Discover what happened on May 5 in history, along with notable events that shaped culture, exploration, and global celebrations.
What Happened on May 5 in History?
Important events on this day include the Battle of Puebla that inspired Cinco de Mayo, Alan Shepard becoming the first American in space, and the debut of Chanel No. 5 perfume.
MAY 5 – TODAY IN HISTORY:
1809 – Mary Kies was awarded the first patent to go to a woman. It was for technique for weaving straw with silk and thread.
1831 – “The Detroit Free Press” began publication.
1846 – Michigan abolished the death penalty.
1862 – The Battle of Puebla took place. It is celebrated as Cinco de Mayo Day.
1865 – The Thirteenth Amendment was ratified, abolishing slavery in the U.S.
1865 – In North Bend, OH (a suburb of Cincinnati), the first train robbery in the U.S. took place.
1866 – Memorial Day was first celebrated in the U.S. at Waterloo, NY.
1891 – Music Hall was dedicated in New York, NY. It was later renamed Carnegie Hall.
1904 – The third perfect game of the major leagues was thrown by Cy Young (Boston Red Sox) against the Philadelphia Athletics. It was the first perfect game under modern rules.
1921 – Coco Chanel debuted her first fragrance. It was called “Chanel No. 5”. Why was it called No. 5? In 1920, when she presented with small glass vials containing sample scents numbered 1 to 5 and 20 to 24 for her assessment, she chose the fifth vial.
1925 – John T. Scopes, a biology teacher in Dayton, TN, was arrested for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution.
1934 – The first “Three Stooges” short, “Woman Haters”, was released.
1936 – Edward Ravenscroft received a patent for the screw-on bottle cap with a pour lip.
1952 – The “Vitameatavegamin” episode of TV’s “I Love Lucy” aired for the first time.
1956 – Jim Bailey became the first runner to break the four-minute mile in the U.S. He was clocked at 3:58.5.
1961 – Alan Shepard became the first American in space when he made a 15 minute suborbital flight.
1966 – Willie Mays broke the National League record for home runs when he hit his 512th.
1973 – Secretariat won the 99th Kentucky Derby.
1978 – Pete Rose, of the Cincinnati Reds, registered his 3,000th major league hit.
1986 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Atlantic Records chairman Ahmet Ertegun announced that Cleveland, OH, had been chosen as the city where the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum would be built.
1987 – The U.S. congressional Iran-Contra hearings opened.
1994 – American teenager Michael P. Fay was caned in Singapore for theft and vandalism.
1997 – Dolores Hope received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1997 – Ivan Reitman received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1997 – TV’s “Married With Children” aired its last episode on Fox. It debuted on April 5, 1987.
1998 – The Michigan state legislature introduced a bill that would limit concert attendance by minors under the age of 18.
2000 – The final episode of TV’s “Boy Meets World” aired on ABC.
2002 – The movie “Spider-man”, starring Tobey McQuire, became the first film to make over $100 million on it’s opening weekend.
2004 – Picasso’s 1905 painting “Boy with a Pipe” sold for $104 million at Sotheby’s in New York, setting a new record for an auctioned painting.
2023 – The World Health Organization declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic as a global health emergency.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON MAY 5:
Michael Murphy – 88 years old (1938) – Actor
Lance Henriksen – 86 years old (1940) – Actor
Kurt Loder – 81 years old (1945) – Journalist, author, and critic
Jon Butcher – 71 years old (1955) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and freelance multimedia producer
Steve Scott – 70 years old (1956) – Runner and coach
Bobby Ellsworth – 67 years old (1959) – Singer and bass player
Brian Williams – 67 years old (1959) – Journalist
Josh Weinstein – 60 years old (1966) – Screenwriter and producer
Adam Hughes – 59 years old (1967) – Author and illustrator
Charles Nagy – 59 years old (1967) – Baseball player
Harold Miner – 55 years old (1971) – Basketball player
Meb Keflezighi – 51 years old (1975) – Runner
Tiffany Roberts – 49 years old (1977) – Footballer
Danielle Fishel – 45 years old (1981) – Actress
Vanessa Bryant – 44 years old (1982) – Philanthropist and model
P. J. Tucker – 41 years old (1985) – Basketball player
James Conner – 31 years old (1995) – Football player
Christopher Eubanks – 30 years old (1996) – Tennis player
Logan Gilbert – 29 years old (1997) – Baseball player
Nathan Chen – 27 years old (1999) – Figure skater
Jenna Davis – 22 years old (2004) – Actress and YouTuber
DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR MAY 5:
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For additional information check out websites like: www.on-this-day.com, www.born-today.com, www.famousbirthdays.com, www.daysoftheyear.com, and www.nationaldaycalendar.com.
