On This Day — May 24

Famous events, births, and deaths from May 24 in history, plus the public holidays, religious observances, sports, and national days happening on this date today.

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49 events · 170 births · 87 deaths recorded for May 24.

🕰️ Notable Events on May 24

2014 — A 6.4 magnitude earthquake occurs in the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey, injuring 324 people. Wikipedia ↗
2014 — At least three people are killed in a shooting at Brussels' Jewish Museum of Belgium. Wikipedia ↗
2002 — Russia and the United States sign the Moscow Treaty. Wikipedia ↗
2000 — Israeli troops withdraw from southern Lebanon after 22 years of occupation. Wikipedia ↗
1999 — The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands indicts Slobodan Milošević and four others for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Kosovo. Wikipedia ↗
1994 — Four men convicted of bombing the World Trade Center in New York in 1993 are each sentenced to 240 years in prison. Wikipedia ↗
1993 — Eritrea gains its independence from Ethiopia. Wikipedia ↗
1992 — The last Thai dictator, General Suchinda Kraprayoon, resigns following pro-democracy protests. Wikipedia ↗
1992 — The ethnic cleansing in Kozarac, Bosnia and Herzegovina begins when Serbian militia and police forces enter the town. Wikipedia ↗
1991 — Israel conducts Operation Solomon, evacuating Ethiopian Jews to Israel. Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Section 28 of the United Kingdom's Local Government Act 1988, a controversial amendment stating that a local authority cannot intentionally promote homosexuality, is enacted. Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Liberation of Khorramshahr: Iranians recapture of the port city of Khorramshahr from the Iraqis during the Iran-Iraq War. Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Ecuadorian president Jaime Roldós Aguilera, his wife, and his presidential committee die in an aircraft accident while travelling from Quito to Zapotillo minutes after the president gave a famous speech regarding the 24 de mayo anniversary of the Battle of Pichincha. Wikipedia ↗
1976 — The Judgment of Paris takes place in France, launching California as a worldwide force in the production of quality wine. Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Egypt imposes a blockade and siege of the Red Sea coast of Israel. Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Project Mercury: American astronaut Scott Carpenter orbits the Earth three times in the Aurora 7 space capsule. Wikipedia ↗
1961 — American civil rights movement: Freedom Riders are arrested in Jackson, Mississippi, for "disturbing the peace" after disembarking from their bus. Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Following the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, the largest ever recorded earthquake, Cordón Caulle begins to erupt. Wikipedia ↗
1958 — United Press International is formed through a merger of the United Press and the International News Service. Wikipedia ↗
1956 — The first Eurovision Song Contest is held in Lugano, Switzerland. Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Arab-Israeli War: Egypt captures the Israeli kibbutz of Yad Mordechai, but the five-day effort gives Israeli forces time to prepare enough to stop the Egyptian advance a week later. Wikipedia ↗
1941 — World War II: In the Battle of the Atlantic, the German Battleship Bismarck sinks then-pride of the Royal Navy, HMS Hood, killing all but three crewmen. Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Igor Sikorsky performs the first successful single-rotor helicopter flight. Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Acting on the orders of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, NKVD agent Iosif Grigulevich orchestrates an unsuccessful assassination attempt on exiled Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky in Coyoacán, Mexico. Wikipedia ↗
1935 — The first night game in Major League Baseball history is played in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the Cincinnati Reds beating the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 at Crosley Field. Wikipedia ↗
1930 — Amy Johnson lands in Darwin, Northern Territory, becoming the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia (she left on May 5 for the 11,000 mile flight). Wikipedia ↗
1915 — World War I: Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary, joining the conflict on the side of the Allies. Wikipedia ↗
1900 — Second Boer War: The United Kingdom annexes the Orange Free State. Wikipedia ↗
1883 — The Brooklyn Bridge in New York City is opened to traffic after 14 years of construction. Wikipedia ↗
1861 — American Civil War: Union troops occupy Alexandria, Virginia. Wikipedia ↗
1856 — John Brown and his men kill five slavery supporters at Pottawatomie Creek, Kansas. Wikipedia ↗
1844 — Samuel Morse sends the message "What hath God wrought" (a biblical quotation, Numbers 23:23) from the Old Supreme Court Chamber in the United States Capitol to his assistant, Alfred Vail, in Baltimore, Maryland, to inaugurate a commercial telegraph line between Baltimore and Washington D.C. Wikipedia ↗
1832 — The First Kingdom of Greece is declared in the London Conference. Wikipedia ↗
1830 — "Mary Had a Little Lamb" by Sarah Josepha Hale is published. Wikipedia ↗
1822 — Battle of Pichincha: Antonio José de Sucre secures the independence of the Presidency of Quito. Wikipedia ↗
1813 — South American independence leader Simón Bolívar enters Mérida, leading the invasion of Venezuela, and is proclaimed El Libertador ("The Liberator"). Wikipedia ↗
1798 — The Irish Rebellion of 1798 led by the United Irishmen against British rule begins. Wikipedia ↗
1738 — John Wesley is converted, essentially launching the Methodist movement; the day is celebrated annually by Methodists as Aldersgate Day and a church service is generally held on the preceding Sunday. Wikipedia ↗
1689 — The English Parliament passes the Act of Toleration protecting dissenting Protestants but excluding Roman Catholics. Wikipedia ↗
1683 — The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England, opens as the world's first university museum. Wikipedia ↗
1667 — The French Royal Army crosses the border into the Spanish Netherlands, starting the War of Devolution opposing France to the Spanish Empire and the Triple Alliance. Wikipedia ↗
1626 — Peter Minuit buys Manhattan. Wikipedia ↗
1621 — The Protestant Union is formally dissolved. Wikipedia ↗
1607 — 100 English settlers disembark in Jamestown, the first English colony in America. Wikipedia ↗
1595 — Nomenclator of Leiden University Library appears, the first printed catalog of an institutional library. Wikipedia ↗
1487 — The ten-year-old Lambert Simnel is crowned in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland, with the name of Edward VI in a bid to threaten King Henry VII's reign. Wikipedia ↗
1276 — Magnus Ladulås is crowned King of Sweden in Uppsala Cathedral. Wikipedia ↗
1218 — The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. Wikipedia ↗
919 — The nobles of Franconia and Saxony elect Henry the Fowler at the Imperial Diet in Fritzlar as king of the East Frankish Kingdom. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on May 24

