Five Bullets 12.12.25: This Week In History
What's capturing our attention: Alfred Nobel, Human Rights, John Coltrane, Charles Schultz, and John Lennon.
Good Morning Friends -
Happy Friday! Here’s what’s capturing my attention this week:
December 10, 1896. Swedish scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel dies, his will stipulating that his fortune be used for yearly prizes to people who “conferred the greatest benefit to humankind” in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. The first Nobel Prizes were awarded on the fifth anniversary of Nobel’s death in 1901 and 633 prizes have been awarded since.
December 10, 1948. The United Nations adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which sets forth 30 articles of fundamental human rights and freedoms of all people regardless of distinction. The Declaration, together with two international covenants which expanded on the declaration, comprise the UN’s International Bill of Human Rights. The Declaration has been translated into 500 languages and Human Rights Day is celebrated annually.
December 9th, 1964. John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones enter Rudy Van Gelder’s studio to record Coltrane’s masterpiece A Love Supreme, cutting the album in a single session. The record is Coltrane’s spiritual awakening expressing gratitude, prayer and devotion to God who helped him overcome addiction and realize his music as manifestation of a higher power. Alice Coltrane recalled when her husband came down from the attic of their home after working on the music for nearly five days with little food or breaks he said, “This is the first time that I have received all of the music for what I want to record, in a suite, the first time I have everything, everything ready.”
December 9th, 1965. A Charlie Brown Christmas premieres on television, becoming an instant classic. Creator Charles Schultz drew every strip of Peanuts, which ran from 1950 until his passing in 2000 with 17,897 comic strips published in 2,600 newspapers. Schultz said he had some of his best ideas when he was feeling down.
December 8th, 1980. The Beatles musician John Lennon is shot and killed outside his Manhattan home by Mark David Chapman. Annie Leibovitz’s portrait of Lennon and Yoko Ono was taken earlier that day. On the anniversary of Lennon’s death, I’m always reminds me of the bittersweet message of Plastic Ono Band’s Happy Xmas (War Is Over).
What’s capturing your attention this week? Email me by hitting reply or leave a comment.
Thanks for reading Circles In Space. Subscribe to get Five Bullets every Friday.
If you’d like to support Circles In Space, please leave a tip below. Your generosity helps keep the newsletter up and running.
See you next week!
-Keith
That's crazy Schultz made 18k comic strips! My kids are big into the peanuts movie that came out in 2015 so we're in a big Charlie Brown phrase right now lol.