On This Day — May 22

Famous events, births, and deaths from May 22 in history, plus the public holidays, religious observances, sports, and national days happening on this date today.

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66 events · 165 births · 76 deaths recorded for May 22.

🕰️ Notable Events on May 22

2017 — 22 people are killed at an Ariana Grande concert in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. Wikipedia ↗
2015 — The Republic of Ireland becomes the first nation in the world to legalize gay marriage in a public referendum. Wikipedia ↗
2014 — General Prayut Chan-o-cha becomes interim leader of Thailand in a military coup d'état, following six months of political turmoil. Wikipedia ↗
2014 — An explosion occurs in Ürümqi, the capital of China's far-western Xinjiang region, resulting in at least 43 deaths and 91 injuries. Wikipedia ↗
2012 — Tokyo Skytree opens to the public. It is the tallest tower in the world (634 m), and the second tallest man-made structure on Earth, after Burj Khalifa (829.8 m). Wikipedia ↗
2011 — An EF5 tornado strikes Joplin, Missouri, killing 162 people and wreaking $2.8 billion in damage—the costliest and seventh-deadliest single tornado in U.S. history. Wikipedia ↗
2010 — An Air India Express Boeing 737 goes over a cliff and crashes upon landing at Mangalore, India, killing 158 of the 166 people on board. It is the worst crash involving a Boeing 737. Wikipedia ↗
2002 — Civil Rights Movement: A jury in Birmingham, Alabama, convicts former Ku Klux Klan member Bobby Frank Cherry of the 1963 murders of four girls in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. Wikipedia ↗
2000 — In Sri Lanka, over 150 Tamil rebels are killed over two days of fighting for control in Jaffna. Wikipedia ↗
1998 — A U.S. federal judge rules that U.S. Secret Service agents can be compelled to testify before a grand jury concerning the Lewinsky scandal involving President Bill Clinton. Wikipedia ↗
1996 — The Burmese military regime jails 71 supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi in a bid to block a pro-democracy meeting. Wikipedia ↗
1994 — A worldwide trade embargo goes into effect against Haiti to punish its military rulers for not reinstating the country's ousted elected leader, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Wikipedia ↗
1992 — Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia join the United Nations. Wikipedia ↗
1990 — North and South Yemen are unified to create the Republic of Yemen. Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Hashimpura massacre in Meerut, India. Wikipedia ↗
1987 — First ever Rugby World Cup kicks off with New Zealand playing Italy at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Ceylon adopts a new constitution, becoming a Republic, changes its name to Sri Lanka, and joins the Commonwealth of Nations. Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Over 400 women in Derry, Northern Ireland attack the offices of Sinn Féin following the shooting by the Irish Republican Army of a young British soldier on leave. Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Apollo 10's lunar module flies within 8.4 nautical miles (16 km) of the moon's surface. Wikipedia ↗
1968 — The nuclear-powered submarine the USS Scorpion sinks with 99 men aboard, 400 miles southwest of the Azores. Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Egypt closes the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping. Wikipedia ↗
1967 — The L'Innovation department store in Brussels, Belgium, burns down, resulting in 323 dead or missing and 150 injured, the most devastating fire in Belgian history. Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Lyndon B. Johnson launches the Great Society. Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Greek left-wing politician Grigoris Lambrakis is shot in an assassination attempt and dies five days later. Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Continental Airlines Flight 11 crashes after bombs explode on board. Wikipedia ↗
1960 — The Great Chilean earthquake, measuring 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale, hits southern Chile. It is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded. Wikipedia ↗
1958 — The 1958 riots in Ceylon become a watershed in the race relationship of various ethnic communities of Sri Lanka. The total deaths is estimated at 300, mostly Tamils. Wikipedia ↗
1957 — South Africa's government approves racial separation in universities.
