December 06
1884
Construction of the Washington Monument was completed.
1889
Jefferson Davis, the first and only president of the Confederate States of America, died in New Orleans.
1923
A presidential address was broadcast on the radio for the first time when Calvin Coolidge spoke before Congress.
1926
French impressionist painter Claude Monet died at age 86.
1973
Gerald Ford was sworn in as vice president, replacing Spiro T. Agnew.
1992
The destruction of a mosque in India by Hindu extremists set off two months of Muslim-Hindu fighting that claimed at least 2,000 lives.
1998
Hugo Chavez elected president of Venezuela.
Birthdays
Dave Brubeck
1920–, American jazz pianist and composer.
Jean Eugene Robert Houdin
conjurer and magician (1805)
Joyce Kilmer
poet (1886)
Ira Gershwin
lyricist (1896)
Gunnar Myrdal
economist (1898)
Agnes Moorehead
actress (1906)
Eleanor Holm
swimmer (1913)
Patsy Takemoto Mink
U.S. representative (1927)