Today is Tuesday, December 11th, the 345th day of the year. There are 20 days until the end of the year.
On this day:
In 1719, the first recorded sighting of the "Aurora Borealis," also known as the Northern Lights, took place in New England.
In 1816, Indiana became the 19th state.
In 1872, America's first black governor took office. Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback became acting governor of Louisiana.
In 1941, Italy and Germany declared war on the United States. In turn, the U.S. declared war on both.
In 1946, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established.
In 1946, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., offered up a six-block area of land for use as the world headquarters of the United Nations.
In 1951, New York Yankees slugger Joe DiMaggio announced his retirement.
In 1961, the first American military forces arrived in Saigon to support South Vietnam's fight against Communist guerillas.
In 1985, the General Electric Company agreed to buy RCA Corporation for $6.3 Billion. The deal included NBC Radio and Television.
In 1991, William Kennedy Smith was acquitted of sexual assault and battery in West Palm Beach, Florida.
In 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments from lawyers representing George W. Bush and Al Gore concerning the Florida presidential vote recount.
In 2012, Indian sitar music legend Ravi Shankar died at the age of 92.
In 2015, Pamela Anderson covered the last nude "Playboy."