December 19: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
On December 19, 1972, Apollo 17 splashed down—ending humanity's last crewed visit to the Moon, closing an extraordinary chapter in exploration.
About December 19
December 19 is a day of powerful endings and transformative beginnings. In 1606, three modest vessels—the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery—lifted anchor in England, carrying settlers who would establish Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement and seed of what became the United States. Centuries later in 1972, Apollo 17 splashed into the Pacific, and astronauts Eugene Cernan, Ronald Evans, and Harrison Schmitt returned home—no human has walked on the Moon since.
The date also carries a strong current of liberation and political turning points. India observes Goa Liberation Day, commemorating the 1961 annexation of Portuguese territories that ended centuries of colonial rule. In 1776, Thomas Paine's stirring pamphlet "The American Crisis" appeared in print, injecting fresh resolve into a faltering revolution. And in 1984, Beijing witnessed the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, setting the clock on Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
Culturally, the day gave the world Édith Piaf, France's impassioned sparrow whose voice still defines chanson, and Carter G. Woodson, the historian who founded what we now celebrate as Black History Month. Sagittarians born today share a fire sign's restless pursuit of truth and horizons—a fitting temperament for a date so shaped by bold departures and homecomings.
Holidays & Observances on December 19
- Goa Liberation Day (Goa, India)
- National Heroes and Heroines Day (Anguilla)
Fun & National Days on December 19
- Look for an Evergreen Day — Perfect timing to scout the ideal Christmas tree before the holiday rush reaches its peak.
- National Hard Candy Day — Unwrap a peppermint or butterscotch and savor a sweet, slow-dissolving taste of nostalgia.
- National Oatmeal Muffin Day — Warm up the kitchen with a wholesome batch of oatmeal muffins—comfort food at its coziest.
- Holly Day — Deck your door with sprigs of holly and embrace the prickly, festive charm of winter greenery.
- National Emo Day
- National Wreaths Across America Day
- Super Saturday
On This Day in History
- 1606 — Three English vessels departed carrying settlers who would found Jamestown, Virginia—the first enduring English settlement in North America.
- 1776 — Thomas Paine published his rousing pamphlet "The American Crisis" in the Pennsylvania Journal, reinvigorating flagging Revolutionary spirits.
- 1783 — William Pitt the Younger became Britain's youngest prime minister at just twenty-four, bringing youthful energy to a war-weary nation.
- 1793 — Napoleon Bonaparte's artillery brilliance forced British forces to withdraw from Toulon, securing southern France and launching his military reputation.
- 1929 — The Indian National Congress issued the Purna Swaraj declaration, formally proclaiming India's goal of complete independence from British rule.
- 1932 — The BBC Empire Service launched, beginning what would become the globally recognized BBC World Service radio broadcast.
- 1961 — India annexed Daman and Diu, completing the integration of Portuguese colonial enclaves—a milestone celebrated as Goa Liberation Day.
- 1972 — Apollo 17 splashed down safely, concluding the final crewed lunar mission and closing a remarkable era of Moon exploration.
- 1984 — Deng Xiaoping and Margaret Thatcher signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration in Beijing, scheduling Hong Kong's 1997 return to China.
- 1986 — Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev freed dissident physicist Andrei Sakharov and his wife from years of internal exile in Gorky.
- 1998 — The U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Bill Clinton, making him only the second American president to face such charges.
- 2012 — Park Geun-hye was elected South Korea's first female president, marking a historic milestone in the nation's democratic politics.
Famous Birthdays on December 19
- 1852 — Albert Abraham Michelson, Prussian-American physicist who became the first American to win a Nobel Prize in science for measuring light speed.
- 1875 — Carter G. Woodson, American historian who founded Negro History Week, the precursor to today's Black History Month.
- 1875 — Mileva Marić, Serbian physicist and Albert Einstein's first wife, whose contributions to science continue to spark scholarly debate.
- 1906 — Leonid Brezhnev, Soviet statesman who led the USSR during the long Cold War era known for stagnation and superpower détente.
- 1915 — Édith Piaf, French chanteuse whose raw, emotive voice made her an enduring icon of song and resilience worldwide.
- 1924 — Cicely Tyson, Trailblazing American actress who shattered stereotypes and championed dignified roles for Black women on screen.
- 1974 — Ricky Ponting, Australian cricket legend and one of the sport's most prolific run-scorers and successful captains.
- 1980 — Jake Gyllenhaal, Versatile American actor acclaimed for intense performances in films like Brokeback Mountain and Nightcrawler.