54 Events
114 Births
62 Deaths
- 2024 Start of the May 2024 Solar Storms, the most powerful set of Geomagnetic storms since the 2003 Halloween solar storms. ↗
- 2022 Queen Elizabeth II misses the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years. It was the first time that a new session of Parliament was opened by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge acting as Counsellors of State. ↗
- 2017 Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) capture the last footholds of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Al-Tabqah, bringing the Battle of Tabqa to an end. ↗
- 2013 One World Trade Center becomes the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. ↗
- 2012 The Damascus bombings are carried out using a pair of car bombs detonated by suicide bombers outside a military intelligence complex in Damascus, Syria, killing 55 people. ↗
- 2005 A hand grenade thrown by Vladimir Arutyunian lands about 20 m from U.S. President George W. Bush while he is giving a speech to a crowd in Tbilisi, Georgia, but it malfunctions and does not detonate. ↗
- 2002 FBI agent Robert Hanssen is sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for selling United States secrets to Russia for $1.4 million in cash and diamonds. ↗
- 1997 The 7.3 Mw Qayen earthquake strikes Iran's Khorasan Province killing 1,567 people. ↗
- 1996 A blizzard strikes Mount Everest, killing eight climbers by the next day. ↗
- 1994 Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as South Africa's first black president. ↗
- 1993 In Thailand, a fire at the Kader Toy Factory kills over 200 workers. ↗
- 1975 Sony introduces the Betamax videocassette recorder. ↗
- 1969 Vietnam War: The Battle of Dong Ap Bia begins with an assault on Hill 937. It will ultimately become known as Hamburger Hill. ↗
- 1967 The Northrop M2-F2 crashes on landing, becoming the inspiration for the novel Cyborg and TV series The Six Million Dollar Man. ↗
- 1962 Marvel Comics publishes the first issue of The Incredible Hulk. ↗
- 1961 Air France Flight 406 is destroyed by a bomb over the Sahara, killing 78. ↗
- 1946 First successful launch of an American V-2 rocket at White Sands Proving Ground. ↗
- 1942 World War II: The Thai Phayap Army invades the Shan States during the Burma Campaign. ↗
- 1941 World War II: The House of Commons in London is damaged by the Luftwaffe in an air raid. ↗
- 1941 World War II: Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland to try to negotiate a peace deal between the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany. ↗
- 1940 World War II: German fighters accidentally bomb the German city of Freiburg. ↗
- 1940 World War II: Winston Churchill is appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain. On the same day, Germany invades France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom occupies Iceland. ↗
- 1933 Censorship: In Germany, the Nazis stage massive public book burnings. ↗
- 1924 J. Edgar Hoover is appointed first Director of the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and remains so until his death in 1972. ↗
- 1922 The United States annexes the Kingman Reef. ↗
- 1916 Sailing in the lifeboat James Caird, Ernest Shackleton arrives at South Georgia after a journey of 800 nautical miles from Elephant Island. ↗
- 1908 Mother's Day is observed for the first time in the United States, in Grafton, West Virginia. ↗
- 1904 The Horch & Cir. Motorwagenwerke AG is founded. It would eventually become the Audi company. ↗
- 1899 Finnish farmworker Karl Emil Malmelin kills seven people with an axe at the Simola croft in the village of Klaukkala. ↗
- 1881 Carol I is crowned the King of the Romanian Kingdom. ↗
- 1876 The Centennial Exposition is opened in Philadelphia. ↗
