December 17 in history — What Happened Today in History
Welcome to December 17 in history! Here you can discover what happened on December 17, including the major events, the famous people born on December 17 and the notable deaths on December 17, with the newest story starting in 2014.
On this page, December 17 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about December 17 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on December 17 in History 40
- 2014
The United States and Cuba re-establish diplomatic relations after severing them in 1961.
- 2010
Mohamed Bouazizi sets himself on fire. This act became the catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring.
- 2009
MV Danny F II sinks off the coast of Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of 44 people and over 28,000 animals.
- 2005
Anti-World Trade Organization protesters riot in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
- 2005
Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicates the throne as King of Bhutan.
- 2003
The Soham murder trial ends at the Old Bailey in London, with Ian Huntley found guilty of two counts of murder. His girlfriend, Maxine Carr, is found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
- 2003
SpaceShipOne, piloted by Brian Binnie, makes its first powered and first supersonic flight.
- 2003
Sex work rights activists establish December 17 (or "D17") as International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers to memorialize victims of a serial killer who targeted prostitutes, and highlight State violence against sex workers by police and others.
- 2002
Second Congo War: The Congolese parties of the Inter Congolese Dialogue sign a peace accord which makes provision for transitional governance and legislative and presidential elections within two years.
- 1997
Peruvian internal conflict: Fourteen members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement provoke a hostage crisis by taking over the Japanese embassy in Lima.
- 1997
Aerosvit Flight 241: A Yakovlev Yak-42 crashes into the Pierian Mountains near Thessaloniki Airport in Thessaloniki, Greece, killing all 70 people on board.
- 1989
Romanian Revolution: Protests continue in Timișoara, Romania, with rioters breaking into the Romanian Communist Party's District Committee building and attempting to set it on fire.
All entries for December 17（+28）
- 1989
Fernando Collor de Mello defeats Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the second round of the Brazilian presidential election, becoming the first democratically elected President in almost 30 years.
- 1989
The Simpsons premieres on television with the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire".
- 1983
Provisional IRA members detonate a car bomb at Harrods Department Store in London. Three police officers and three civilians are killed.
- 1981
American Brigadier General James L. Dozier is abducted by the Red Brigades in Verona, Italy.
- 1973
Thirty passengers are killed in an attack by Palestinian terrorists on Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport.
- 1970
Polish protests: In Gdynia, soldiers fire at workers emerging from trains, killing dozens.
- 1969
Project Blue Book: The United States Air Force closes its study of UFOs.
- 1967
Harold Holt, Prime Minister of Australia, disappears while swimming near Portsea, Victoria, and is presumed drowned.
- 1961
Niterói circus fire: Fire breaks out during a performance by the Gran Circus Norte-Americano in the city of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, killing more than 500.
- 1960
Troops loyal to Emperor Haile Selassie in Ethiopia crush the coup that began December 13, returning power to their leader upon his return from Brazil. Haile Selassie absolves his son of any guilt.
- 1960
Munich C-131 crash: Twenty passengers and crew on board as well as 32 people on the ground are killed.
- 1957
The United States successfully launches the first Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
- 1951
The American Civil Rights Congress delivers "We Charge Genocide" to the United Nations.
- 1950
The F-86 Sabre's first mission over Korea.
- 1948
The Finnish Security Police is established to remove communist leadership from its predecessor, the State Police.
- 1947
First flight of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet strategic bomber.
- 1945
Kurdistan flag day, the flag of Kurdistan is raised for the first time in Mahabad in eastern Kurdistan.
- 1944
World War II: Battle of the Bulge: Malmedy massacre: American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion POWs are shot by Waffen-SS Kampfgruppe Joachim Peiper.
- 1943
All Chinese are again permitted to become citizens of the United States upon the repeal of the Act of 1882 and the introduction of the Magnuson Act.
- 1939
World War II: Battle of the River Plate: The Admiral Graf Spee is scuttled by Captain Hans Langsdorff outside Montevideo.
- 1938
Otto Hahn discovers the nuclear fission of the heavy element uranium, the scientific and technological basis of nuclear energy.
- 1935
Douglas DC-3: The twin-engine airliner makes its maiden flight from Santa Monica.
- 1933
The first NFL Championship Game is played at Wrigley Field in Chicago between the New York Giants and Chicago Bears. The Bears win 23–21.
