Discover what happened on May 20 in history, along with notable events that shaped fashion, aviation, and television history.
What Happened on May 20 in History?
Important events on this day include the patenting of blue jeans, Charles Lindbergh beginning his historic Atlantic flight, and the final episode of Cheers airing on NBC.
MAY 20 – TODAY IN HISTORY:
1774 – Britain’s Parliament passed the Coercive Acts to punish the American colonists for their increasingly anti-British behavior
1830 – The fountain pen was patented by H.D. Hyde.
1861 – North Carolina became the eleventh state to secede from the Union.
1873 – Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis received a patent for blue jeans with copper rivets.
1875 – The International Bureau of Weights and Measures was established.
1891 – Thomas Edison’s prototype kinetoscope was first shown to the public.
1899 – Taxi driver Jacob German of New York, NY, became the first driver to be arrested for speeding. The posted speed limit was 12 miles per hour.
1905 – Louis Chevrolet (who designed the Chevy for General Motors in 1911) won his first race on a cinder track in Morris Park, NY.
1916 – A Norman Rockwell painting appeared on the cover of “The Saturday Evening Post” for the first time. The painting was “Boy with a Baby Carriage”.
1916 – A small town in Kansas called Codell was struck by a tornado. The same town was also hit by a tornado in 1917 and 1918 all on the exact same date.
1926 – Congress passed the Air Commerce Act. The act gave the Department of Commerce the right to license pilots and planes.
1927 – Malcolm “Mac” Wood, took his wife Mable on her first dune ride in a Model A Ford after a 3-day downpour had packed down the sand on the Silver Lake sand dunes in Michigan. A few years later he had developed the first of his famous “dune scooters” by converting a Ford Model A into a four-seat dune buggy. He charged 25 cents for rides.
1927 – Charles Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field in Long Island, NY, to cross the Atlantic non-stop for Paris aboard his airplane the “Spirit of St. Louis.” He touched down at Le Bourget Field in Paris the next day. The trip took 33 1/2 hours.
1930 – The first airplane was catapulted from a dirigible.
1932 – Amelia Earhart took off from Newfoundland to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. She landed in Ireland the next day to become the first woman to achieve the feat.
1939 – The first telecast over telephone wires was sent from Madison Square Garden to the NBC-TV studios at 30 Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. The event was a bicycle race.
1939 – The first regular air-passenger service across the Atlantic Ocean began with the take-off of the “Yankee Clipper” from Port Washington, NY.
1942 – The song “I’ve Got A Gal in Kalamazoo” was recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra.
1969 – Peter Cetera, of the band Chicago, was beaten up by four men at a Chicago Cubs-Dodgers baseball game. The men objected to the length of his hair. Cetera underwent four hours of emergency surgery.
1978 – Mavis Hutchinson, at age 53, became the first woman to run across America. It took Hutchinson 69 days to run the 3,000 miles.
1980 – The submarine Nautilus was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
1982 – The final episode of TV’s “Barney Miller” aired on ABC-TV.
1985 – The Dow Jones industrial average broke the 1300 mark for the first time. The Dow closed at 1304.88.
1985 – Radio Marti, part of the Voice of America service, began broadcasting to Cuba.
1990 – The Hubble Space Telescope sent back its first photographs.
1993 – The final episode of TV’s “Cheers” aired on NBC. Approximately 42.4 million households were watching.
1996 – After six seasons, the final episode of “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”, starring Will Smith, aired on NBC.
2003 – A cow in British Columbia, Canada was diagnosed with mad cow disease. As a result, the U.S. banned imports of Canadian beef, cattle and animal feed.
2007 – The Lundberg survey set a new high for gasoline prices in the United States at $3.18 per gallon.
2009 – Kris Allen was declared the winner of the eighth season of TV’s “American Idol”. Adam Lambert finished in second place.
2010 – Five paintings worth 100 million Euro were stolen from the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris.
2015 – David Letterman hosted “The Late Show with David Lettermen” for the final time.