- 1872 Victoria Woodhull becomes the first woman nominated for President of the United States. ↗
- 1869 The First transcontinental railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory with the golden spike. ↗
- 1865 American Civil War: In Kentucky, Union soldiers ambush and mortally wound Confederate raider William Quantrill, who lingers until his death on June 6. ↗
- 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857: In India, the first war of Independence begins. Sepoys mutiny against their commanding officers at Meerut. ↗
- 1849 Astor Place Riot: A riot breaks out at the Astor Opera House in Manhattan, New York City over a dispute between actors Edwin Forrest and William Charles Macready, killing at least 22 and injuring over 120. ↗
- 1837 Panic of 1837: New York City banks suspend the payment of specie, triggering a national banking crisis and an economic depression whose severity was not surpassed until the Great Depression. ↗
- 1833 A revolt broke out in southern Vietnam against Emperor Minh Mang, who had desecrated the deceased mandarin Le Van Duyet. ↗
- 1824 The National Gallery in London opens to the public. ↗
- 1801 First Barbary War: The Barbary pirates of Tripoli declare war on the United States of America. ↗
- 1796 War of the First Coalition: Napoleon wins a victory against Austrian forces at Lodi bridge over the Adda River in Italy. The Austrians lose some 2,000 men. ↗
- 1775 American Revolutionary War: A small Colonial militia led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold captures Fort Ticonderoga. ↗
- 1775 American Revolutionary War: The Second Continental Congress takes place in Philadelphia. ↗
- 1774 Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette become King and Queen of France. ↗
- 1773 The Parliament of Great Britain passes the Tea Act, designed to save the British East India Company by reducing taxes on its tea and granting it the right to sell tea directly to North America. The legislation leads to the Boston Tea Party. ↗
- 1768 Rioting occurs in London after John Wilkes is imprisoned for writing an article for The North Briton severely criticising King George III. ↗
- 1713 Great Northern War: The Russian Navy led by Admiral Fyodor Apraksin land both at Katajanokka and Hietalahti during the Battle of Helsinki. ↗
- 1688 King Narai nominates Phetracha as regent, leading to the revolution of 1688 in which Phetracha becomes king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. ↗
- 1534 Jacques Cartier visits Newfoundland. ↗
- 1503 Christopher Columbus visits the Cayman Islands and names them Las Tortugas after the numerous turtles there. ↗
- 1497 Amerigo Vespucci allegedly leaves Cádiz for his first voyage to the New World. ↗
- 1294 Temür, Khagan of the Mongols, is enthroned as Emperor of the Yuan dynasty. ↗
- 1291 Scottish nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England pending the selection of a king. ↗
- 28 BCE A sunspot is observed by Han dynasty astronomers during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han, one of the earliest dated sunspot observations in China. ↗
- 2000 Bae Jin-young, South Korean singer ↗
- 1997 Brittany Broski, American comedian and singer ↗
- 1997 Richarlison, Brazilian footballer ↗
- 1996 Nicolas Aubé-Kubel, Canadian ice hockey player ↗
- 1996 Tyus Jones, American basketball player ↗
- 1996 Kateřina Siniaková, Czech tennis player ↗
- 1996 Alex Tuch, American ice hockey player ↗
- 1995 Andrew Anderson, American bowler ↗
- 1995 Missy Franklin, American swimmer ↗
- 1995 Gabriella Papadakis, French ice dancer ↗
- 1993 Jake Zyrus, Filipino singer ↗
- 1990 Salvador Pérez, Venezuelan baseball player ↗
- 1990 Ivana Španović, Serbian long jumper ↗
- 1988 Adam Lallana, English footballer ↗
- 1985 Ryan Getzlaf, Canadian ice hockey player ↗
