in full for the first time the Second Chinese Character Simplification Scheme. Read more
- 1973 — Assassination of Luis Carrero Blanco: A car bomb planted by ETA in Madrid kills three people, including the Prime Minister of Spain, Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco. Read more
- 1970 — Koza riot: After a series of hit-and-runs and other vehicular incidents involving American service personnel, roughly 5,000 Okinawans take to the streets, clashing with American law enforcement in protest against the U.S. occupation of Okinawa. Read more
- 1968 — The Zodiac Killer murders his first two officially confirmed victims, David Arthur Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen, on Lake Herman Road in Benicia, California, United States. Read more
- 1960 — Vietnam War: The National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, popularly known as the Viet Cong, is formally established in Tân Lập village, present day Tây Ninh province. Read more
- 1957 — The initial production version of the Boeing 707 makes its first flight. Read more
- 1955 — Cardiff is proclaimed the capital city of Wales, United Kingdom. Read more
- 1952 — A United States Air Force C-124 crashes and burns in Moses Lake, Washington, killing 87 of the 115 people on board. Read more
- 1951 — The EBR-1 in Arco, Idaho becomes the first nuclear power plant to generate electricity. The electricity powered four light bulbs. Read more
- 1948 — Indonesian National Revolution: The Dutch military captures Yogyakarta, the temporary capital of the newly formed Republic of Indonesia. Read more
- 1946 — It's a Wonderful Life premieres at the Globe Theatre in New York to mixed reviews. Read more
- 1946 — An earthquake in Nankaidō, Japan causes a tsunami which kills at least one thousand people and destroys 36,000 homes. Read more
- 1942 — World War II: Japanese air forces bomb Calcutta, India. Read more
- 1941 — World War II: First battle of the American Volunteer Group, better known as the "Flying Tigers", in Kunming, China. Read more
- 1940 — Captain America Comics #1, containing the first appearance of the superhero Captain America, is published. Read more
- 1924 — Adolf Hitler is released from Landsberg Prison. Read more
- 1917 — Cheka, the first Soviet secret police force, is founded. Read more
- 1915 — World War I: The last Australian troops are evacuated from Gallipoli. Read more
- 1860 — South Carolina becomes the first state to attempt to secede from the United States with the South Carolina Declaration of Secession. Read more
- 1848 — French presidential election: Having won the popular vote in a landslide, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte is inaugurated in the chamber of the National Assembly as the first (and only) president of the French Second Republic. Read more
- 1832 — HMS Clio under the command of Captain Onslow arrives at Port Egmont under orders to take possession of the Falkland Islands. Read more
- 1808 — Peninsular War: The Siege of Zaragoza begins. Read more
- 1803 — The Louisiana Purchase is completed at a ceremony in New Orleans. Read more
- 1334 — Cardinal Jacques Fournier, a Cistercian monk, is elected Pope Benedict XII. Read more
- 1192 — Richard I of England is captured and imprisoned by Leopold V of Austria on his way home to England after the Third Crusade. Read more
- 1046 — Emperor Henry III convenes the synod of Sutri to mediate between different claimants to the papacy. Read more
- 944 — Byzantine Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos is arrested by two of his sons, forced to abdicate and to live as a monk for the rest of his life. Read more
- 69 — Antonius Primus enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor for Nero's former general Vespasian. Read more
Born on December 20
- 2007 — Gavin McKenna, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 2001 — Facundo Pellistri, Uruguayan footballer Read more
- 2000 — Gaboro, Assyrian Swedish rapper and songwriter (died 2024) Read more
- 1998 — Kylian Mbappé, French footballer Read more
- 1997 — De'Aaron Fox, American basketball player Read more
- 1997 — Suzuka Nakamoto, Japanese singer Read more
- 1996 — Jarrod Bowen, English football player Read more
- 1995 — Anžejs Pasečņiks, Latvian basketball player Read more
- 1994 — Calvin Ridley, American football player Read more
- 1993 — Andrea Belotti, Italian footballer Read more
- 1993 — Robeisy Ramírez, Cuban boxer Read more
- 1992 — Ksenia Makarova, Russian-American figure skater Read more
- 1991 — Rachael Boyle, Scottish footballer Read more
- 1991 — Jorginho, Brazilian footballer Read more
- 1991 — Jillian Rose Reed, American actress Read more
- 1991 — Fabian Schär, Swiss footballer Read more
- 1990 — JoJo, American singer and actress Read more
- 1990 — Marta Xargay, Spanish basketball player Read more
- 1987 — Malcolm Jenkins, American football player Read more
- 1986 — Chay Genoway, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1984 — Bob Morley, Australian actor Read more
- 1984 — David Tavaré, Spanish singer and DJ Read more
