This Day in History

On Dec. 9, 1979, scientists certified the global eradication of smallpox, a disease which killed an estimated 300 million people in the 20th century.

Also on this date:

In 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas," the first animated TV special featuring characters from the "Peanuts" comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, premiered on CBS.

In 1990, Solidarity founder Lech Wałęsa (lek vah-WEN'-sah) won Poland's first free presidential election since 1926.

In 1992, the first U.S. Marines made a predawn beach landing in Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope; they were met by hundreds of reporters awaiting their arrival.

In 2006, the space shuttle Discovery launched on a mission to add to and rewire the International Space Station.

In 2013, scientists revealed that NASA's Curiosity rover had uncovered signs of an ancient freshwater lake on Mars.

In 2019, an island volcano off New Zealand's coast called Whakaari, or White Island, erupted, killing 22 tourists and guides and seriously injuring several others. Most of the 47 people on the island were U.S. and Australian cruise ship passengers on a walking tour with the guides.

In 2021, a cargo truck jammed with migrants crashed in southern Mexico, killing at least 53 people and injuring dozens more.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Judi Dench is 91. Actor Beau Bridges is 84. World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Kite is 76. Actor John Malkovich is 72. Singer Donny Osmond is 68. Actor Felicity Huffman is 63. Empress Masako of Japan is 62. Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York is 59. Rock singer-musician Jakob Dylan (Wallflowers) is 56. Actor Simon Helberg is 45. Olympic gymnastics gold medalist McKayla Maroney is 30. Actor Nico Parker is 21.