This Day In History, December 10th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on December 10th
In Stockholm, Sweden, the first Nobel Prizes are awarded. The Nobel Prizes were founded by the will of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish inventor and manufacturer who died in 1896.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. The declaration marks a watershed moment in human rights history, outlining the fundamental rights and liberties that all people should have.
Martin Luther King Jr. accepts the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his efforts to advance racial rights in the United States. King was the prize's youngest recipient at the time.
The World Health Organization certifies the elimination of smallpox in 1979. Smallpox was a highly infectious and frequently fatal illness that had afflicted humans for generations.
In Oslo, Norway, President Barack Obama gets the Nobel Peace Prize. Obama received the award for his efforts to enhance international diplomacy and people-to-people engagement.
1901 - The first Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden. The prizes were established by the will of Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel, who died in 1896.
Alfred Nobel, a Swedish scientist, engineer, and inventor best known for developing dynamite, was born in 1896. When he died in 1896, he donated the majority of his wealth to create the Nobel Prizes, which are presented yearly to people and organizations for extraordinary contributions in domains including as physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace. The first Nobel Prizes were presented on December 10, 1901, and they have since become one of the world's most renowned and sought-after accolades.
1948 - The United Nations General Assembly adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration is a milestone in the history of human rights and outlines the basic rights and freedoms that should be afforded to all people.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a watershed moment in human rights history. On December 10, 1948, in Paris, France, the United Nations General Assembly accepted it. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights emphasizes the fundamental rights and liberties that all individuals should have, regardless of race, gender, religion, or other status. The text has been translated into over 500 languages and has influenced the formation of several international treaties and national legislation. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an important instrument for promoting and preserving human rights across the world.
1964 - Martin Luther King Jr. receives the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in advancing civil rights in the United States. King was the youngest person at the time to receive the prize.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a notable civil rights activist in the United States who used nonviolent civil disobedience to campaign for racial equality and justice. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his efforts to advance civil rights and racial equality via nonviolent methods. He was the prize's youngest ever recipient at the time. King's acceptance speech for the award underlined the necessity of nonviolent resistance and tackling social and economic inequity as a method of achieving enduring peace. King's legacy continues to inspire people all across the world to fight for human rights and social justice.
1979 - The eradication of smallpox is certified by the World Health Organization. Smallpox was a highly contagious and often deadly disease that had plagued humanity for centuries.
Smallpox is a highly contagious and frequently fatal viral illness that has afflicted humanity for generations, producing massive outbreaks and epidemics. The World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a global smallpox eradication campaign in 1967, which included mass vaccination efforts as well as epidemic tracking and containment. Smallpox was declared eliminated by the WHO on December 9, 1979, after more than a decade of rigorous efforts, making it the first illness in human history to be eradicated by purposeful human intervention. The elimination of smallpox has been heralded as one of the greatest public health triumphs of the twentieth century, inspiring similar attempts to eradicate other illnesses like as polio and guinea worm.
2009 - President Barack Obama accepts the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway. Obama was awarded the prize for his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.
President Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize mere months after taking office as President of the United States in 2009. He was honored for his efforts to enhance international diplomacy and people-to-people collaboration, as well as his vision of a future free of nuclear weapons. Obama stated in his acceptance address in Oslo, Norway, that he had just recently began his job as President and that he did not feel deserving of the distinction, but he underlined the need of seeking peace and diplomacy in a world that still faced many problems and conflicts. At the time, some argued that Obama had not yet accomplished enough to warrant such a distinguished honor, while others commended his efforts to promote peace and diplomacy on the global arena.