December 22
1943
A 135 day strike by 23 conscientious objectors (COs) ended dining hall segregation at Danbury Federal Penitentiary, Connecticut. The number of conscientious objectors had increased from 15 in early 1941 to 200 by the time of the strike.
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December 21
The precise moment of the 2005 solstice will be December 21, 2005 at 1:35 P.M. EST (18:35 UT)
December 20
1946
Ho Chi Minh, leader of the Viet Minh, the group struggling to expel French colonial rule from Vietnam, issues the following statement: “All the Vietnamese must stand up to fight the French colonials to save the fatherland. Those who have rifles will use their rifles; those who have swords will use their swords; those who have no swords will use spades, hoes, or sticks. Everyone must endeavor to oppose the colonialists and save his country. Even if we have to endure hardship in the resistance war, with the determination to make sacrifices, victory will surely be ours.” The first Indochina War had begun.
December 18
December 17
1990
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a radical Roman Catholic priest and opponent of the dictatorship of Jean-Claude Duvalier, was elected president in the first free election in Haiti’s history.
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December 16
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights, starting on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar (which is November-December on the Gregorian calendar). In Hebrew, the word “Hanukkah” means “dedication.”
December 15
1815
Convention of New England States recommends protection of citizens from possible draft, Hartofrd, CT.
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December 14
1791
The Bill of Rights was ratified.
Constitution of the United States of America
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December 13
1917
Denmark, which was not involved in World War I, recognized the right to conscientious objection to military service. Norway did so in 1900, Sweden in 1920, the Netherlands went so far as to write it into their constitution in 1922, and Finland enacted it in 1931.
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Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 