May 4th in History

Michael Dobson | May 4

Today in History

  • Napoléon arrives on Elba to begin his exile (1814)
  • Construction of the Panama Canal begins (1904)
  • Rolls meets Royce (1904)
  • Al Capone begins his prison sentence (1932)
  • World War II: The Battle of the Coral Sea begins (1942)
  • The first Grammy Awards are given (1959)
  • American Civil Rights Movement: The Freedom Riders begin their bus trip through the South (1961)
  • National Guardsmen shoot and kill four unarmed students during a protest at Kent State University (1970)
  • Oliver North is convicted of three crimes in the Iran-Contra Affair, although they are overturned on appeal (1989)
  • The Unabomber (Ted Kaczynski) is sentenced to four life sentences plus 30 years (1990)

Birthdays

 

  • Bartolomeo Cristofori, inventor of the piano (1655)
  • Julia Gardener Tyler, first lady (1820)
  • Thomas Huxley, biologist (1825)
  • Frederic Church, painter (1826)
  • Alice Liddell, inspiration for Alice in Wonderland (1852)
  • Francis Spellman, cardinal (1889)
  • Hosni Mubarak (حسني مبارك), Egyptian president (1928)
  • Audrey Hepburn, actress (1929)
  • Ron Carter, jazz bassist (1937)
  • Amos Oz, Israeli journalist and author (1939)
  • Robin Cook, physician and author (1940)
  • George Will, political columnist (1941)
  • Pia Zadora, actress and singer (1954)
  • Keith Haring, artist (1958)
  • Randy Travis, singer-songwriter (1959)
  • Will Arnett, actor (1970)
  • Lance Bass, musician (1979)

Deaths

  • Tipu Sultan, Sultan of Mysore (1799)
  • E. Nesbit, fantasy author (1924)
  • Moe Howard, member of the Three Stooges (1975)
  • Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslavian president (1980)
  • Diana Dors, actress (1984)
  • Paul Butterfield, musician (1987)
  • David Hackworth, soldier and military journalist (2005)
  • Dom DeLuise, actor (2009)
  • Adam Yauch, member of the Beastie Boys (2012)
  • Dick Ayers, comics artist (2014)

Holidays and Celebrations

  • Anti-Bullying Day (United Nations)
  • Bird Day (United States)
  • Cassinga Day (Namibia)
  • Day of the Adoption of the Declaration of Independence (Latvia)
  • Death of Milan Rastislav Štefánik Day (Slovakia)
  • Greenery Day (Japan)
  • International Firefighters’ Day
  • Literary Day (Republic of China)
  • Youth Day (People’s Republic of China)
  • Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled (Afghanistan)
  • Remembrance of the Dead (Netherlands)
  • Star Wars Day
  • Youth Day (Fiji)
Informal and made-up holidays include May the Fourth Be With You Day, International Respect for Chickens Day, Petite and Proud Day, and World Give Day.