On This Day — May 12

Famous events, births, and deaths from May 12 in history, plus the public holidays, religious observances, sports, and national days happening on this date today.

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51 events · 188 births · 83 deaths recorded for May 12.

🕰️ Notable Events on May 12

2017 — A ransomware attack attacks over 400 thousand computers worldwide, targeting computers of the UK'S National Health Services and Telefónica computers. Wikipedia ↗
2015 — A train derailment in Philadelphia kills eight people and injures more than 200. Wikipedia ↗
2015 — Massive Nepal earthquake kills 218 people and injures more than 3500. Wikipedia ↗
2008 — An earthquake (measuring around 8.0 magnitude) occurs in Sichuan, China, killing over 69,000 people. Wikipedia ↗
2008 — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducts the largest-ever raid of a workplace in Postville, Iowa, arresting nearly 400 immigrants for identity theft and document fraud. Wikipedia ↗
2006 — Mass unrest by the Primeiro Comando da Capital begins in São Paulo (Brazil), leaving at least 150 dead. Wikipedia ↗
2006 — Iranian Azeris interpret a cartoon published in an Iranian magazine as insulting, resulting in massive riots throughout the country. Wikipedia ↗
2003 — The Riyadh compound bombings, carried out by al-Qaeda, kill 26 people. Wikipedia ↗
2002 — Former US President Jimmy Carter arrives in Cuba for a five-day visit with Fidel Castro, becoming the first President of the United States, in or out of office, to visit the island since Castro's 1959 revolution. Wikipedia ↗
1998 — Four students are shot at Trisakti University, leading to widespread riots and the fall of Suharto. Wikipedia ↗
1989 — The San Bernardino train disaster kills four people. A week later an underground gasoline pipeline explodes killing two more people. Wikipedia ↗
1982 — During a procession outside the shrine of the Virgin Mary in Fátima, Portugal, security guards overpower Juan María Fernández y Krohn before he can attack Pope John Paul II with a bayonet. Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Francis Hughes, Provisional IRA hunger striker, dies in the Maze Prison, Northern Ireland. Wikipedia ↗
1978 — In Zaire, rebels occupy the city of Kolwezi, the mining center of the province of Shaba (now known as Katanga); the local government asks the US, France and Belgium to restore order. Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Vietnam War: North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces attack Australian troops defending Fire Support Base Coral. Wikipedia ↗
1965 — The Soviet spacecraft Luna 5 crashes on the Moon. Wikipedia ↗
1949 — The Soviet Union lifts its blockade of Berlin. Wikipedia ↗
1949 — The western occupying powers approve the Basic Law for the new German state: the Federal Republic of Germany. Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Wilhelmina, Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, cedes the throne. Wikipedia ↗
1942 — World War II: Second Battle of Kharkov: In eastern Ukraine, Red Army forces under Marshal Semyon Timoshenko launch a major offensive from the Izium bridgehead, only to be encircled and destroyed by the troops of Army Group South two weeks later. Wikipedia ↗
1942 — World War II: The U.S. tanker SS Virginia is torpedoed in the mouth of the Mississippi River by the German submarine U-507. Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Konrad Zuse presents the Z3, the world's first working programmable, fully automatic computer, in Berlin. Wikipedia ↗
1937 — The Duke and Duchess of York are crowned as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Westminster Abbey. Wikipedia ↗
1933 — The Agricultural Adjustment Act is enacted to restrict agricultural production by paying farmers subsidies. Wikipedia ↗
1932 — Ten weeks after his abduction, the infant son of Charles Lindbergh, Charles Jr., is found dead in Hopewell, New Jersey, just a few miles from the Lindberghs' home. Wikipedia ↗
1926 — The Italian-built airship Norge becomes the first vessel to fly over the North Pole. Wikipedia ↗
1888 — In Southeast Asia, the North Borneo Chartered Company's territories become the British protectorate of North Borneo. Wikipedia ↗
1885 — North-West Rebellion: The four-day Battle of Batoche, pitting rebel Métis against the Canadian government, comes to an end with a decisive rebel defeat. Wikipedia ↗
1881 — In North Africa, Tunisia becomes a French protectorate. Wikipedia ↗
1870 — The Manitoba Act is given the Royal Assent, paving the way for Manitoba to become a province of Canada on July 15. Wikipedia ↗
1865 — American Civil War: The Battle of Palmito Ranch: The first day of the last major land action to take place during the Civil War, resulting in a Confederate victory. Wikipedia ↗
1864 — American Civil War: The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House: Thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers die in "the Bloody Angle". Wikipedia ↗
1863 — American Civil War: Battle of Raymond: Two divisions of James B. McPherson's XVII Corps turn the left wing of Confederate General John C. Pemberton's defensive line on Fourteen Mile Creek, opening up the interior of Mississippi to the Union Army during the Vicksburg Campaign. Wikipedia ↗
1862 — American Civil War: U.S. federal troops occupy Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Wikipedia ↗
