Notable Birthdays for December 21
Benedict Arnold (1615-1678) - Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island.
Lewis H. Morgan (1818-1881) - Considered to be the father of anthropology.
John H. Ketcham (1832-1906) - General in the Union Army.
George W. Fuller (1868-1934) - Engineer who provided the cornerstone research for future water filtration and wastewater plants.
Sewall Wright (1889-1988) - One of the founders of genetics.
Hermann Joseph Muller (1890-1967) - Geneticist who discovered mutations can be induced by X-rays.
William Nebergall (1914-1978) - Inventor of fluoride toothpaste.
Adele Goldstine (1920-1964) - Computer programmer who created the first manual for the first electronic digital computer (ENIAC).
Phil Roman (1930-Still Living) - Founder of the animation studios Film Roman and Phil Roman Entertainment.
Phil Donahue (1935-2024) - Talk show host.
Jane Fonda (1937-Still Living) - Multiple award-winning actress.
Samuel L. Jackson (1948-Still Living) - Critically acclaimed actor.
Jeffrey Katzenberg (1950-Still Living) - Co-founder of DreamWorks Animation.
Ray Romano (1957-Still Living) - Actor known for his role as Raymond on Everybody Loves Raymond.
Memorable Events for December 21
1620 - The Mayflower Pilgrims land near what is now known as Plymouth Rock.
1829 - The first stone arch railroad bridge was dedicated in Baltimore, MD.
1849 - The first skating club was formed in PA.
1861 - The Navy Medal of Valor was signed into law.
1909 - The first junior high was opened in CA.
1913 - The first crossword puzzle was published in the NY World.
1929 - Texas offers the first group hospital insurance plan.
1937 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premieres as the first full-length animated film feature.
1956 - The bus boycott in Montgomery ends.