- 1985 Farah Jacquet, Belgian politician ↗
- 1985 Jon Schofield, English canoe racer ↗
- 1984 Edward Mujica, Venezuelan baseball player ↗
- 1982 Adebayo Akinfenwa, English footballer ↗
- 1981 Humberto Suazo, Chilean footballer ↗
- 1978 Kenan Thompson, American actor and comedian ↗
- 1977 Adrian Morley, English rugby league player ↗
- 1975 Hazem Emam, Egyptian footballer and politician ↗
- 1975 Hélio Castroneves, Brazilian race car driver ↗
- 1974 Sylvain Wiltord, French footballer ↗
- 1970 David Weir, Scottish footballer ↗
- 1969 Dennis Bergkamp, Dutch footballer and manager ↗
- 1969 John Scalzi, American author and blogger ↗
- 1968 Al Murray, English comedian and television host ↗
- 1968 William Regal, English wrestler ↗
- 1967 Eion Crossan, New Zealand rugby player ↗
- 1966 Jonathan Edwards, English triple jumper ↗
- 1965 Linda Evangelista, Canadian model ↗
- 1965 Greg Fasala, Australian swimmer ↗
- 1965 Paul Langmack, Australian rugby league player and coach ↗
- 1963 Lisa Nowak, American commander and astronaut ↗
- 1962 Robby Thompson, American baseball player and coach ↗
- 1960 Bono, Irish singer-songwriter, musician and activist ↗
- 1960 Dean Heller, American lawyer and politician, United States Senator from Nevada ↗
- 1960 Kerry Hemsley, Australian rugby league player ↗
- 1960 Merlene Ottey, Jamaican-Slovenian runner ↗
- 1959 Victoria Rowell, American actress ↗
- 1959 Cindy Hyde-Smith, American politician, United States Senator from Mississippi ↗
- 1958 Rick Santorum, American lawyer and politician, United States Senator from Pennsylvania ↗
- 1957 Sid Vicious, English singer and bass player (died 1979) ↗
- 1956 Vladislav Listyev, Russian journalist (died 1995) ↗
- 1955 Chris Berman, American sportscaster ↗
- 1955 Mark David Chapman, American murderer ↗
- 1954 Mike Hagerty, American actor (died 2022) ↗
- 1949 Miuccia Prada, Italian fashion designer ↗
- 1946 Donovan, Scottish singer-songwriter ↗
- 1946 Graham Gouldman, English guitarist and songwriter ↗
- 1946 Dave Mason, English singer-songwriter and guitarist ↗
- 1944 Marie-France Pisier, French actress, director, and screenwriter (died 2011) ↗
- 1943 Raquel Blandón, Guatemalan lawyer and activist, First Lady of Guatemala (died 2024) ↗
- 1943 Judith Jamison, American dancer and choreographer (died 2024) ↗
- 1942 Jim Calhoun, American basketball player and coach ↗
- 1940 Arthur Alexander, American country-soul singer-songwriter (died 1993) ↗
- 1938 Manuel Santana, Spanish tennis player (died 2021) ↗
- 1935 Larry Williams, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (died 1980) ↗
- 1933 Barbara Taylor Bradford, British novelist (died 2024) ↗
- 1931 Ettore Scola, Italian director and screenwriter (died 2016) ↗
- 1930 George E. Smith, American physicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2025) ↗
- 1929 George Coe, American actor and producer (died 2015) ↗
- 1928 Arnold Rüütel, Estonian agronomist and politician, President of Estonia (died 2024) ↗
- 1928 Lothar Schmid, German chess player (died 2013) ↗
- 1926 Hugo Banzer, Bolivian general and politician, President of Bolivia (died 2002) ↗
- 1923 Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan general and politician, President of Azerbaijan (died 2003) ↗
- 1922 David Azrieli, Polish-Canadian businessman and philanthropist (died 2014) ↗
- 1922 Nancy Walker, American actress, singer, and director (died 1992) ↗
- 1920 Bert Weedon, English guitarist (died 2012) ↗
- 1919 Ella T. Grasso, Governor of Connecticut (died 1981) ↗
- 1915 Denis Thatcher, English businessman, Spouse of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died 2003) ↗
- 1909 Maybelle Carter, American autoharp player (died 1978) ↗
- 1908 Carl Albert, American lawyer and politician, 54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (died 2000) ↗
