On This Day: 23 December

23 December in world history

• 1997The Pioneer Helmet, one of only six Anglo-Saxon helmets to be discovered, was first placed on public display.
• 1990History of Slovenia: In a referendum, 88.5% of Slovenia's overall electorate vote for independence from Yugoslavia.
• 1986Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, lands at Edwards Air Force Base in California becoming the first aircraft to fly non-stop around the world without aerial or ground refueling.
• 1970The Democratic Republic of the Congo officially becomes a one-party state.
• 1970The North Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York, New York is topped out at 417 metres (1,368 ft), making it the tallest building in the world.
• 1958Tokyo Tower, then the world's tallest freestanding tower, opened.
• 1957Leading the Australia national cricket team, Ian Craig became the youngest-ever Test cricket captain at the time.
• 1954First successful kidney transplant is performed by J. Hartwell Harrison and Joseph Murray.
• 1948Seven Japanese military and political leaders convicted of war crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East are executed by Allied occupation authorities at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo, Japan.
• 1941World War II: After 15 days of fighting, the Imperial Japanese Army occupies Wake Island.
• 1936Colombia becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.
• 1936Spanish Civil War: The Spanish Republic legalizes the Regional Defence Council of Aragon.
• 1919The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act was enacted, lifting most of the existing common-law restrictions on women in the United Kingdom.
• 1916First World War: Allied forces gained a strategic victory at the Battle of Magdhaba on the Sinai Peninsula.
• 1905The Tampere conference, where Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin meet for the first time, is held in Tampere, Finland.
• 1888During a bout of mental illness, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh severed part of his left ear and gave it to a woman in a brothel in Arles, France.
• 1783George Washington resigned as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army at the Maryland State House in Annapolis (painting shown).
• 1776American Revolutionary War: American troops, overwhelmed by British reinforcements, retreated from the Battle of Iron Works Hill.

Born on 23 December

• 1955Grace Knight, English-Australian singer-songwriter
• 1950Richard Dannatt, Baron Dannatt, English general
• 1945Adly Mansour, Egyptian lawyer, judge, and politician, President of Egypt
• 1902Charan Singh, Indian lawyer and politician, 5th Prime Minister of India (died 1987)India
• 1885Pierre Brissaud, French illustrator, painter, and engraver (died 1964)
• 1690Pamheiba, Indian emperor (died 1751)India

Died on 23 December

• 2024Shyam Benegal, Indian director and screenwriter (born 1934)India
• 2010K. Karunakaran, Indian lawyer and politician, 7th Chief Minister of Kerala (born 1918)India
• 1973Irna Phillips, American screenwriter, created Guiding Light and As the World Turns (born 1901)
• 423Ming Yuan Di, ruler of Northern Wei (born 392)

Frequently asked questions

What happened on 23 December in history?

1997: The Pioneer Helmet, one of only six Anglo-Saxon helmets to be discovered, was first placed on public display. 1990: History of Slovenia: In a referendum, 88.5% of Slovenia's overall electorate vote for independence from Yugoslavia. 1986: Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, lands at Edwards Air Force Base in California becoming the first aircraft to fly non-stop around the world without aerial or ground refueling. 1970: The Democratic Republic of the Congo officially becomes a one-party state.

Which famous people were born on 23 December?

Grace Knight, English-Australian singer-songwriter (1955); Richard Dannatt, Baron Dannatt, English general (1950); Adly Mansour, Egyptian lawyer, judge, and politician, President of Egypt (1945); Charan Singh, Indian lawyer and politician, 5th Prime Minister of India (died 1987) (1902).

Which day is observed on 23 December?

Kisan Diwas (Farmers' Day); Birthday of the Queen Silvia, an official flag flying day (Sweden); Children's Day (South Sudan and Sudan); Day of all level operational control structures servicemen (Ukraine); Festivus, a secular holiday made popular by the sitcom Seinfeld.