Ibn Battuta, one of the most accomplished travelers of the medieval Islamic world, completed his travelogue known as the Rihla, or Journey, on this day in 1355.

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On this day, Ella Baker - an organizer in the Civil Rights Movement who worked with the NAACP, SNCC, and SCLC - was born. 

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The Oaks Colliery exploded on this day in 1866.

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On this day in 1899, Dr. George F. Grant, a dentist, received the first ever patent for a golf tee. 

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Louis XVI was indicted for treason on this day in 1792. There's more detail in the November 19, 2008 episode of Stuff You Missed in History Class.

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On this day in 1978, a group of robbers affiliated with organized crime stole around $6 million in cash and jewelry from the JFK International Airport in New York. 

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Japan's 300 Million Yen Robbery took place on this day in 1968

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On this day in 1907, riots incited by pro-vivisection medical students in London peaked. The conflict centered around the vivisection of a brown dog, its resulting death, and a memorial erected in its honor.  

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The Cretan Autonomous State was established on this day in 1898 under the Julian calendar. By the Gregorian calendar, it was December 21.

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On this day in 1979, members of the Global Commission for the Certification of Smallpox Eradication signed a statement that declared that smallpox had been eradicated worldwide.

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