On This Day

Historical Events in December 1955

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 1 Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to move to the back of a bus and give her seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama

Civil Rights Activist Rosa Parks
Civil Rights Activist
Rosa Parks

Film release premierFilm Premier

Dec 2 Film adaptation of "The Rose Tattoo", starring Anna Magnani and Burt Lancaster, premieres at the Astor Hotel in New York City

Actress Anna Magnani
Actress
Anna Magnani
Actor Burt Lancaster
Actor
Burt Lancaster
  • Dec 3 KTVE TV channel 10 in Monroe-El Dorado, LA (NBC) begins broadcasting
  • Dec 4 Bernardus Johannes Alfrink installed as Archbishop of Utrecht
  • Dec 5 American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) merge to form the AFL-CIO, with George Meany as President
  • Dec 5 Historic bus boycott begins in Montgomery Alabama by Rosa Parks

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 5 Montgomery Improvement Association formed by Ralph Abernathy, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Edgar Nixon to support the Montgomery bus protest in Montgomery, Alabama

Civil Rights Activist Ralph Abernathy
Civil Rights Activist
Ralph Abernathy
Civil Rights Activist Martin Luther King Jr.
Civil Rights Activist
Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Dec 6 New York psychologist Joyce Brothers wins "$64,000 Question" with topic of boxing
  • Dec 8 21st Heisman Trophy Award: Howard Cassady, Ohio State (HB)

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 8 Brooklyn catcher Roy Campanella wins his 3rd MVP Award

MLB Catcher Roy Campanella
MLB Catcher
Roy Campanella
  • Dec 8 Turkish government of Menderes forms

Film release premierFilm Release

Dec 8 Black Ealing comedy "The Ladykillers", directed by Alexander Mackendrick and starring Alec Guinness is released in the UK

Actor Alec Guinness
Actor
Alec Guinness
  • Dec 12 1st prototype of hovercraft patented by British engineer Christoper Cockerell
  • Dec 14 Tappan Zee Bridge in NY opens to traffic
  • Dec 14 16 countries join the United Nations, including Austria, Finland, Italy, and Spain

Music releaseMusic Single

Dec 15 "Folsom Prison Blues" single released by Johnny Cash (Billboard Song of the Year 1968)

Country Singer Johnny Cash
Country Singer
Johnny Cash
  • Dec 19 Carl Perkins records "Blue Suede Shoes"
  • Dec 20 Cardiff is proclaimed the capital city of Wales
  • Dec 21 2nd National Film Awards (India): "Mirza Ghalib" wins the Golden Lotus

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 24 Author Aldous Huxley takes LSD for the first time

Author Aldous Huxley
Author
Aldous Huxley

BeatificationCatholic Encyclical

Dec 25 Pope Pius XII encyclical on sacred music & popular music

260th Pope Pius XII
260th Pope
Pius XII
  • Dec 26 National Football League Championship, LA Memorial Coliseum: Cleveland Browns beat Los Angeles Rams, 38-14; Browns defend title and win their 3rd NFL Championship of the 1950s in a second straight rout
  • Dec 26 RKO is 1st to announce sale of its film library to TV
  • Dec 28 44th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in New York (5-0)

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 29 Barbra Streisand's 1st recording "You'll Never Know" at age 13

Singer-Songwriter and Actress Barbra Streisand
Singer-Songwriter and Actress
Barbra Streisand
  • Dec 29 NHL officials wear new vertically striped black-and-white sweaters for the first time in Montreal Canadiens' 5-2 win over Toronto Maple Leafs
  • Dec 31 "Vamp" closes at Winter Garden Theater NYC after 60 performances

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 31 The General Motors Corporation becomes the first U.S. corporation to make over $1 billion USD in a year.

President of General Motors Harlow Curtice
President of General Motors
Harlow Curtice


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