- 1905 Alex Schomburg, Puerto Rican artist and illustrator (died 1998) ↗
- 1903 Otto Bradfisch, German economist, jurist, and SS officer (died 1994) ↗
- 1902 David O. Selznick, American producer and screenwriter (died 1965) ↗
- 1901 John Desmond Bernal, Irish-English crystallographer and physicist (died 1971) ↗
- 1900 Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, English-American astronomer and astrophysicist (died 1979) ↗
- 1899 Fred Astaire, American actor, singer, and dancer (died 1987) ↗
- 1898 Ariel Durant, American historian and author (died 1981) ↗
- 1897 Einar Gerhardsen, Norwegian politician, Prime Minister of Norway (died 1987) ↗
- 1895 Joe Murphy, (Irish-American), died during the 1920 Cork hunger strike (died 1920) ↗
- 1894 Dimitri Tiomkin, Ukrainian-American composer and conductor (died 1979) ↗
- 1893 Tonita Peña, San Ildefonso Pueblo (Native American) artist (died 1949) ↗
- 1891 Mahmoud Mokhtar, Egyptian sculptor and academic (died 1934) ↗
- 1890 Alfred Jodl, German general (died 1946) ↗
- 1888 Max Steiner, Austrian-American composer and conductor (died 1971) ↗
- 1886 Karl Barth, Swiss theologian and author (died 1968) ↗
- 1879 Symon Petliura, Ukrainian journalist and politician (died 1926) ↗
- 1878 Konstantinos Parthenis, Greek painter (died 1967) ↗
- 1878 Gustav Stresemann, German journalist and politician, Chancellor of Germany, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1929) ↗
- 1876 Ivan Cankar, Slovenian poet and playwright (died 1918) ↗
- 1872 Marcel Mauss, French sociologist and anthropologist (died 1950) ↗
- 1855 Yukteswar Giri, Indian guru and educator (died 1936) ↗
- 1847 Wilhelm Killing, German mathematician and academic (died 1923) ↗
- 1843 Benito Pérez Galdós – Spanish author and playwright (died 1920) ↗
- 1841 James Gordon Bennett Jr., American publisher and broadcaster (died 1918) ↗
- 1838 John Wilkes Booth, American actor, assassin of Abraham Lincoln (died 1865) ↗
- 1813 Montgomery Blair, American lieutenant and politician, 20th United States Postmaster General (died 1883) ↗
- 1812 William Henry Barlow, English engineer (died 1902) ↗
- 1793 R. E. B. Baylor, American politician and jurist (died 1873) ↗
- 1788 Augustin-Jean Fresnel, French physicist and engineer (died 1827) ↗
- 1770 Louis-Nicolas Davout, French general and politician, French Minister of War (died 1823) ↗
- 1760 Johann Peter Hebel, German author and poet (died 1826) ↗
- 1760 Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, French captain, engineer, and composer (died 1836) ↗
- 1755 Robert Gray, American captain and explorer (died 1806) ↗
- 1727 Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot, Baron de Laune, French economist and politician (died 1781) ↗
- 1697 Jean-Marie Leclair, French violinist and composer (died 1764) ↗
- 1604 Jean Mairet, French author and playwright (died 1686) ↗
- 1491 Suzanne, Duchess of Bourbon (died 1521) ↗
- 955 Al-Aziz Billah, Fatimid caliph (died 996) ↗
- 874 Meng Zhixiang, Chinese general and emperor (died 934) ↗
- 2024 Sam Rubin, American journalist (born 1960) ↗
- 2024 Jim Simons, American hedge fund manager, mathematician, and philanthropist (born 1938) ↗
- 2022 Bob Lanier, American professional basketball player (born 1948) ↗
- 2022 Leonid Kravchuk, Ukrainian politician (born 1934) ↗
- 2021 Pauline Tinsley, British soprano (born 1928) ↗
- 2020 Betty Wright, American soul singer (born 1953) ↗
- 2019 Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, Spanish politician and chemist (born 1951) ↗
- 2018 David Goodall, Australian botanist and ecologist (born 1914) ↗
- 2015 Chris Burden, American sculptor, illustrator, and academic (born 1946) ↗
- 2012 Horst Faas, German photographer and journalist (born 1933) ↗
