Discover what happened on May 24 in history, along with notable events that shaped communication, transportation, entertainment, and Michigan history.
What Happened on May 24 in History?
Important events on this day include the first telegraph message being sent, the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge, and the beginning of Concorde supersonic passenger service.
MAY 24 – TODAY IN HISTORY:
1738 – The Methodist Church was established.
1749 -To attract settlers to Detroit, the governor general of New France (Canada) offered each man who settle there a spade, an axe, a cow, a sow, a ploughshare, one large and one small wagon and seed. More than one hundred people accepted the offer over the first two years.
1764 – Bostonian lawyer James Otis denounced “taxation without representation” and called for the colonies to unite in demonstrating their opposition to Britain’s new tax measures.
1830 – The first passenger railroad service in the U.S. began service.
1830 – The poem “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, by Sarah Hale, was published.
1844 – Samuel F.B. Morse formally opened America’s first telegraph line. The first message was sent from Washington, DC, to Baltimore, MD. The message was “What hath God wrought?”
1878 – The first American bicycle race was held in Boston, MA.
1883 – After 14 years of construction the Brooklyn Bridge was opened to traffic.
1899 – The first public garage was opened by W.T. McCullough.
1913 – The U.S. Department of Labor entered into its first strike mediation. The dispute was between the Railroad Clerks of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
1930 – Amy Johnson became the first woman to fly from England to Australia.
1931 – B&O Railroad began service with the first passenger train to have air conditioning throughout. The run was between New York, NY and Washington, DC.
1935 – The Cincinnati Reds played the Philadelphia Phillies in the first major league baseball game at night. Over 20,000 fans watched as the switch for the floodlights was thrown by President Franklin Roosevelt.
1950 – Nate “Sweetwater” Clifton of The Harlem Globetrotters became the first African American player in the NBA when the New York Knicks purchase his contract.
1954 – The first moving sidewalk in a railroad station was opened in Jersey City, NJ.
1958 – United Press International was formed through a merger of the United Press and the International News Service.
1962 – American astronaut Scott Carpenter became the second American astronaut to orbit the Earth. He orbited the Earth three times in the Aurora 7 space capsule.
1962 – The officials of the National Football League ruled that halftime of regular season games would be cut to 15 minutes.
1967 – California Governor Ronald Reagan greeted Charles M. Schulz at the state capitol in observance of the legislature-proclaimed “Charles Schulz Day.”
1974 – Muhammad Ali scored a TKO over Richard Dunn in Munich to retain his heavyweight title.
1974 – After nine seasons on TV, NBC aired the final “Dean Martin Show”.
1976 – Supersonic Concorde service began between Paris and London and Washington, DC.
1980 – The International Court of Justice issued a final decision calling for the release of the hostages taken at the U.S. embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979.
1984 – The Detroit Tigers won a record 17th consecutive road games.
1989 – The movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” opened in theaters.
1991 – The movie “Thelma and Louise” opened in theaters with Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in the title roles and directed by Ridley Scott.
1999 – Mike Tyson was released from a Maryland jail, having served 3-1/2 months for assaulting two motorists after a collision.
2000 – A Democratic Party event for Al Gore in Washington brought in $26.5 million. The amount set a new record, which had just been set the previous month by Republicans for Texas Gov. George W. Bush.
2001 – Temba Tsheri, 16, became the youngest person to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
2006 – Taylor Hicks won TV’s “American Idol” Season 4.
2007 – Congress approved the first minimum wage hike in nearly a decade. The measure upped the $5.15 per hour minimum wage by 70 cents before the end of the summer. Wages were boosted another 70 cents the next year, and the minimum wage would be $7.25 by the summer of 2009.
2011 – NASA announced the development of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) spacecraft. It is intended to facilitate exploration of the Moon, asteroids and Mars.
