Today is Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, the 340th day of the year with 26 days remaining. On this day in history, Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first Black president and anti-apartheid leader, passed away at the age of 95 in 2013. President James K. Polk confirmed the discovery of gold in California in 1848, sparking the Gold Rush of ’49. National Prohibition ended in 1933 as Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment. The Great Smog of London occurred in 1952, causing thousands of deaths. The AFL and CIO merged to form the AFL-CIO in 1955. Republican Newt Gingrich became the first GOP speaker of the House in four decades in 1994. Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were convicted of murdering Meredith Kercher in Italy in 2009 but later acquitted. In 2017, Congressman John Conyers resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the start of impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump in 2019.
Celebrity birthdays today include author Calvin Trillin (89), opera singer Jose Carreras (78), musician Jim Messina (77), golfer Lanny Wadkins (75), and others.
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