December 2 in History
December 2 is the anniversary of the death of Helmut Duckadam (2024). Below are deaths, events for December 2, plus editor's picks and genealogy records.
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Emperor Jianwen of Liang, emperor of the Chinese Liang dynasty was born in 503, while Pope Silverius died in 537.
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Famous people who died on December 2
2020
Pat Patterson (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
Canadian-American professional wrestler (1941–2020)
2015
George T. Sakato (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
George T. Sakato, American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient (born 1921)
2012
Ehsan Naraghi (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
Ehsan Naraghi, Iranian sociologist and author (born 1926)
2008
Edward S. Rogers Jr. (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
Canadian businessman and philanthropist (1933-2008)
2007
Elizabeth Hardwick (writer) (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
American writer and literary critic (1916–2007)
What happened on December 2
- 2020
Cannabis is removed from the list of most dangerous drugs of the international drug control treaty by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2016
Thirty-six people die in a fire at a converted Oakland, California, warehouse serving as an artist collective.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2015
San Bernardino attack: Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik kill 14 people and wound 22 at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2001
Enron files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1999
The United Kingdom devolves political power in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Executive following the Good Friday Agreement.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1993
Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar is shot and killed by police in Medellín.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1993
Space Shuttle program: STS-61: NASA launches the Space Shuttle Endeavour on a mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1992
Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-53 for the United States Department of Defense.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1991
Canada and Poland become the first nations to recognize the independence of Ukraine from the Soviet Union.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1990
Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on STS-35, carrying the ASTRO-1 spacelab observatory.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1989
The Peace Agreement of Hat Yai is signed and ratified by the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) and the governments of Malaysia and Thailand, ending the over two-decade-long communist insurgency in Malaysia.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1988
Benazir Bhutto is sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first woman to head the government of a Muslim-majority state.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1988
Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on STS-27, a classified mission for the United States Department of Defense.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1982
At the University of Utah, Barney Clark becomes the first person to receive a permanent artificial heart.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1980
Salvadoran Civil War: Four American missionaries are raped and murdered by a death squad.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab)
Births, deaths and events from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab).
Editor's picks
Born on December 2
- 503 — Emperor Jianwen of Liang, emperor of the Chinese Liang dynasty (died 551)
- 1501 — Queen Munjeong, Korean queen (died 1565)
- 1578 — Agostino Agazzari, Italian composer and theorist (died 1641)
Died on December 2
- 537 — Pope Silverius
- 930 — Ma Yin, Chinese warlord, king of Chu (Ten Kingdoms) (born 853)
- 949 — Odo of Wetterau, German nobleman
Source: Wikipedia historical listings for December 2
Quick answers
Who died on December 2? Helmut Duckadam (2024), Neale Fraser (2024), Paul Maslansky (2024).
Explore genealogy records
Researching someone born in December? Search birth records
Live genealogy events
This calendar is live and has its own date controls; it is separate from the December 2 historical article above.
Ancestry
Holiday Sale: 65% off AncestryDNA. Offer ends 11/19. Terms apply.
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Ancestry
AncestryDNA® with Traits
Ethnicity estimate, DNA matches and personal traits.