Famous people born on December 20th
December 20 brings together an unusually wide spread of innovators, artists, thinkers, and leaders. The date ranges from early modern theatre to 20th-century philosophy, from breakthrough business builders to boundary-pushing musicians and athletes. Across eras and disciplines, many December 20 birthdays share a reputation for shaping culture through craft, conviction, and originality.
Notable highlights
- Branch Rickey (1881) - As a baseball executive, he engineered the signing of Jackie Robinson, helping break MLB's color barrier.
- Patti Smith (1946) - A punk-poetry trailblazer whose album "Horses" became a touchstone for rock lyricism and attitude.
- Harvey S. Firestone (1868) - Built Firestone into a tire powerhouse that helped power the rise of mass automobile travel.
- David Bohm (1917) - A theoretical physicist known for "Bohmian mechanics" and influential ideas about quantum interpretation and wholeness.
- Sandra Cisneros (1954) - Author of "The House on Mango Street", a landmark in Chicana literature with enduring classroom and cultural impact.
- Dick Wolf (1946) - Creator of the "Law & Order" franchise, a defining force in modern procedural television.
- Ramana Maharshi (1879) - A major Indian sage associated with self-inquiry teachings centered on the question "Who am I?"
- Kylian Mbappe (1998) - A global football star who won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France as a teenager.
On this day
- 1192 - Richard the Lionheart is captured near Vienna while returning from the Third Crusade, triggering a high-profile ransom crisis.
- 1803 - The Louisiana Purchase is formally completed with the transfer of New Orleans, doubling the size of the United States.
- 1860 - South Carolina votes to secede from the United States, a pivotal step toward the American Civil War.
- 1999 - Portugal transfers sovereignty of Macau to China, ending centuries of Portuguese administration.