- 1983 — Jonah Hill, American actor, producer, and screenwriter Read more
- 1982 — Mohammad Asif, Pakistani cricketer Read more
- 1982 — David Cook, American singer-songwriter Read more
- 1982 — Kasper Klausen, Danish footballer Read more
- 1982 — David Wright, American baseball player Read more
- 1981 — Royal Ivey, American basketball player and coach Read more
- 1981 — James Shields, American baseball player Read more
- 1980 — Israel Castro, Mexican footballer Read more
- 1980 — Ashley Cole, English footballer Read more
- 1980 — Anthony da Silva, French-Portuguese footballer Read more
- 1980 — Martín Demichelis, Argentine footballer Read more
- 1979 — Michael Rogers, Australian cyclist Read more
- 1978 — Yoon Kye-sang, South Korean singer Read more
- 1978 — Andrei Markov, Russian-Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1978 — Geremi Njitap, Cameroon footballer Read more
- 1978 — Bouabdellah Tahri, French runner Read more
- 1976 — Nenad Vučković, Croatian footballer Read more
- 1975 — Bartosz Bosacki, Polish footballer Read more
Died on December 20
- 2024 — Casey Chaos, American singer (born 1965) Read more
- 2024 — George Eastham, English footballer (born 1936) Read more
- 2024 — Rickey Henderson, American baseball player (born 1958) Read more
- 2022 — Franco Harris, American football player (born 1950) Read more
- 2020 — Fanny Waterman, British pianist (born 1920) Read more
- 2020 — Ezra Vogel, American sociologist (born 1930) Read more
- 2014 — Per-Ingvar Brånemark, Swedish surgeon and academic (born 1929) Read more
- 2014 — John Freeman, English lawyer, politician, and diplomat, British Ambassador to the United States (born 1915) Read more
- 2013 — Pyotr Bolotnikov, Russian runner (born 1930) Read more
- 2012 — Stan Charlton, English footballer and manager (born 1929) Read more
- 2012 — Robert Juniper, Australian painter and sculptor (born 1929) Read more
- 2012 — Victor Merzhanov, Russian pianist and educator (born 1919) Read more
- 2011 — Barry Reckord, Jamaican playwright and screenwriter (born 1926) Read more
- 2010 — K. P. Ratnam, Sri Lankan academic and politician (born 1914) Read more
- 2009 — Brittany Murphy, American actress and singer (born 1977) Read more
- 2009 — Arnold Stang, American actor (born 1918) Read more
- 2008 — Adrian Mitchell, English author, poet, and playwright (born 1932) Read more
- 2008 — Robert Mulligan, American director and producer (born 1925) Read more
- 2008 — Igor Troubetzkoy, Russian aristocrat and racing driver (born 1912) Read more
- 2006 — Anne Rogers Clark, American dog breeder and trainer (born 1929) Read more
- 2005 — Raoul Bott, Hungarian-American mathematician and academic (born 1923) Read more
- 2001 — Léopold Sédar Senghor, Senegalese poet and politician, 1st President of Senegal (born 1906) Read more
- 1999 — Riccardo Freda, Egyptian-Italian director and screenwriter (born 1909) Read more
- 1999 — Hank Snow, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1914) Read more
- 1998 — Alan Lloyd Hodgkin, English physiologist and biophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1916) Read more
- 1997 — Denise Levertov, English-American poet and translator (born 1923) Read more
- 1997 — Dick Spooner, English cricketer (born 1919) Read more
- 1997 — Dawn Steel, American film producer (born 1946) Read more
- 1996 — Carl Sagan, American astronomer, astrophysicist, and cosmologist (born 1934) Read more
- 1995 — Madge Sinclair, Jamaican-American actress (born 1938) Read more
- 1994 — Dean Rusk, American lawyer, and politician, 54th United States Secretary of State (born 1909) Read more
- 1993 — W. Edwards Deming, American statistician, author, and academic (born 1900) Read more
- 1993 — Nazife Güran, Turkish composer and educator (born 1921) Read more
- 1991 — Simone Beck, French chef and author (born 1904) Read more
- 1991 — Sam Rabin, English wrestler, singer, and sculptor (born 1903) Read more
- 1991 — Albert Van Vlierberghe, Belgian cyclist (born 1942) Read more
- 1986 — Joe DeSa, American baseball player (born 1959) Read more
- 1984 — Stanley Milgram, American psychologist and academic (born 1933) Read more
- 1984 — Dmitry Ustinov, Minister of Defence of the Soviet Union (1976–84) (born 1908) Read more
- 1982 — Arthur Rubinstein, Polish-American pianist and composer (born 1887) Read more
Holidays & observances
Abolition of Slavery Day, also known as Fête des Cafres (Réunion, French Guiana); Bo Aung Kyaw Day (Myanmar); Christian feast day:
Dominic of Silos; Christian feast day:
Blessed Michał Piaszczyński; Christian feast day:
O Clavis; Christian feast day:
Philogonius; Christian feast day:
Ursicinus of Saint-Ursanne; Christian feast day:
Katharina von Bora (Lutheran); Christian feast day:
December 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Earliest date for Winter solstice's eve (Northern Hemisphere), and its related observances:
Yaldā (Iran); International Human Solidarity Day (International); Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day (Macau)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “December 20”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.