1947 — The Truman Doctrine goes into effect, aiding Turkey & Greece. Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Joseph Stalin disbands the Comintern. Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Mexico enters World War II on the side of the Allies. Wikipedia ↗
1941 — During the Anglo-Iraqi War, British troops take Fallujah. Wikipedia ↗
1939 — World War II: Germany and Italy sign the Pact of Steel. Wikipedia ↗
1927 — Near Xining, China, a 8.3 quake causes 200,000 deaths in one of the world's most destructive earthquakes. Wikipedia ↗
1926 — Chiang Kai-shek replaces communists in Kuomintang China. Wikipedia ↗
1915 — Lassen Peak erupts with a powerful force, the only volcano other than Mount St. Helens to erupt in the contiguous U.S. during the 20th century. Wikipedia ↗
1915 — Three trains collide in the Quintinshill rail disaster near Gretna Green, Scotland, killing 227 people and injuring 246. Wikipedia ↗
1906 — The Wright brothers are granted U.S. patent number 821,393 for their "Flying-Machine". Wikipedia ↗
1900 — The Associated Press is formed in New York City as a non-profit news cooperative. Wikipedia ↗
1872 — Reconstruction Era: President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Amnesty Act into law, restoring full civil and political rights to all but about 500 Confederate sympathizers. Wikipedia ↗
1864 — American Civil War: After ten weeks, the Union Army's Red River Campaign ends in failure. Wikipedia ↗
1863 — American Civil War: Union forces begin the Siege of Port Hudson which lasts 48 days, the longest siege in U.S. military history. Wikipedia ↗
1856 — Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina severely beats Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts with a cane in the hall of the United States Senate for a speech Sumner had made regarding Southerners and slavery. Wikipedia ↗
1849 — Future U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is issued a patent for an invention to lift boats, making him the only U.S. President to ever hold a patent. Wikipedia ↗
1848 — Slavery is abolished in Martinique. Wikipedia ↗
1840 — The transportation of British convicts to the New South Wales colony is abolished. Wikipedia ↗
1826 — HMS Beagle departs on its first voyage. Wikipedia ↗
1819 — The SS Savannah leaves port at Savannah, Georgia, United States, on a voyage to become the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Wikipedia ↗
1816 — A mob in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England, riots over high unemployment and rising grain costs, which spreads to Ely the next day. Wikipedia ↗
1809 — On the second and last day of the Battle of Aspern-Essling (near Vienna, Austria), Napoleon I is repelled by an enemy army for the first time. Wikipedia ↗
1807 — A grand jury indicts former Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr on a charge of treason. Wikipedia ↗
1804 — The Lewis and Clark Expedition officially began as the Corps of Discovery departed from St. Charles, Missouri. Wikipedia ↗
1762 — Sweden and Prussia sign the Treaty of Hamburg. Wikipedia ↗
1762 — Trevi Fountain in Rome is officially completed and inaugurated by Pope Clement XIII. Wikipedia ↗
1629 — Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II and Danish King Christian IV sign the Treaty of Lübeck to end the Danish intervention in the Thirty Years' War. Wikipedia ↗
1570 — The first atlas, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, is published with 70 maps. Wikipedia ↗
1455 — Start of the Wars of the Roses: At the First Battle of St Albans, Richard, Duke of York, defeats and captures King Henry VI of England. Wikipedia ↗
1377 — Pope Gregory XI issues five papal bulls to denounce the doctrines of English theologian John Wycliffe. Wikipedia ↗
1370 — The Brussels massacre: Several Jews are murdered and the rest of the Jewish community is banished from Brussels. Wikipedia ↗
1254 — Serbian King Stefan Uroš I and the Republic of Venice sign a peace treaty. Wikipedia ↗
1246 — Henry Raspe is elected anti-king of the Kingdom of Germany, in opposition to Conrad IV. Wikipedia ↗
1200 — King John of England and King Philip II of France sign the Treaty of Le Goulet. Wikipedia ↗
1176 — The Hashshashin (Assassins) attempt to murder Saladin near Aleppo. Wikipedia ↗
853 — A Byzantine fleet sacks and destroys the undefended Damietta in Egypt. Wikipedia ↗
760 — Fourteenth recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. Wikipedia ↗
192 — Dong Zhuo is assassinated by his adopted son Lü Bu. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on May 22

1999 — Camren Bicondova, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1994 — Florian Luger, Austrian male model Wikipedia ↗
