On This Day
Discover events that happened On This Day including famous birthdays and notable deaths. Each day we highlight famous people, past and present, who have impacted our world. Browse sections by selecting the links below or click the calendar to view events on another day.
December 6
Events on This Day
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1849
164 years agoHarriet Tubman escapes from slavery, fleeing from Maryland to Philadelphia.
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1933
80 years agoA federal judge rules that James Joyce's novel Ulysses is not obscene. It had been banned since its 1922 publication in the United States.
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1947
66 years agoPresident Harry S. Truman heads to Florida to formally dedicate Everglades National Park, the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States.
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2005
8 years agoBrokeback Mountain premieres. Directed by Ang Lee, the film stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger as cowboys in love.
December 6
Born on This Day
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Baby Face Nelson
- In these groups:
- Ugly Inside and Out
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous People Named Nelson
Baby Face Nelson
Criminal / 1908 - 1934
"Baby Face" Nelson was a gangster, bank robber and triggerman who work for Al Capone and John Dillinger.
Born: December 6, 1908
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Occupation: Criminal -
Dave Brubeck
- In these groups:
- Famous Jazz Musicians
- The Ed Sullivan Show Guests
- Famous Sagittarians
Dave Brubeck
Songwriter, Pianist / 1920 - 2012
Dave Brubeck was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his unconventional meters, as well as songs like "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke."
1920 | 91 years old
Songwriter, Pianist -
Frédéric Bazille
- In these groups:
- Impressionists Painters
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Painters
Frédéric Bazille
Painter / 1841 - 1870
Frédéric Bazille was a French painter who helped found the Impressionist movement of the late 19th century, before dying in combat in the Franco-Prussian War.
1841 | 29 years old
Painter
December 6
Died on This Day
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Roy Orbison
- In these groups:
- Famous Taureans
- Famous Singers
- Famous People Named Roy
Roy Orbison
Singer / 1936 - 1988
Singer-songwriter Roy Orbison wrote romantic 1960s pop ballads like "Oh, Pretty Woman." In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Died: December 6, 1988
Age: 52 years old
Place: Hendersonville, Tennessee , United States
Occupation: Singer -
Don Ameche
- In these groups:
- Best Supporting Actor Oscar Winners
- The Ed Sullivan Show Guests
- Famous Geminis
Don Ameche
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1908 - 1993
Don Ameche was an actor know mostly for films in the 1930s and 1940s, radio and TV in the 1950s-1970s, and later the film Trading Places.
1993 | 85 years old
Film Actor, Television Actor -
César
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Sculptors
- Famous Artists
César
Sculptor / 1921 - 1998
French artist César Baldaccini created large sculptural representations from found objects. He was at the forefront of the New Realism movement.1998 | 77 years old
Sculptor -
Jefferson Davis
- In these groups:
- Famous Military Veterans
- Famous Geminis
- Famous People Named Davis
Jefferson Davis
Government Official / 1808 - 1889
Jefferson Davis was a 19th century U.S. senator best known as the president of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War.
Died: December 6, 1889
Age: 81 years old
Place: New Orleans, Louisiana , United States
Occupation: Government Official -
Marc Lepine
- In these groups:
- Spree Killers
- Name Changers
- Famous Scorpios
Marc Lepine
Mass Murderer / 1964 - 1989
Marc Lepine went on a shooting spree in 1989 that became known as the Montreal Massacre, which killed 14 people.
1989 | 25 years old
Mass Murderer -
Pete Rozelle
- In these groups:
- Famous Pisceans
- Famous People Born in 1926
- Famous People Born in California
Pete Rozelle
Business Leader / 1926 - 1996
Pete Rozelle is a U.S. sports executive best known for helping to turn the National Football League into one of the most successful leagues in the world.
1996 | 70 years old
Business Leader
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Play Nowprofile name: Baby Face Nelson profile occupation: Criminal
profile id: 9229079
profile name: Dave Brubeck profile occupation: Songwriter, Pianist
profile id: 17164118
profile name: Frédéric Bazille profile occupation: Painter
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profile name: Roy Orbison profile occupation: Singer
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profile name: Don Ameche profile occupation: Film Actor, Television Actor
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profile name: César profile occupation: Sculptor
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profile name: Jefferson Davis profile occupation: Government Official
profile id: 235980
profile name: Marc Lepine profile occupation: Mass Murderer
profile id: 9466001
profile name: Pete Rozelle profile occupation: Business Leader
profile id: 9511430
profile name: Harriet Tubman profile occupation: Civil Rights Activist
profile id: 9358676
profile name: James Joyce profile occupation: Author
profile id: 9511121
profile name: Harry S. Truman profile occupation: U.S. President
profile id: 16242387
profile name: Jake Gyllenhaal profile occupation: Film Actor
profile id: 266035
profile name: Heath Ledger profile occupation: Film Actor
profile id: 9376807
profile name: Ang Lee profile occupation: Director
profile id: 9351230
profile name: Shoeless Joe Jackson profile occupation: Baseball Player
profile id: 40545
profile name: Jerry Rice profile occupation: Football Player
profile id: 38211
profile name: Michael Jackson profile occupation: Dancer
profile id: 37616
profile name: Noam Chomsky profile occupation: Journalist
profile id: 37305
profile name: Flip Wilson profile occupation: Television Actor
profile id: 40654
profile name: Dolores Ibárruri profile occupation: Political Leader
profile id: 36954
profile name: Nikolay Danilevsky profile occupation: Journalist
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