A page from the past - December

Dec. 1, 1955 Rosa Parks stands up to an Alabama law requiring that black passengers relinquish seats to white passengers when a bus is full. She was arrested for her actions, leading to a 1956 Supreme Court decision banning segregation on public transportation. Source: Library of Congress Photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Dec. 2, 1763 The Touro Synagogue in Newport, R.I., becomes the first synagogue in what will eventually become the United States when the local Jewish community dedicates the structure. The synagogue was designed by English architect Peter Harrison. Source: Library of Congress Photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Dec. 3, 1917 The Quebec Bridge, which spans the St. Lawrence River, opens to traffic near Quebec. When the project reached completion, the bridge stood as the world's longest cantilever truss span. Source: www.historychannel.com Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Foundation
Dec. 5, 1955 The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations combine. The joining of two of the nation's largest labor organizations created the AFL-CIO. Source: www.historychannel.com
Dec. 8, 1886 A group of disgruntled unionists representing a variety of craft unions meets in Columbus, Ohio, to discuss forming a new labor organization. The group decided it was a good idea and with that decision, the American Federation of Labor was born. Source: www.historychannel.com
Dec. 11, 1919 The boll weevil assumes a place of honor in Enterprise, Ala., when citizens erect a monument to an insect that devastated area cotton fields. The tiny beetle was destructive, but it also forced residents to end their dependence on cotton and pursue mixed farming and manufacturing. Source: Library of Congress
Dec. 16, 2004 The Milwaukee County Board passes the Park East Redevelopment Compact with a 15-4 vote. The resolution set hiring and construction standards for the development of the 16-acre piece of land near downtown Milwaukee.
Dec. 18, 1930 The University of Wisconsin Badgers basketball team dedicates the school's new Fieldhouse in Madison in style with a 25-12 victory over the University of Pennsylvania. Source: Wisconsin Historical Society Image courtesy of UW Digital Collections
Dec. 24, 1822 Clement C. Moore pens "A Visit from St. Nicholas," which is now known as "The Night Before Christmas." It is thought that Moore wrote the tale while traveling home from New York City's Greenwich Village after buying a turkey for his family's Christmas dinner. Source: Library of Congress Image courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Dec. 27, 1932 Radio City Music Hall, designed by Donald Desky, opens to the public in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Source: Library of Congress Photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
A Page from the Past is always interested in your history. So send your important historical dates and photos to Chris Thompson at chris.thompson@dailyreporter.com or Wisconsin Builder at 133 S. Butler St., Suite 230, Madison, WI 53703.