1846 — The Donner Party of pioneers departs Independence, Missouri for California, on what will become a year-long journey of hardship and cannibalism. Wikipedia ↗
1821 — The first major battle of the Greek War of Independence against the Turks is fought in Valtetsi. Wikipedia ↗
1797 — War of the First Coalition: Napoleon I of France conquers Venice. Wikipedia ↗
1784 — The Treaty of Paris signed on September 3, 1783, takes effect on this date. Wikipedia ↗
1780 — American Revolutionary War: In the largest defeat of the Continental Army, Charleston, South Carolina is taken by British forces. Wikipedia ↗
1743 — Maria Theresa of Austria is crowned Queen of Bohemia after defeating her rival, Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor. Wikipedia ↗
1689 — King William's War: William III of England joins the League of Augsburg starting a war with France. Wikipedia ↗
1619 — Dutch statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt is sentenced to death for high treason. Wikipedia ↗
1593 — London playwright Thomas Kyd is arrested and tortured by the Privy Council for libel. Wikipedia ↗
1588 — French Wars of Religion: Henry III of France flees Paris after Henry I, Duke of Guise enters the city and a spontaneous uprising occurs. Wikipedia ↗
1551 — National University of San Marcos, the oldest university in the Americas, is founded in Lima, Peru. Wikipedia ↗
1510 — The Prince of Anhua rebellion begins when Zhu Zhifan kills all the officials invited to a banquet and declares his intent on ousting the powerful Ming dynasty eunuch Liu Jin during the reign of the Zhengde Emperor. Wikipedia ↗
1364 — Jagiellonian University, the oldest university in Poland, is founded in Kraków, Poland. Wikipedia ↗
1328 — Antipope Nicholas V, a claimant to the papacy, is consecrated in Rome by the Bishop of Venice. Wikipedia ↗
1191 — Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre who is crowned Queen consort of England the same day. Wikipedia ↗
907 — Zhu Wen forces Emperor Ai into abdicating, ending the Tang dynasty after nearly three hundred years of rule. Wikipedia ↗
254 — Pope Stephen I succeeds Pope Lucius I as the 23rd pope. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on May 12

1995 — Irina Khromacheva, Russian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
1990 — Florent Amodio, French figure skater Wikipedia ↗
1990 — Tobias Strobl, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
1989 — Eleftheria Eleftheriou, Greek Cypriot singer, musician, and actress Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Marcelo, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Kieron Pollard, Trinidadian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Luke Douglas, Australian-Scottish rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Jonathan Orozco, Mexican footballer Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Emily VanCamp, Canadian actress Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Paolo Goltz, Argentinian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Andrew Howe, Italian long jumper and sprinter Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Jeroen Simaeys, Belgian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Domhnall Gleeson, Irish actor Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Alina Kabaeva, Russian gymnast and politician Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Yujiro Kushida, Japanese wrestler and mixed martial artist Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Charilaos Pappas, Greek footballer Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Virginie Razzano, French tennis player Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Francisco Javier Torres, Mexican footballer Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Donnie Nietes, Filipino boxer Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Rami Malek, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Kentaro Sato, Japanese-American composer and conductor Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Dennis Trillo, Filipino actor and singer Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Keith Bogans, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Felipe Lopez, Puerto Rican baseball player Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Malin Åkerman, Swedish-Canadian model, actress, and singer Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Jason Biggs, American actor and comedian Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Aya Ishiguro, Japanese singer and fashion designer Wikipedia ↗
1977 — Graeme Dott, Scottish snooker player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Kardinal Offishall, Canadian rap musician and producer Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Jonah Lomu, New Zealand rugby player (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Mackenzie Astin, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Lutz Pfannenstiel, German footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Doug Basham, American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Mark Foster, English swimmer Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Jim Furyk, American golfer Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Samantha Mathis, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Mike Weir, Canadian golfer Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Kim Fields, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Tony Hawk, American