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December 09, John Birch Society

On December 9, 1958, the John Birch Society was founded in the United States. December 9 marks the birthdays of

  • poet and anti-​censorship advocate John Milton, author of “Paradise Lost” (1608) and “Areopagitica” (1644)
  • Russian prince and anarchist theoretician Peter Kropotkin (1842), author of “Mutual Aid”
  • actor John Malkovitch (1953), director and star of “The Dancer Upstairs” as well as eponymous actor/​character of “Being John Malkovich”
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December 08, Brookings

On December 8, 1927, one of the United States’ oldest think tanks was founded through the merger of three organizations that had been created by philanthropist Robert S. Brookings. Called the Brookings Institution, it would provide a blueprint for future work by research and advocacy organizations in the modern era.

On this date in 1974, a plebiscite abolished the monarchy in Greece.

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December 07, Marquis de Lafayette

On December 7, 1776, the Marquis de Lafayette arranged to enter the American military as a major general. On the same date in 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the United States Constitution. 

The 1941 date marks, of course, “the day that will live in infamy,” when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.

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December 06, 13th Amendment enacted

On December 6, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, banning slavery in all states and territories. On 1917 on this date, Finland declared independence from Russia. 

Vladimir Nabokov completed his controversial novel “Lolita” on this date in 1953, and would soon find himself embroiled in censorship and related publishing difficulties, though with no trouble in the United States when it was eventually published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons in 1958.

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December 05, Prohibition

On December 5, 1933, nationwide alcohol Prohibition in the United States ended after Utah became the 36th U.S. state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution, thus establishing the required 75 percent of states needed to enact the amendment that overturned the 18th.

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December 04, Washington bade his officers farewell.

On December 4, 1783, at Fraunces Tavern in New York City, General George Washington formally bade his officers farewell.