1991 — Joel Obi, Nigerian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1991 — Suho, South Korean singer (EXO) and actor Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Novak Djokovic, Serbian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Arturo Vidal, Chilean footballer Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Matt Jarvis, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Tatiana Volosozhar, Russian figure skater Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Tranquillo Barnetta, Swiss footballer Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Tao Okamoto, Japanese model and actress Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Karoline Herfurth, German actress Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Didier Ya Konan, Ivorian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Dustin Moskovitz, American entrepreneur, co-founder of Facebook Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Natasha Kai, American soccer player and Olympic medalist Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Apolo Ohno, American speed skater Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Hong Yong-jo, North Korean footballer Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Daniel Bryan, American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Bassel Khartabil, Syrian computer programmer and engineer Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Jürgen Melzer, Austrian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Nazanin Boniadi, Iranian-American actress Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Lucy Gordon, British actress and model Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Maggie Q, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Ginnifer Goodwin, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Katie Price, English television personality & glamour model Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Cheyenne Carron, French film director, screenwriter, producer Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Garba Lawal, Nigerian football Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Henrietta Ónodi, Hungarian Olympic gymnast Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Ukrainian politician Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Danish actor Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Max Brooks, American author and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Joana Preiss, French actress Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Naomi Campbell, English model Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Cathy McMorris Rodgers, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Ma Jun, Chinese environmentalist and journalist Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Graham Linehan, Irish comedian, actor, and author Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Johnny Gill, American singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Wang Xiaoshuai, Chinese director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1965 — Jay Carney, American journalist, 29th White House Press Secretary Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Brian Pillman, American football player and wrestler (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Hideaki Anno, Japanese animator, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Morrissey, English singer-songwriter and performer Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Kwak Jae-yong, South Korean director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Mehbooba Mufti, Indian politician Wikipedia ↗
1957 — Lisa Murkowski, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Iva Davies, Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
1954 — Shuji Nakamura, Japanese-American physicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
1953 — Peter Bazalgette, English television producer Wikipedia ↗
1953 — Roger Bellon, French composer Wikipedia ↗
1953 — François Bon, French writer Wikipedia ↗
1953 — Cha Bum-kun, South Korean footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1953 — Paul Mariner, English footballer, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Alekos Alavanos, Greek lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Irène Frain, French novelist and journalist Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Bernie Taupin, English singer-songwriter and poet Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Bill Whelan, Irish composer and musician Wikipedia ↗
1949 — Cheryl Campbell, English actress Wikipedia ↗
1949 — Valentin Inzko, Austrian diplomat Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Tomás Sánchez, Cuban painter and engraver Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Nedumudi Venu, Indian actor and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1946 — George Best, Northern Irish footballer and manager (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
1946 — Michael Green, English physicist and academic Wikipedia ↗
1946 — Howard Kendall, English footballer and manager (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
1946 — Andrei Marga, Romanian philosopher, political scientist, politician Wikipedia ↗
1946 — Lyudmila Zhuravleva, Russian-Ukrainian astronomer Wikipedia ↗
1944 — John Flanagan, Australian fantasy author Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Betty Williams, Northern Irish peace activist, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Ted Kaczynski, American academic and mathematician turned anarchist and serial murderer (Unabomber) Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Barbara Parkins, Canadian actress Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Richard Oakes, Native American civil rights activist (d. 1972) Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Menzies Campbell, Scottish sprinter and politician Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Kieth Merrill, American filmmaker Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Michael Sarrazin, Canadian actor (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Bernard Shaw, American journalist Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Mick Tingelhoff American Pro Football Hall of Famer Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Paul Winfield, American actor (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Richard Benjamin, American actor and director Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Susan Strasberg, American actress (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Facundo Cabral, Argentinian singer-songwriter (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1936 — George H. Heilmeier, American engineer (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1934 — Peter Nero, American pianist and conductor Wikipedia ↗