skateboarder and actor Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Catherine Tate, English actress and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Mireille Bousquet-Mélou, French mathematician Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Bill Shorten, Australian politician Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Stephen Baldwin, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Dez Fafara, American metal singer Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Bebel Gilberto, American-Brazilian singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Pierre Morel, French director and cinematographer Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Panagiotis Fasoulas, Greek basketball player and politician Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Gavin Hood, South African actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Stefano Modena, Italian race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Vanessa A. Williams, American actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Emilio Estevez, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Brett Gurewitz American guitarist and songwriter (Bad Religion) Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Thomas Dooley, German-American soccer player and manager Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Billy Duffy, English rock guitarist and songwriter (The Cult) Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Bruce McCulloch, Canadian actor and comedian Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Lisa Martin, Australian runner Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Dave Christian, American ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Ray Gillen, American rock singer-songwriter (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Ving Rhames, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1958 — Andreas Petroulakis, Greek cartoonist Wikipedia ↗
1958 — Eric Singer, American drummer and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1958 — Dries van Noten, Belgian fashion designer Wikipedia ↗
1957 — Ziya Onis, Turkish economist and academic Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Bernie Federko, Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Sergio Marchi, Argentinean-Canadian urban planner and politician, 10th Canadian Minister of International Trade Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Asad Rauf, Pakistani cricketer and umpire Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Kix Brooks, American country music singer-songwriter and musician (Brooks & Dunn) Wikipedia ↗
1951 — George Karl, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Bruce Boxleitner, American actor and author Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Gabriel Byrne, Irish actor, director, and producer Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, Scottish lawyer, academic, and politician Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Billy Squier, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1949 — Ross Bleckner, American painter Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Lindsay Crouse, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Dave Heineman, American captain and politician, 39th Governor of Nebraska Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Steve Winwood, English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Michael Ignatieff, Canadian journalist and politician Wikipedia ↗
1946 — Daniel Libeskind, American architect, designed the Imperial War Museum North and Jewish Museum Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Alan Ball, Jr., English footballer and manager (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Ian McLagan, English keyboard player and songwriter (Small Faces and Faces) (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Patrick Ricard, French businessman (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1944 — Chris Patten, English academic and politician, 28th Governor of Hong Kong Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Ian Dury, English singer-songwriter (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Michel Fugain, French singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Billy Swan, American country singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Dragoljub Velimirović, Serbian chess player and theoretician (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Ruud de Wolff, Dutch singer member of the duo The Blue Diamonds (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Norman Whitfield, American songwriter and producer (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Cyril Chantler, English pediatrician and academic Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Jalal Dabagh, Kurdish journalist and politician Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Miltiadis Evert, Greek minister and politician, 69th Mayor of Athens (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Reg Gasnier, Australian rugby league player, coach, and sportscaster (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Ron Ziegler, American politician, White House Press Secretary (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Millie Perkins, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Beryl Burton, English cyclist (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
