TODAY IN HISTORY

Today is Wednesday, Dec. 23, the 358th day of 2020. There are eight days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History: On Dec. 23, 1954, the first successful human kidney transplant took place at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston as a surgical team removed a kidney from 23-year-old Ronald Herrick and implanted it in Herrick’s twin brother, Richard.

On this date:

■ In 1783, George Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Continental Army and retired to his home at Mount Vernon, Virginia.

■ In 1913, the Federal Reserve System was created as President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act.

Ten years ago: Mail bombs blamed on anarchists exploded at the Swiss and Chilean embassies in Rome, seriously wounding two people.

Five years ago: Protesters blocked access to a terminal and caused significant holiday traffic delays around Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after staging a Black Lives Matter rally.

One year ago: Boeing ousted CEO Dennis Muilenburg as the company remained engulfed in the crisis stemming from the crash of two of its 737 Max airliners.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Ronnie Schell is 89. Former Emperor Akihito of Japan is

87. Actor Frederic Forrest is

84. Actor-comedian Harry Shearer is 77. U.S. Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark (ret.) is 76. Actor Susan Lucci is 74. Singermusician Adrian Belew is 71. Rock musician Dave Murray (Iron Maiden) is 64. Actor Joan Severance is 62. Singer Terry Weeks is 57. Rock singer Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) is

56. The former first lady of France, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, is 53. Rock musician Jamie Murphy is 45. Jazz musician Irvin Mayfield is 43. Actor Elvy Yost is 33. Actor Anna Maria Perez de Tagle is 30. Actor Spencer Daniels is 28. Actor Caleb Foote is 27.