- 2012 Carroll Shelby, American race car driver and designer (born 1923) ↗
- 2012 Gunnar Sønsteby, Norwegian captain and author (born 1918) ↗
- 2010 Frank Frazetta, American illustrator and painter (born 1928) ↗
- 2008 Leyla Gencer, Turkish soprano (born 1928) ↗
- 2006 Soraya, Colombian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1969) ↗
- 2003 Milan Vukcevich, Serbian-American chemist and chess player (born 1937) ↗
- 2002 Kaifi Azmi, Indian poet and songwriter (born 1919) ↗
- 2002 Yves Robert, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1920) ↗
- 2001 Sudhakarrao Naik, Indian politician, Governor of Himachal Pradesh (born 1934) ↗
- 2000 Jules Deschênes, Canadian lawyer and judge (born 1923) ↗
- 2000 Dick Sprang, American illustrator (born 1915) ↗
- 1999 Shel Silverstein, American poet, author, and illustrator (born 1930) ↗
- 1994 John Wayne Gacy, American serial killer (born 1942) ↗
- 1990 Walker Percy, American novelist and essayist (born 1916) ↗
- 1989 Dominik Tatarka, Slovak writer (born 1913) ↗
- 1988 Shen Congwen, Chinese author and academic (born 1902) ↗
- 1982 Peter Weiss, German playwright and painter (born 1916) ↗
- 1977 Joan Crawford, American actress (year of birth disputed) ↗
- 1974 Hal Mohr, American director and cinematographer (born 1894) ↗
- 1968 Scotty Beckett, American actor and singer (born 1929) ↗
- 1965 Hubertus van Mook, Dutch politician, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (born 1894) ↗
- 1964 Mikhail Larionov, Russian painter, illustrator, and set designer (born 1881) ↗
- 1960 Yury Olesha, Russian author, poet, and playwright (born 1899) ↗
- 1950 Belle da Costa Greene, American librarian and bibliographer (born 1883) ↗
- 1945 Richard Glücks, German SS officer (born 1889) ↗
- 1945 Konrad Henlein, Czech soldier and politician (born 1898) ↗
- 1910 Stanislao Cannizzaro, Italian chemist and academic (born 1826) ↗
- 1897 Andrés Bonifacio, Filipino soldier and politician, President of the Philippines (born 1863) ↗
- 1891 Carl Nägeli, Swiss botanist and mycologist (born 1817) ↗
- 1891 Peter Ward, New York politician (born 1827) ↗
- 1889 Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, Russian journalist, author, and playwright (born 1826) ↗
- 1868 Henry Bennett, American lawyer and politician (born 1808) ↗
- 1865 William Armstrong, American lawyer, civil servant, politician, and businessperson (born 1782) ↗
- 1863 Stonewall Jackson, American general (born 1824) ↗
- 1849 Hokusai, Japanese painter and illustrator (born 1760) ↗
- 1829 Ling Ma – English physician and linguist (born 1773) ↗
- 1818 Paul Revere, American engraver and soldier (born 1735) ↗
- 1807 Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, French general (born 1725) ↗
- 1798 George Vancouver, English navigator and explorer (born 1757) ↗
- 1794 Élisabeth of France, French princess and youngest sibling of Louis XVI (born 1764) ↗
- 1787 William Watson, English physician, physicist, and botanist (born 1715) ↗
- 1774 Louis XV, King of France (born 1710) ↗
- 1726 Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans, English soldier and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire (born 1670) ↗
- 1717 John Hathorne, American merchant and politician (born 1641) ↗
- 1641 Johan Banér, Swedish field marshal (born 1596) ↗
- 1569 John of Ávila, Spanish mystic and saint (born 1500) ↗
- 1566 Leonhart Fuchs, German physician and botanist (born 1501) ↗
- 1521 Sebastian Brant, German author (born 1457) ↗
- 1493 Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll, Scottish politician, Lord Chancellor of Scotland (born 1433) ↗
- 1482 Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli, Italian mathematician and astronomer (born 1397) ↗
- 1403 Katherine Swynford, widow of John of Gaunt ↗
- 1299 Theingapati, heir to the Pagan Kingdom ↗