December Factoids

 

December 1-31

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1

On December 1, 1955 , a tired seamstress named Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. She was arrested and fined for violating city ordinance. Rosa Parks is known as "The Mother of the Civil Rights Movement." (Road Trip, Periscope)

In December 1994, Ernest A. Finney Jr. became a South Carolina Chief Justice. Only one other African-American, Jasper Wright, had served on the state Supreme Court, during the Reconstruction period. (Roadtrip)

2

December 2 is International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. Learn more about this important day with our African American History Collection, and our Slavery in South Carolina Collection.

Special Education Day

On December 2, 1923 Maria Callas was born. She was a brilliant soprano, she sang French, German and Italian opera and possessed a remarkable range characterized by fast and high singing with trills. (Artopia)

5

On December 5, 1861, during the American Civil War, Federal forces occupy Beaufort. The forces under General Stevens marched triumphantly into the town. (History Of SC Slide Collection)

On December 5, 1902, Senator Strom Thurmond was born. He was the longest-serving Republican member of Congress in U.S. history. (S.C. Hall Of Fame)

On December 5, 1912, Ira M. Koger was born. He was widely respected as a patron of the arts and devotes himself to cultural developments and events. He was inducted into South Carolina's Business Hall of Fame in 1989. (Legacy Of Leadership Profile)

7

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

On December 7, 1941, a surprise aerial attack occurred on the U.S naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu Island, Hawaii, by the Japanese which precipitated the entry of the United States into World War II. South Carolina veterans remember their experiences from that fateful day.  (History of S.C. Slide Collection, South Carolinians In WW II)

8

On December 8, 1864, Camille Claudel was born. She was known for her physical beauty, her ability to convey drama through marble and bronze, and for her deep understanding of the human form. (Artopia)

9*

December 9 is Green Monday. Learn more about keeping our planet clean with our Environmental Awareness Collection! 

10

Human Rights Day

African American History Collection

Martin Luther King Collection

Civil Rights Youth Media Summit

Focusing on digital and social media as a strategy for student engagement, the Summit taught critical thinking and problem-solving skills to a select group of high school students assisted by mass communications mentors from Benedict College students, helping them to understand their place in history

Periscope

Road Trip!

Here are some of the videos included in Road Trip! Explore them all!

SC Hall of Fame

Civil Rights Movement | SC Hall of Fame

Women in Leadership

Palmetto Voices

Women Vision SC

Some of the videos included in the series are listed below. Explore more!

Women’s History

Our Women's History Collection features women from many walks of life! Learn more!

Teacher Resources and Lessons

Carolina Journal

 

On December 10, 1718, "Gentleman Pirate" Stede Bonnet was executed. Bonnet had a career as an infamous pirate, looting and plundering trade and merchant ships along the east coast. Bonnet also served as first mate to Captain Edward Teach, also known as "Blackbeard." (Ghosts And Legends III, History Of S.C. Slide Collection, Carolina Stories)11

 

10-18

Hanukkah

11

On December 11, 1861, a great fire swept through Charleston, destroying much of the city, and making the defense of the city even more difficult. (History Of S.C. Slide Collection)

December 11 - 15, 1862: The Battle of Fredericksburg took place during the American Civil War. Sergeant Richard Rowland Kirkland, a Confederate, became a hero when during the battle, on December 13, he provided water, blankets, and warm clothing for the wounded Union soldiers scattered throughout the battlefield. Due to his heroism, Sgt. Kirkland earned the nick-name "The Angel of Marye's Heights." (The SC State House)

On December 11, 1934, Robert V. Royall was born. He was inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame in 1997. (Legacy Of Leadership Profile)

13 

National Violin Day

National Day of the Horse

Horses

Horses in Paintings

Horses in Sculpture

14

On December 14, 1782, the British withdrew from Charleston, taking with them 4,000 South Carolina Loyalists who had gambled that the revolutionary patriots would not win--and had lost everything.  This was called the Battle of Eutaw Springs. (History Of S.C. Slide Collection)

15

Bill of Rights Day

16

16 December, 1944 - 25 January, 1945: On this day in 1944, during World War II, the Battle of the Bulge began in the Ardennes Forest. This was the last German offensive during WWII. Even though the odds were against the allies, being ill-equipped and freezing cold, this campaign resulted in a crucial allied victory. (South Carolinians In WW II)

17

On December 17, 1860, South Carolinians met at the First Baptist Church in Columbia, determined to end their membership in the United States in protest against the election of Abraham Lincoln, a Republican sworn to end the expansion of slavery into the territories. (History Of S.C. Slide Collection)

On December 17, 1925, Buck Mickel was born in Elberton, Georgia. Mickel was respected as a giant in the Greenville community and the world of commerce, but he was an even bigger person when it came to helping others. He was inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame in 1986. (Legacy Of Leadership Profile)

18

On December 18, 1937, Charles S. Way was born. He was inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame in 2005. (Legacy Of Leadership Profile)

20

On December 20, 1960, graphic artist, Jean Michel Basquiat was born. His graffiti stood out and told witty and poetic messages. (Artopia)

On December 20, 1860, the Ordinance of Secession was signed. This document marked the conclusion of a movement to declare Southern independence from a national government increasingly controlled by Northerners. (History Of S.C. Slide Collection)

22

December 22 is the start of Hanukkah! Learn more about this cherished holiday celebrated by Jewish people all over the world. (Palmetto Scene)

24

On December 24, 1968, during the Space Race, Apollo 8 (Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders) made history when it entered lunar orbit, and took one of the most iconic photographs ever shot, called "Earthrise." (History In A Nutshell)

25

Merry Christmas! Learn more about this holiday celebrated around the world with our Holidays Collection!

28

On December 28, 1834, Franklin G. Burroughs was born. He was inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame in 1993. (Legacy Of Leadership Profile)

31

On December 31, 1986, the city of Columbia bicentennial time capsule was sealed. It is to be opened March 22, 2036, on Columbia’s 250th birthday. (The S.C. State House)

 

 

These factoids were compiled by Imani-Grace King, 2017 ETV Endowment Intern (Digital Media/Knowitall)

Updated by Andrew Davis, Media Production Assistant (Digital Media/Knowitall).

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