1741
Politics
Palace coup and accession as Empress of Russia
Elizabeth led a bloodless palace coup in St. Petersburg, overthrowing infant Emperor Ivan VI and proclaiming herself Empress.
View detailsThis Day
06December
31 indexed achievements across recorded history.
1788
Science
Death of Nicole-Reine Lepaute
Nicole-Reine Lepaute died on 6 December 1788 in Saint-Cloud near Paris.
View details1788
Science
Death of Nicole-Reine Lepaute in Saint-Cloud
Nicole-Reine Lepaute died on 6 December 1788 in Saint-Cloud near Paris, after a pioneering career in astronomical calculation.
View details1815
Activism
Birth of Jane Grey Cannon Swisshelm
Birth of Jane Grey Cannon Swisshelm in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on December 6, 1815.
View details1833
Science
Hosts founding meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society
Lucretia and James Mott hosted the organizing meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society at their Philadelphia home, making her a founding figure of the national movement.
View details1834
Science
Birth of Harriet Ruth Brisbane Tracy
Harriet Ruth Brisbane Tracy was born in Charleston, South Carolina, later becoming a prolific American inventor with at least 27 patents.
View details1850
Arts
Philadelphia concert on American tour
Jenny Lind sang in Philadelphia during her American tour, part of a series of highly attended concerts across the United States.
View details1851
Activism
Founded the Normal School for Colored Girls in Washington, D.C.
Miner opened a school in Washington, D.C. to train free Black women as teachers, one of the first institutions of its kind in the slaveholding capital.
View details1873
1884
Literature
Birth of Cornelia Meigs
Cornelia Meigs was born on December 6, 1884, in Rock Island, Illinois.
View details1887
Science
Patent granted for dam and reservoir construction
Strong's best-known patent, for dam and reservoir construction, was granted, becoming foundational to dry-land irrigation and flood-control engineering.
View details1888
Science
Birth of Libbie Henrietta Hyman
Libbie Henrietta Hyman was born in Des Moines, Iowa.
View details1889
1898
Arts
Birth of Greta von Nessen in Malmö, Sweden
Birth of industrial designer Greta von Nessen in Malmö, Sweden.
View details1904
1912
Arts
Discovery of the Nefertiti Bust at Amarna
Borchardt's team discovered Nefertiti's bust in 1912, bringing her prominence.
View details1913
Law
Death of Phoebe Couzins
Phoebe Couzins died in St. Louis, Missouri, on December 6, 1913.
View details1918
Arts
Arrival in Paris as an émigré
The Łempicki family arrived in Paris after fleeing revolutionary Russia.
View details1920
Science
Birth in Detroit, Michigan
Anna Der-Vartanian was born in Detroit, Michigan, to a family of Armenian refugees who had fled Turkey.
View details1923
Politics
Elected Labour MP for Northampton
Bondfield was elected Labour MP for Northampton in 1923.
View details1927
Politics
Birth of Patsy Mink
Patsy Matsu Takemoto Mink was born in Paia, Maui, Territory of Hawaii.
View details1951
Arts
Named President of the Fashion Group
Virginia Pope was elected president of the Fashion Group, Inc., a prominent professional organization of women in the fashion industry.
View details1956
Sports
Gold Medal at 1956 Melbourne Olympics
Faith Leech won a gold medal in the 4x100 metre freestyle relay at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
View details1956
Sports
Bronze Medal in 100 Metre Freestyle
Faith Leech claimed bronze in the 100 metre freestyle at the 1956 Olympics.
View details1960
Activism
Establishment of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Margaret Murie contributed to the creation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
View details1999
Arts
Death of Regina Ghazaryan
Regina Ghazaryan passed away, ending her remarkable journey as an Armenian painter and art curator.
View details2001
Literature
Marriage to Neil Murray
Rowling marries Dr. Neil Murray in a private ceremony in Scotland.
View details2010
Arts
World auction record for Southwest American Indian pottery
A Nampeyo pot sold for $350,000 at Bonhams Auction House, setting a world record for Southwest American Indian pottery.
View details2014
Science
Died in Melbourne, Australia, aged 32
Stella Young died suddenly on 6 December 2014 in Melbourne at the age of 32, prompting an outpouring of tributes across Australia and internationally.
View details2015
Science
Kennedy Center Honors recipient
Tyson was honored at the 38th Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., recognizing her lifetime of boundary-shattering performances.
View details2018
Science
Inducted into U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame
Gladys West was inducted into the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame for her pivotal role in GPS development; she remains its only Black woman inductee.
View details