Memorable Birthdays for December 31
Francis Trowbridge Sherman (1825-1905) - Brigadier General for the Union Army.
Joseph S. Cullinan (1860-1937) - Co-founder of the Texaco oil company.
Robert G Aitken (1864-1951) - Astronomer who discovered nearly 3,100 new binary stars.
Fred Marriott (1872-1956) - Race car driver who set the world land speed record in 1906.
George Marshall (1880-1959) - Author of the Marshall Plan.
Ben A. Jones (1882-1961) - Horse trainer and champion training winner of the Kentucky Derby.
Mary Logan Reddick (1914-1966) - Neuroembryology scientist who is the first known Black women to receive a fellowship to study abroad (Cambridge University).
Rex Allen (1920-1999) - Actor and singer-songwriter known referred to as the Arizona Cowboy.
Odetta (1930-2008) - Jazz singer dubbed the Voice of the Civil Rights Movement.
Donna Summer (1948-2012) - Disco singer of hits like On the Radio and Last Dance.
Cheryl Womack (1950-Still Living) - Founder of the VCW and National Association of Independent Truckers, Inc.
Kenny Roberts (1951-Still Living) - Motorcycle racer who became the first American to win a Grand Prix World Championship.
Val Kilmer (1959-Still Living) - Actor who had is remembered as Doc Holliday in Tombstone.
Gabby Douglas (1995-Still Living) - The first Black to win an Olympic individual all-around title in gymnastics.
Memorable Events for December 31
1781 - The first bank opens in the U.S. (Bank of North America).
1831 - NY City is deeded Gramercy Park and becomes a private park for the wealthy.
1841 - Alabama becomes the first state to license dental surgeons.
1862 - President Lincoln admits West Virginia to the Union, dividing Virginia into two states.
1879 - Thomas Edison demonstrates incandescent lighting in public for the first time.
1904 - The first New Year's Eve party is held in Times Square.
1907 - The first ball drops in Time Square to bring in the New Year.
1934 - Helen Richey becomes the first woman to fly an airmail transport.
1945 - The Ratification of United Nations Charter is finalized and completed.
1946 - President Truman proclaims the end of hostilities in Europe, which officially ends World War II.
1983 - Benjamin Ward becomes the first Black police commissioner in NY City.
1984 - The U.S. leaves UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
1997 - Microsoft buys the Hotmail email client.