On This Day for December 8 - John Lennon fatally shot by deranged fan, Sammy Davis, Jr. is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. December 08 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Sammy Davis, Jr. READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1980 John Lennon fatally shot by deranged fan READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2016: American astronaut and politician John Glenn—who was the first U.S. astronaut to orbit Earth, for which he was regarded as a national hero—died at age 95. [ Take our famous astronauts and cosmonauts quiz.] 2010: The American aerospace venture SpaceX became the first commercial company to release a spacecraft—the Dragon capsule—into orbit and successfully return it to Earth. [Test your knowledge of space exploration.] 2004: Mia Hamm, a leading figure in U.S. women's football (soccer), retired from the sport. [ Test your knowledge of football (soccer).] 1991: Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus signed an agreement to form the Commonwealth of Independent States in the wake of the demise of the Soviet Union. [ How much do you know about Russian history?] 1987: The intifāḍah, an uprising of Palestinians in the territories occupied by Israel, began this week. [Take our quiz about the Middle East.] 1987: U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev signed a nuclear weapons reduction treaty. [How much do you know about weapons and warfare?] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1982 Nicki Minaj Trinidadian-born singer, songwriter, and television personality 1542 Mary queen of Scotland 1943 Jim Morrison American singer and songwriter 1925 Sammy Davis, Jr. American entertainer 1961 Ann Coulter American political commentator and author 1865 Jean Sibelius Finnish composer SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2020 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help