1991 — Aled Davies, Welsh discus thrower Wikipedia ↗
1991 — Cody Eakin, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1990 — Mattias Ekholm, Swedish ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1989 — Andrew Jordan, English race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Artem Anisimov, Russian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Monica Lin Brown, American sergeant Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Billy Gilman, American singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Lucian Wintrich, American political artist and White House correspondent Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Déborah François, Belgian actress Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Guillaume Latendresse, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Mark Ballas, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, dancer, and actor Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Giannis Kontoes, Greek footballer Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Tim Bridgman, English race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Sarah Hagan, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Dmitri Kruglov, Estonian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Custódio Castro, Portuguese footballer Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Pedram Javaheri, Iranian-American meteorologist and journalist Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Woo Seung-yeon, South Korean model and actress (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Issah Gabriel Ahmed, Ghanaian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Rian Wallace, American football player Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Andy Lee, Australian comedian, actor, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Jason Babin, American football player Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Anthony Minichiello, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Tracy McGrady, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Kareem McKenzie, American football player Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Elijah Burke, American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Johan Holmqvist, Swedish ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Brad Penny, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Rose, French singer, songwriter and composer Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Alessandro Cortini, Italian-American singer and keyboard player Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Catherine Cox, New Zealand-Australian netball player Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Silje Vige, Norwegian singer Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Marc Gagnon, Canadian speed skater Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Giannis Goumas, Greek footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Maria Lawson, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Sébastien Foucan, French runner and actor Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Masahide Kobayashi, Japanese baseball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Magnus Manske, German biochemist and computer programmer, developed MediaWiki Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Will Sasso, Canadian actor and comedian Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Rodrigo, Argentinian singer-songwriter (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Bartolo Colón, Dominican-American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Shirish Kunder, Indian director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Vladimír Šmicer, Czech footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Greg Berlanti, American director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Kris Draper, Canadian ice hockey player and manager Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Martin McCague, Northern Irish-English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Jacob Rees-Mogg, English politician Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Rich Robinson, American guitarist and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Tamer Karadağlı, Turkish actor Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Andrey Borodin, Russian-English economist and businessman Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Eric Close, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Heavy D, Jamaican-American rapper, producer, and actor (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Carlos Hernández, Venezuelan-American baseball player and manager Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Eric Cantona, French footballer, manager, and actor Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Ricky Craven, American race car driver and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1965 — John C. Reilly, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1965 — Shinichirō Watanabe, Japanese director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Liz McColgan, Scottish educator and runner Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Adrian Moorhouse, English swimmer Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Isidro Pérez, Mexican boxer (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Pat Verbeek, Canadian ice hockey player and manager Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Ivan Capelli, Italian race car driver and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Michael Chabon, American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Joe Dumars, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Rich Rodriguez, American football player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Valerie Taylor, American computer scientist and educator Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Héctor Camacho, Puerto Rican-American boxer (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Gene Anthony Ray, American actor, dancer, and choreographer (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Lorella Cedroni, Italian philosopher and theorist (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Alain Lemieux, Canadian-American ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Guy Fletcher, English keyboard player, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Bill Harrigan, Australian rugby league referee and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Kristin Scott Thomas, English actress Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Pelle Lindbergh, Swedish-American ice hockey player (d. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Barry O'Farrell, Australian politician, 43rd Premier of New South Wales Wikipedia ↗
1958 — Chip Ganassi, American race car driver, team owner and businessman Wikipedia ↗