- 1928
Indian revolutionaries Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru assassinate British police officer James Saunders in Lahore, Punjab, to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai at the hands of the police. The three were executed in 1931.
- 1927
Indian revolutionary Rajendra Lahiri is hanged in Gonda jail, Uttar Pradesh, India, two days before the scheduled date.
- 1926
Antanas Smetona assumes power in Lithuania as the 1926 coup d'état is successful.
- 1918
Darwin Rebellion: Up to 1,000 demonstrators march on Government House in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
- 1907
Ugyen Wangchuck is crowned first King of Bhutan.
Famous Birthdays on December 17 in History 25
- 2002
Castello Lukeba, French footballer
- 2000
Wesley Fofana, French footballer
- 1999
Holly Humberstone, English singer-songwriter
- 1999
Mirei Sasaki, Japanese singer, model, and actress
- 1998
Jasmine Armfield, English actress
- 1998
Martin Ødegaard, Norwegian footballer
- 1997
Naiktha Bains, British-Australian tennis player
- 1997
Shoma Uno, Japanese figure skater
- 1996
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, Russian figure skater
- 1995
Guerschon Yabusele, French basketball player
- 1994
Lloyd Perrett, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1994
Nat Wolff, American singer-songwriter, keyboard player and actor
All entries for December 17（+13）
- 1993
Kiersey Clemons, American actress
- 1993
Patricia Kú Flores, Peruvian tennis player
- 1992
Quinton de Kock, South African cricketer
- 1992
Buddy Hield, Bahamian basketball player
- 1992
Joshua Ingram, Canadian drummer and percussionist
- 1991
Jordan Rankin, Australian rugby league player
- 1991
Atsedu Tsegay, Ethiopian runner
- 1990
Graham Rogers, American actor
- 1989
André Ayew, Ghanaian footballer
- 1989
Taylor York, American musician
- 1988
Liisa Ehrberg, Estonian cyclist
- 1988
Grethe Grünberg, Estonian ice dancer
- 1988
Kris Joseph, Canadian basketball player
Notable Deaths on December 17 in History 25
- 2025
William Rush, English actor (born 1994)
- 2024
Igor Kirillov, Russian general (born 1970)
- 2024
Marisa Paredes, Spanish film actress (born 1946)
- 2023
Ronaldo Valdez, Filipino actor (born 1947)
- 2023
James McCaffrey, American actor (born 1958)
- 2020
Jeremy Bulloch, English actor (born 1945)
- 2020
Allen Dines, American politician (born 1921)
- 2016
Benjamin A. Gilman, American soldier and politician (born 1922)
- 2016
Henry Heimlich, American doctor (born 1920)
- 2016
Gordon Hunt, American voice director (born 1929)
- 2015
Hal Brown, American baseball player and manager (born 1924)
- 2015
Osamu Hayaishi, American-Japanese biochemist and academic (born 1920)
All entries for December 17（+13）
- 2015
Michael Wyschogrod, German-American philosopher and theologian (born 1928)
- 2014
Dieter Grau, German-American scientist and engineer (born 1913)
- 2014
Richard C. Hottelet, American journalist (born 1917)
- 2014
Oleh Lysheha, Ukrainian poet and playwright (born 1949)
- 2014
Lowell Steward, American captain (born 1919)
- 2014
Ivan Vekić, Croatian colonel, lawyer, and politician, Croatian Minister of the Interior (born 1938)
- 2013
Fred Bruemmer, Latvian-Canadian photographer (born 1929)
- 2013
Ricardo María Carles Gordó, Spanish cardinal (born 1926)
- 2013
Richard Heffner, American historian and television host (born 1925)
- 2013
Tetsurō Kashibuchi, Japanese drummer, songwriter, and producer (born 1950)
- 2013
Janet Rowley, American geneticist and biologist (born 1925)
- 2013
Conny van Rietschoten, Dutch sailor (born 1926)
- 2012
Richard Adams, Filipino-American activist (born 1947)
That is the story of December 17 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on December 17 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on December 17 in history?
The biggest event on December 17 in history is: 2014 — The United States and Cuba re-establish diplomatic relations after severing them in 1961.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on December 17?
25 famous people were born on December 17 in history, the best known being 2002 — Castello Lukeba, French footballer.
Who died on December 17?
25 notable people died on December 17 in history, including 2025 — William Rush, English actor (born 1994).
Why should I read about December 17 in history?
Exploring December 17 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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