On this Day

ON THIS DAY: Franz Xaver Gruber composes “Silent Night” (1818)

On 24 December 1818, Austrian composer Franz Xaver Gruber created one of the most enduring and beloved Christmas carols of all time, "Silent Night"...

ON THIS DAY: The first successful kidney transplant (1954)

On 23 December 1954, a groundbreaking medical achievement took place when Dr. Joseph E. Murray and his team performed the world’s first successful kidney...

ON THIS DAY: Apollo 8, first crewed mission to orbit the moon (1968)

On 21 December 1968, the space exploration milestone of Apollo 8 began as the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon was successfully launched...

ON THIS DAY: “It’s a wonderful life” premieres in New York (1946)

On 20 December 1946, the classic Christmas film "It's a Wonderful Life" premiered in New York City. Directed by the legendary Frank Capra and...

ON THIS DAY: Charles Dickens publishes “A Christmas carol” (1843)

On this day, 19 December 1843, the beloved British author Charles Dickens released A Christmas Carol, a novella that would become one of the...