December 15 in History

• 1939

  December 15, 1939:

  The epic historical romance film, “Gone with the Wind” is premiered in Atlanta, Georgia.

• 1948

  December 15, 1948:

  Alger Hiss, a former official of the US Department of State, gets indicted on two counts of perjury for refusing to disclose his dealings with Whittaker Chambers.

• 1955

  December 15, 1955:

  American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash releases his single, “Folsom Prison Blues”.

• 1973

  December 15, 1973:

  The American Psychiatric Association issues its resolution that homosexuality is not a mental illness.

• 1989

  December 15, 1989:

  The revolution which would eventually oust Romanian communist President Nicolae Ceaușescu from office begins with anti-government demonstrations in Timișoara.

• 1993

  December 15, 1993:

  The Steven Spielberg-directed film, “Schindler's List” begins showing in theatres across the United States.

• 1997

  December 15, 1997:

  The people of Guyana elect Janet Rosenberg Jagan as their first female and first white President.

• 2001

  December 15, 2001:

  The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy reopens to the public following over a decade of rehabilitation to keep it stable.

• 2008

  December 15, 2008:

  The divorce between singer Madonna and film director Guy Ritchie is finalized on the grounds of unreasonable behavior by Ritchie.

• 2011

  December 15, 2011:

  The United States of America declares that it is ending its mission in Iraq, signifying an end to the Iraq War.