2022 – More than 40 people were injured and one person was killed after a tornado ripped through Gaylord, Michigan in the afternoon.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON MAY 20:
Constance Towers – 93 years old (1933) – Actress and singer
Anthony Zerbe – 90 years old (1936) – Actor
John Strasberg – 85 years old (1941) – Actor and teacher
Cher – 80 years old (1946) – Singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
Thomas Akers – 75 years old (1951) – Colonel, engineer, and astronaut
Mike Crapo – 75 years old (1951) – Lawyer and politician
David Paterson – 72 years old (1954) – Lawyer and politician, 55th Governor of New York
Steve George – 71 years old (1955) – Keyboard player and songwriter
Douglas Preston – 70 years old (1956) – Journalist and author
Ron Reagan – 68 years old (1958) – Journalist and radio host
Jane Wiedlin – 68 years old (1958) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress
Susan Cowsill – 67 years old (1959) – Singer-songwriter
Tony Goldwyn – 66 years old (1960) – Actor and director
David Wells – 63 years old (1963) – Baseball player and sportscaster
Ted Allen – 61 years old (1965) – Television host and author
Dan Abrams – 60 years old (1966) – Journalist and author
Timothy Olyphant – 58 years old (1968) – Actor and producer
Road Dogg – 57 years old (1969) – Wrestler, producer, and soldier
Terrell Brandon – 56 years old (1970) – Basketball player
Tony Stewart – 55 years old (1971) – Race car driver
Busta Rhymes – 54 years old (1972) – Rapper, producer, and actor
Allison Amend – 52 years old (1974) – Novelist and short story writer
Ramón Hernández – 50 years old (1976) – Venezuelan-American baseball player
Matt Czuchry – 49 years old (1977) – Actor
Angela Goethals – 49 years old (1977) – Actress
Jayson Werth – 47 years old (1979) – Baseball player
Austin Kearns – 46 years old (1980) – Baseball player
Kassim Osgood – 46 years old (1980) – Football player
Rachel Platten – 45 years old (1981) – Singer and songwriter
Lindsay Taylor – 45 years old (1981) – Basketball player
Patrick Ewing Jr. – 42 years old (1984) – Basketball player
Keith Grennan – 42 years old (1984) – Football player
Julian Wright – 39 years old (1987) – Basketball player
Caroline Zhang – 33 years old (1993) – Figure skater
Doug the Pug – 14 years old (2012) – Celebrity dog
DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR MAY 20:
- World Bee Day: Discover World Bee Day, a global celebration raising awareness of vital pollinators, their role in ecosystems and food crops, and simple ways to protect them.
- National Streaming Day: Celebrate National Streaming Day by exploring new platforms, free library services, and the evolving world of on-demand video that’s reshaping entertainment.
- International Clinical Trials Day: Discover the history and impact of International Clinical Trials Day, honoring medical research, volunteers, and breakthroughs that improve patient care worldwide.
- National Women in Aerospace Day: National Women in Aerospace Day celebrates women shaping aviation and space, promotes diversity in STEM careers, and inspires future generations to soar.
- National Rescue Dog Day: Celebrate National Rescue Dog Day by honoring shelter dogs, supporting rescues, adopting or fostering, and volunteering to help pups find loving forever homes.
- National High Heel Day: Celebrate National High Heel Day by honoring heels as symbols of style, confidence, and self-expression, from bold fashion statements to empowering personal stories.
- National Juice Slush Day: Celebrate National Juice Slush Day with icy, fruity drinks, creative flavor combos, and fun activities that highlight simple pleasures and healthier refreshment.
- National Band Director’s Day: Celebrate National Band Director’s Day by honoring music educators who inspire creativity, discipline, and community through their leadership and dedication.
- National Employee Health and Fitness Day: National Employee Health and Fitness Day inspires workplaces to add movement, boost energy, reduce stress, and build stronger, healthier, more connected teams.
- National Pick Strawberries Day: Celebrate National Pick Strawberries Day by visiting u-pick fields, harvesting sun-warmed berries, and turning them into fresh, nostalgic summer treats.
- International Customer Support Day: Celebrate International Customer Support Day by honoring support teams, sharing feedback, and recognizing the vital role they play in customer trust and satisfaction.
- National Sugarbee® Apple Day: Celebrate National SugarBee® Apple Day by enjoying crisp, honey-sweet SugarBee® apples, exploring recipes, orchard trips, and the story behind this unique fruit.
