On This Date In History

"Making Every Day Count"
May History Facts

Birthdays

  • Elias Boudinot - May. 2, 1740
  • Bing Crosby - May. 3, 1903
  • Warren Barfield - May. 4, 1979
  • Randy Travis - May. 4, 1959
  • Frederic Edwin Church - May. 4, 1826
  • Tammy Wynette - May. 5, 1942
  • George "Gabby" Hayes - May. 7, 1885
  • Harry S. Truman - May. 8, 1884
  • Yogi Berra - May. 12, 1925
  • Florence Nightingale - May. 12, 1820
  • Emmitt Smith - May. 15, 1969
  • Andre The Seal - May. 16, 1961
  • Henry Fonda - May. 16, 1905
  • Reggie Jackson - May. 18, 1946
  • Matthew Brady - May. 18, 1822
  • James "Jimmy" Stewart - May. 20, 1908
  • Dolley Madison - May. 20, 1768
  • Ambrose Burnside - May. 23, 1824
  • Bob Dylan - May. 24, 1941
  • Henry Calvin - May. 25, 1918
  • Jay Silverheels - May. 26, 1912
  • John Wayne - May. 26, 1907
  • Johann Wyss - May. 28, 1743
  • Patirck Henry - May. 29, 1736
  • Gale Sayers - May. 30, 1943
  • Wilbur Wright - May. 30, 1912
  • Benny Goodman - May. 30, 1909

Events

  • The Chicago World's Fair opens - May. 1, 1893
  • Lou Gehrig benches himself, never plays MLB ball again - May. 2, 1939
  • Stonewall Jackson seriously wounded by friendly fire - May. 2, 1863
  • Charles Spurgeon Baptised - May. 3, 1850
  • United States begins work on Panama Canal - May. 4, 1904
  • The "house that Ruth built" begins construction - May. 5, 1922
  • Hindenburg disaster - May. 6, 1937
  • Battle of Chancellorsville ends - May. 6, 1863
  • Sinking of the Lusitania - May. 7, 1915
  • Victory in Europe Day - May. 8, 1945
  • Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom - May. 10, 1940
  • Golden spike driven to finish the First Transcontinental Railroad - U.S. - May. 10, 1869
  • Stonewall Jackson dies from Pneumonia - May. 10, 1863
  • William Wilberforce makes first major abolition of slave trade speech - May. 12, 1789
  • Custer, 7th Cvlry leave Ft. Lincoln to force Indians onto reservations - May. 17, 1876
  • Lindburgh begins attempt at first solo non-stop flight across Atlantic - May. 20, 1927
  • Lindburgh completes first non-stop solo flight across Atlantic - May. 21, 1927
  • First meeting of American Red Cross held; Clara Barton, President - May. 21, 1881
  • First Meeting Of S.F.E.A.S.T. Held - May. 22, 1787
  • HMS Hood opens fire on the battleship Bismarck - May. 24, 1941
  • HMS Hood sunk by battleship Bismarck - May. 24, 1941
  • First Message in American Morse Code Sent from D.C. to Baltimore - May. 24, 1844
  • Last Battle of battleship Bismarck begins - May. 26, 1941
  • Battleship Bismark begins to sink - May. 27, 1941
  • British fleet sinks battleship Bismarck - May. 27, 1941
  • Patent Filed For Pop-Up Toaster - May. 29, 1848
  • Rhode Island Ratifies The U.S. Constitution - May. 29, 1790
  • William Wilberforce marries Barbara Ann Spooner - May. 30, 1797
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