1933 — Chen Jingrun, Chinese mathematician and academic (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
1932 — Robert Spitzer, American psychiatrist and academic (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
1930 — Kenny Ball, English jazz trumpet player, vocalist, and bandleader (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1930 — Marisol Escobar, French-American sculptor (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1930 — Harvey Milk, American lieutenant and politician (d. 1978) Wikipedia ↗
1929 — Ahmed Fouad Negm, Egyptian poet (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1928 — Serge Doubrovsky, French theorist and author Wikipedia ↗
1928 — John Mackenzie, Scottish director and producer (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1928 — T. Boone Pickens, American businessman Wikipedia ↗
1928 — Hiroshi Sano, Japanese novelist (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1927 — Michael Constantine, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1927 — Peter Matthiessen, American novelist, short story writer, editor, co-founded The Paris Review (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1927 — George Andrew Olah, Hungarian-American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
1925 — Jean Tinguely, Swiss painter and sculptor (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
1924 — Charles Aznavour, French-Armenian singer-songwriter and actor Wikipedia ↗
1922 — Quinn Martin, American screenwriter and producer (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
1921 — George S. Hammond, American scientist (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
1920 — Thomas Gold, Austrian-American astrophysicist and academic (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1919 — Paul Vanden Boeynants, Belgian businessman and politician, 55th Prime Minister of Belgium (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
1917 — George Aratani, American businessman and philanthropist (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1917 — Jean-Louis Curtis, French author (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
1914 — Max Kohnstamm, Dutch historian and diplomat (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
1914 — Sun Ra, American pianist, composer, bandleader, poet (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
1913 — Rafael Gil, Spanish director and screenwriter (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
1913 — Dominique Rolin, Belgian author (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1912 — Herbert C. Brown, English-American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1909 — Margaret Mee, English illustrator and educator (d. 1988) Wikipedia ↗
1908 — Horton Smith. American golfer and captain (d. 1963) Wikipedia ↗
1907 — Hergé, Belgian author and illustrator (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
1907 — Laurence Olivier, English actor, director, and producer (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
1905 — Bodo von Borries, German physicist and academic, co-invented the electron microscope (d. 1956) Wikipedia ↗
1905 — Tom Driberg, British politician (d. 1976) Wikipedia ↗
1904 — Uno Lamm, Swedish electrical engineer and inventor (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
1902 — Al Simmons, American baseball player and coach (d. 1956) Wikipedia ↗
1901 — Maurice J. Tobin, American politician, 6th United States Secretary of Labor (d. 1953) Wikipedia ↗
1900 — Vina Bovy, Belgian operatic soprano (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
1897 — Robert Neumann, German and English-speaking author (d. 1975) Wikipedia ↗
1894 — Friedrich Pollock, German sociologist and philosopher (d. 1970) Wikipedia ↗
1891 — Johannes R. Becher, German politician, novelist, and poet (d. 1958) Wikipedia ↗
1887 — A. W. Sandberg, Danish film director and screenwriter (d. 1938) Wikipedia ↗
1885 — Giacomo Matteotti, Italian lawyer and politician (d. 1924) Wikipedia ↗
1885 — Soemu Toyoda, Japanese admiral (d. 1957) Wikipedia ↗
1880 — Francis de Miomandre, French author and translator (d. 1959) Wikipedia ↗
1879 — Warwick Armstrong, Australian cricketer and journalist (d. 1947) Wikipedia ↗
1879 — Jean Cras, French admiral and composer (d. 1932) Wikipedia ↗
1879 — Symon Petliura, Ukrainian statesman and independence leader (d. 1926) Wikipedia ↗
1876 — Julius Klinger, Austrian painter and illustrator (d. 1942) Wikipedia ↗
1874 — Daniel François Malan, South African clergyman and politician, 5th Prime Minister of South Africa (d. 1959) Wikipedia ↗
1868 — Augusto Pestana, Brazilian engineer and politician (d. 1934) Wikipedia ↗
1864 — Willy Stöwer, German author and illustrator (d. 1931) Wikipedia ↗
1859 — Arthur Conan Doyle, British writer (d. 1930) Wikipedia ↗
1859 — Tsubouchi Shōyō, Japanese author, playwright, and educator (d. 1935) Wikipedia ↗
1858 — Belmiro de Almeida, Brazilian painter, illustrator, sculptor (d. 1935) Wikipedia ↗
1852 — Émile Sauret, French violinist and composer (d. 1920) Wikipedia ↗