- World Autoimmune Arthritis Day: World Autoimmune Arthritis Day raises global awareness of autoimmune and autoinflammatory arthritis, empowering patients, promoting education, support, and better care.
- International Academic Freedom Day: Discover the meaning of academic freedom, explore its history and challenges, and find ways to support open inquiry and free speech in education worldwide.
- International Red Sneakers Day: Learn about International Red Sneakers Day, honoring Oakley Debbs and raising global awareness of life-threatening food allergies through education and solidarity.
- Turn Beauty Inside Out Day: Discover Turn Beauty Inside Out Day, celebrating inner beauty, empathy, and authenticity while challenging narrow media ideals and inspiring true self-worth.
- Weights & Measures Day: Discover Weights & Measures Day, celebrating accurate measurement, metrology history, and the standards that keep science, trade, cooking, and daily life fair.
- National Quiche Lorraine Day: Celebrate National Quiche Lorraine Day by savoring this rich bacon, egg, and cheese classic, exploring its history, and sharing homemade slices with friends.
- National Be a Millionaire Day: National Be a Millionaire Day inspires people to review money habits, build smarter budgets, grow investments, and nurture a millionaire mindset for life.
- National Vegetarian Week: National Vegetarian Week is a lively celebration that spotlights the vibrant and tasty world of vegetarianism. Organized by the Vegetarian Society, this week-long event is a time to enjoy and explore the many benefits and flavors of a plant-based lifestyle. It aims to inspire people to try new vegetarian dishes...
- Dementia Action Week: Dementia Action Week is a key time of action. It’s time to step up your game on behalf of those who live with the disease. This event means different things while being significant to many different people. But one thing about it is the same -- it should bring us all...
- National Safe Sun Week: National Safe Sun Week is a special time dedicated to educating people about the dangers of too much sun and how to stay safe. Held in the last week of May, right before the Memorial Day holiday, it marks the beginning of summer. This is when folks often start spending...
- Walk to School Week in the UK: Walk to School Week in the UK is a vibrant event encouraging kids to embrace walking as part of their daily routine. This week-long initiative highlights the benefits of walking over driving, making it an engaging and fun experience for children! How to Celebrate Walk to School Week Host a...
- Eliza Doolittle Day: Eliza Doolittle Day springs from a playful moment in the musical My Fair Lady. In one scene, Eliza imagines a future where the king honors her with a day bearing her name. Fans embraced this idea, turning it into a real celebration. The day highlights Eliza's journey from a flower seller...
- Foster Care Fortnight: Foster Care Fortnight, an annual event in the UK, typically happens in the first two weeks of May. This initiative is driven by The Fostering Network, a leading charity that promotes foster care awareness and recruitment. The event raises awareness about the growing need for foster carers and their vital...
- British Sandwich Week: British Sandwich Week is a lively celebration of one of Britain's most iconic culinary creations: the sandwich. This week, sandwich lovers from all walks of life come together to indulge in the art of sandwich making and tasting. Whether it’s a classic ham and cheese or a gourmet concoction with...
- International Heritage Breeds Week: Support the survival of classic livestock breeds like Oberhasli goats, Wiltshire Wild Horn sheep, and Gloucester Old Spot pigs during Heritage Breeds Week.
- Epilepsy Awareness Week: Epilepsy Awareness Week is a significant event held annually to highlight epilepsy's impact on millions worldwide. Taking place in May, this week-long event aims to inform and engage people in understanding this neurological condition. The goal is to dispel myths and encourage conversations about epilepsy. The purpose of epilepsy is to...
- Be Nice to Nettles Week: Be Nice to Nettles Week is a vibrant annual event that shines a spotlight on the humble nettle plant. Celebrated in mid-May, this period encourages us to appreciate the ecological and health benefits of nettles. How to Celebrate Be Nice to Nettles Week Here are five quirky and playful ways to dive...
- Tracky Dack Day: Tracky Dack Day is a funny name for a serious cause. This annual event, run by TLC for Kids, encourages people to wear their favorite track pants (aka 'tracky dacks'!) to support children in hospitals! The name brings a smile, but the mission is profound. It raises awareness and funds...
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