1937 — George Carlin, American comedian, actor, and author (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Susan Hampshire, English actress Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Miriam Stoppard, English physician and author Wikipedia ↗
1936 — Guillermo Endara, Panamanian lawyer and politician, 32nd President of Panama (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
1936 — Tom Snyder, American journalist and talk show host (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
1936 — Frank Stella, American painter and sculptor Wikipedia ↗
1935 — Felipe Alou, Dominican-American baseball player, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
1935 — Johnny Bucyk, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1933 — Andrei Voznesensky, Russian poet (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
1932 — Joel Joffe, Baron Joffe, South African-English lawyer and politician (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
1930 — Jesús Franco, Spanish director and screenwriter (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1929 — Sam Nujoma, Namibian politician, 1st President of Namibia Wikipedia ↗
1928 — Burt Bacharach, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
1926 — Viren J. Shah, Indian politician, 21st Governor of West Bengal (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1925 — Yogi Berra, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
1924 — Maxine Cooper, American actress and photographer (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
1924 — Alexander Esenin-Volpin, Russian-American mathematician and poet (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1924 — Tony Hancock, English actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗
1922 — Marco Denevi, Argentinian lawyer and author (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
1922 — Murray Gershenz, American actor and businessman (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1922 — Bob Goldham, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
1922 — Roy Salvadori, English race car driver and manager (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1921 — Joseph Beuys, German sculptor and illustrator (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
1921 — Farley Mowat, Canadian environmentalist and author (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1918 — Mary Kay Ash, American businesswoman, founded Mary Kay Cosmetics (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
1918 — Julius Rosenberg, American spy (d. 1953) Wikipedia ↗
1916 — Albert Murray, American author and critic (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1915 — Tony Strobl, American comics artist and animator (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
1914 — Bertus Aafjes, Dutch poet and author (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
1914 — Howard K. Smith, American journalist and actor (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
1912 — Henry Jonsson, Swedish runner (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
1912 — Marshal Royal, American saxophonist and clarinet player (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
1911 — Charles Biro, American author and illustrator (d. 1972) Wikipedia ↗
1910 — James Dudley, American baseball player, wrestling manager and executive (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1910 — Johan Ferrier, Surinamese educator and politician, 1st President of Suriname (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
1910 — Dorothy Hodgkin, English biochemist, crystallographer, and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
1910 — Gordon Jenkins, American pianist and composer (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
1908 — Nicholas Kaldor, Hungarian-English economist (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
1907 — Leslie Charteris, English author and screenwriter (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
1907 — Katharine Hepburn, American actress (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
1905 — Édouard Rinfret, Canadian lawyer and politician, Postmaster General of Canada (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
1903 — Faith Bennett, British actress and ATA pilot during WWII (d. 1969) [2] Wikipedia ↗
1903 — Wilfrid Hyde-White, English actor (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
1901 — The Duke of Paducah, American country comedian, radio host and banjo player (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
1900 — Helene Weigel, Austrian-German actress (d. 1971) [1] Wikipedia ↗
1899 — Indra Devi, Latvian yoga instructor (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
1895 — William Giauque, Canadian-American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1982) Wikipedia ↗
1895 — Jiddu Krishnamurti, Indian-American philosopher and author (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
1892 — Fritz Kortner, Austrian-German actor and director (d. 1970) Wikipedia ↗
1889 — Otto Frank, German-Swiss businessman and Holocaust survivor; father of diarist Anne Frank (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
1886 — Ernst A. Lehmann, German captain and pilot (d. 1937) Wikipedia ↗
1885 — Paltiel Daykan, Lithuanian-Israeli lawyer and jurist (d. 1969) Wikipedia ↗
1880 — Lincoln Ellsworth, American explorer (d. 1951) Wikipedia ↗
1875 — Charles Holden, English architect, designed the Bristol Central Library (d. 1960) Wikipedia ↗