2022 – A mass shooting occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX, resulting in the deaths of 21 people, including 19 children.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON MAY 24:
Archie Shepp – 89 years old (1937) – Saxophonist and composer
Tommy Chong – 88 years old (1938) – Canadian-American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
Bob Dylan – 85 years old (1941) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, artist, writer, and producer; Nobel Prize laureate
Gary Burghoff – 83 years old (1943) – Actor
Patti LaBelle – 82 years old (1944) – Singer-songwriter and actress
Priscilla Presley – 81 years old (1945) – Actress and businesswoman
Albert Bouchard – 79 years old (1947) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and drummer
Mike Reid – 79 years old (1947) – Singer-songwriter, pianist, and American football player
Waddy Wachtel – 79 years old (1947) – Guitarist, singer-songwriter, and record producer
Rosanne Cash – 71 years old (1955) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Larry Blackmon – 70 years old (1956) – Singer-songwriter and producer
Chip Ganassi – 68 years old (1958) – Race car driver, team owner and businessman
Alain Lemieux – 65 years old (1961) – Canadian-American ice hockey player and coach
Michael Chabon – 63 years old (1963) – Novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter
Joe Dumars – 63 years old (1963) – Basketball player
Rich Rodriguez – 63 years old (1963) – Football player and coach
Valerie Taylor – 63 years old (1963) – Computer scientist and educator
John C. Reilly – 61 years old (1965) – Actor
Ricky Craven – 60 years old (1966) – Race car driver and sportscaster
Eric Close – 59 years old (1967) – Actor
Carlos Hernández – 59 years old (1967) – Venezuelan-American baseball player and manager
Rich Robinson – 57 years old (1969) – Guitarist and songwriter
Greg Berlanti – 54 years old (1972) – Director, producer, and screenwriter
Bartolo Colón – 53 years old (1973) – Dominican-American baseball player
Alessandro Cortini – 50 years old (1976) – Italian-American singer and keyboard player
Elijah Burke – 48 years old (1978) – Wrestler
Brad Penny – 48 years old (1978) – Baseball player
Tracy McGrady – 47 years old (1979) – Basketball player
Kareem McKenzie – 47 years old (1979) – Football player
Jason Babin – 46 years old (1980) – Football player
Rian Wallace – 44 years old (1982) – Football player
Pedram Javaheri – 43 years old (1983) – Iranian-American meteorologist and journalist
Sarah Hagan – 42 years old (1984) – Actress
Mark Ballas – 40 years old (1986) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, dancer, and actor
Monica Lin Brown – 38 years old (1988) – Sergeant
Billy Gilman – 38 years old (1988) – Musician
Lucian Wintrich – 38 years old (1988) – Political artist and White House correspondent
G-Eazy – 37 years old (1989) – Rapper
Kalin Lucas – 37 years old (1989) – Basketball player
Joey Logano – 36 years old (1990) – Race car driver
Jarell Martin – 32 years old (1994) – Basketball player
Emily Temple Wood – 32 years old (1994) – 2016 Wikipedian of the Year award
DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR MAY 24:
- International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament: International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament honors women leading peacebuilding and disarmament, inspiring communities to reduce conflict and violence.
- Brother’s Day: Celebrate Brother’s Day by honoring brothers and brotherly bonds with memories, gifts, and time together, reflecting on the role they play in family life.
- National Yucatán Shrimp Day: Celebrate National Yucatán Shrimp Day by savoring spicy, citrusy peel-and-eat shrimp, exploring Yucatán-inspired flavors, and honoring sustainable seafood.
- International Day of the Markhor: Discover the International Day of the Markhor, celebrating this iconic mountain goat, its recovery from decline, and global efforts to protect its fragile habitat.
- National Scavenger Hunt Day: Celebrate National Scavenger Hunt Day with creative clues, teamwork, and adventure, honoring Elsa Maxwell’s playful tradition of community-wide game fun.
- National Caterers Appreciation Day: Honor the caterers who make every event memorable. Learn the meaning of National Caterers Appreciation Day and discover thoughtful ways to show your thanks.
- National Wyoming Day: National Wyoming Day honors the Equality State’s pioneering role in women’s rights, rich Western heritage, and stunning landscapes from Yellowstone to the Tetons.
- Pansexual Awareness Day: Discover the meaning of pansexuality, honor pansexual and panromantic communities, and learn inclusive ways to listen, support, and celebrate identity.
- Aviation Maintenance Technician Day: Honor the unsung heroes who keep planes safe. Aviation Maintenance Technician Day celebrates skilled technicians, aviation safety, and the legacy of Charles Edward Taylor.
- National Escargot Day: Discover the history, flavors, and fun of escargot, from French dining traditions and safe snail sourcing to tasty ways to savor this unique gourmet delicacy.
- Pentecost: Discover Pentecost, the Christian feast celebrating the Holy Spirit’s descent, the birth of the Church, and themes of unity, renewal, and spiritual empowerment.
- 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...
- International Tiara Day: Celebrate International Tiara Day by embracing inner royalty, self-care, and empowerment with tiaras, pampering, creativity, and joy shared with others.
- 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...
- Saints Cyril and Methodius Day: Saints Cyril and Methodius Day honors two brothers who played a key role in spreading Christianity and literacy. They are celebrated for creating the Glagolitic alphabet, which allowed Slavic people to read and write in their language. This achievement made religious texts accessible, greatly influencing the cultural development of the...
- 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...
- National Children’s Gardening Week: Did you know that children who spend time in gardens often grow up to be more environmentally conscious? National Children’s Gardening Week aims to inspire a love for gardening among kids. Held annually in the late spring, this event is a great opportunity to encourage children to explore nature! How to...
- Día del Completo: Día del Completo is a fun and tasty celebration in Chile that honors the country’s favorite hot dog. The completo is not just any hot dog; it’s a feast on a bun packed with ingredients like avocado, tomatoes, mayonnaise, and sauerkraut. On this special day, people across Chile indulge in these...
- World Schizophrenia Awareness Day: World Schizophrenia Awareness Day highlights the challenges faced by individuals living with schizophrenia. This mental health condition affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may experience symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking. These symptoms can make daily life difficult. Unfortunately, misunderstandings about schizophrenia often lead...
- Indianapolis 500: Discover the Indianapolis 500, where high-speed racing, rich traditions, and festival events create an iconic motorsport spectacle and cultural celebration.
- 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...
- 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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