1956 — R. B. Bernstein, constitutional historian Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Larry Blackmon, American singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Dominic Grieve, English lawyer and politician, Attorney General for England and Wales Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Michael Jackson, Irish archbishop Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Rosanne Cash, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Philippe Lafontaine, Belgian singer and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1955 — David Leonard, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Rajesh Roshan, Indian composer Wikipedia ↗
1953 — Alfred Molina, English actor Wikipedia ↗
1949 — Jim Broadbent, English actor Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Richard Dembo, French director and screenwriter (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Albert Bouchard, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and drummer Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Mike De Leon, Filipino director, producer, screenwriter and cinematographer Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Mike Reid, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and retired American football player Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Waddy Wachtel, American guitarist, singer-songwriter, and record producer Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Martin Winterkorn, German businessman Wikipedia ↗
1946 — Tansu Çiller, Turkish economist and politician, 22nd Prime Minister of Turkey Wikipedia ↗
1946 — Irena Szewińska, Russian-Polish sprinter Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Terry Callier, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Steven Norris, English engineer and politician Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Richard Ottaway, English lieutenant and politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Priscilla Presley, American actress and businesswoman Wikipedia ↗
1944 — Patti LaBelle, American singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
1944 — Dominique Lavanant, French actress Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Gary Burghoff, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Ali Bacher, South African cricketer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Hannu Mikkola, Finnish race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Ichirō Ozawa, Japanese lawyer and politician, Japanese Minister of Home Affairs Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Bob Dylan, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, artist, writer, and producer; Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Patricia Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham, English academic and politician Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Joseph Brodsky, Russian-American poet and essayist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Prince Buster, Jamaican singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Tommy Chong, Canadian-American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Maryvonne Dupureur, French runner and educator (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Archie Shepp, American saxophonist and composer Wikipedia ↗
1936 — Harold Budd, American composer and poet Wikipedia ↗
1935 — Joan Micklin Silver, American director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1933 — Jane Byrne, American lawyer and politician, 50th Mayor of Chicago (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1933 — Réal Giguère, Canadian television host and actor Wikipedia ↗
1933 — Aharon Lichtenstein, French-Israeli rabbi and author (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
1932 — Arnold Wesker, English playwright and producer (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1928 — William Trevor, Irish novelist, playwright and short story writer (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1926 — Stanley Baxter, Scottish actor and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1925 — Carmine Infantino, American illustrator and educator (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1925 — Mai Zetterling, Swedish actress and director (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
1924 — Philip Pearlstein, American soldier and painter Wikipedia ↗
1923 — Siobhán McKenna, Irish actress (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
1917 — Alan Campbell, Baron Campbell of Alloway, English lawyer and judge (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1916 — Roden Cutler, Australian lieutenant and politician, 32nd Governor of New South Wales (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
1914 — Lilli Palmer, German-American actress (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
1913 — Joe Abreu, American baseball player and soldier (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
1910 — Jimmy Demaret, American golfer (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
1909 — Wilbur Mills, American banker and politician (d. 1992) Wikipedia ↗
1905 — Mikhail Sholokhov, Russian novelist and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
1902 — Lionel Conacher, Canadian football player and politician (d. 1954) Wikipedia ↗
1902 — Sylvia Daoust, Canadian sculptor (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1901 — José Nasazzi, Uruguayan footballer and manager (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗
1900 — Eduardo De Filippo, Italian actor and screenwriter (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
1900 — Sonia Rosemary Keppel, British baroness, grandmother of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (d. 1986) [1] Wikipedia ↗
1899 — Suzanne Lenglen, French tennis player (d. 1938) Wikipedia ↗
1899 — Henri Michaux, Belgian-French poet and painter (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
1895 — Samuel Irving Newhouse Sr., American publisher, founded Advance Publications (d. 1979) Wikipedia ↗
1891 — William F. Albright, American archaeologist, philologist, and scholar (d. 1971) Wikipedia ↗
1887 — Mick Mannock, Irish soldier and pilot, Victoria Cross recipient (d. 1918) Wikipedia ↗
1886 — Paul Paray, French organist, composer, and conductor (d. 1979) Wikipedia ↗
1879 — H. B. Reese, American candy maker, created Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (d. 1956) Wikipedia ↗
1878 — Lillian Moller Gilbreth, American psychologist and engineer (d. 1972) Wikipedia ↗
1875 — Robert Garrett, American discus thrower and shot putter (d. 1961) Wikipedia ↗
1874 — Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine (d. 1878) Wikipedia ↗
1870 — Benjamin N. Cardozo, American lawyer and judge (d. 1938) Wikipedia ↗
1870 — Jan Smuts, South African lawyer and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of South Africa (d. 1950) Wikipedia ↗
1868 — Charlie Taylor, American engineer and mechanic (d. 1956) Wikipedia ↗
1863 — George Grey Barnard, American sculptor (d. 1938) Wikipedia ↗
1861 — Gerald Strickland, 1st Baron Strickland, Maltese lawyer and politician, 4th Prime Minister of Malta (d. 1940) Wikipedia ↗
1855 — Arthur Wing Pinero, English actor, director, and playwright (d. 1934) Wikipedia ↗