What happened on May 7? There are more than 251 events that were made this day in history. Here are the important historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
Interesting Facts & Myths About May 7
May 7 is the 128th day of the year 2024. There are 238 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Tuesday. This day falls under the 19th week of the year 2024.
On this day in Matawan, New Jersey 07747 sunrise will occur at 05:46 AM and sunset will occur at 08:00 PM (local time).
The zodiac sign of a person born on this day is Taurus. The modern birthstone for this month is Emerald while the mystical birthstone is Sapphire.
According to the Chinese calendar, there are 267 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year (January 29, 2025).
Is your birthday coming up in two days? Are you not curious to find out who is sharing your special day? Discover all the April 27 famous birthdays. There are fun facts about that day that you must know. (Sponsored link)
Historical Events For May 7
- 351The Jewish revolt against Gallus breaks out. After his arrival at Antioch, the Jews begin a rebellion in Palestine.
- 558In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses. Justinian I immediately orders that the dome be rebuilt.
- 1274In France, the Second Council of Lyons opens to regulate the election of the Pope.
- 1348Charles University in Prague (Universitas Carolina/Univerzita Karlova) is established as the first university in Central Europe.
- 1429Joan of Arc ends the Siege of Orléans, pulling an arrow from her own shoulder and returning, wounded, to lead the final charge. The victory marks a turning point in the Hundred Years’ War.
- 1664Louis XIV of France inaugurates the Palace of Versailles.
- 1697Stockholm’s royal castle (dating back to medieval times) is destroyed by fire. It is replaced by the current Royal Palace in the eighteenth century.
- 1718The city of New Orleans is founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville.
- 1763Indian Wars: Pontiac’s Rebellion begins – Chief Pontiac begins the “Conspiracy of Pontiac” by attacking British forces at Fort Detroit.
- 1794French Revolution: Robespierre introduces the Cult of the Supreme Being in the National Convention as the new state religion of the French First Republic.
- 1824World premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Vienna, Austria. The performance is conducted by Michael Umlauf under the composer’s supervision.
- 1832The independence of Greece is recognized by the Treaty of London. Otto of Wittelsbach, Prince of Bavaria is chosen King.
- 1840The Great Natchez Tornado strikes Natchez, Mississippi killing 317 people. It is the second deadliest tornado in United States history.
- 1846The Cambridge Chronicle, America’s oldest surviving weekly newspaper, is published for the first time in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- 1847The American Medical Association is founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 1864American Civil War: The Army of the Potomac, under General Ulysses S. Grant, breaks off from the Battle of the Wilderness and moves southwards.
- 1895In Saint Petersburg, Russian scientist Alexander Stepanovich Popov demonstrates to the Russian Physical and Chemical Society his invention, the Popov lightning detector — a primitive radio receiver. In some parts of the former Soviet Union the anniversary of this day is celebrated as Radio Day.
- 1915World War I: German submarine SMU U-20 sinks RMS Lusitania, killing 1,198 people including 128 Americans. Public reaction to the sinking turns many formerly pro-Germans in the United States against the German Empire.
- 1920Kiev Offensive: Polish troops led by Józef Piłsudski and Edward Rydz-Śmigły and assisted by a symbolic Ukrainian force capture Kiev only to be driven out by the Red Army counter-offensive a month later.
- 1920The Art Gallery of Ontario, in Toronto, opens the first exhibition by the Group of Seven.
- 1920Treaty of Moscow: Soviet Russia recognizes the independence of the Democratic Republic of Georgia only to invade the country six months later.
- 1937Spanish Civil War: The German Condor Legion, equipped with Heinkel He 51 biplanes, arrives in Spain to assist Francisco Franco’s forces.
- 1940The Norway Debate in the British House of Commons begins, and leads to the replacement of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain with Winston Churchill three days later.
- 1942During the Battle of the Coral Sea, United States Navy aircraft carrier aircraft attack and sink the Japanese Imperial Navy light aircraft carrier Shōhō. The battle marks the first time in the naval history that two enemy fleets fight without visual contact between warring ships.
- 1945World War II: General Alfred Jodl signs unconditional surrender terms at Reims, France, ending Germany’s participation in the war. The document takes effect the next day.
- 1946Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering (later renamed Sony) is founded with around 20 employees.
- 1948The Council of Europe is founded during the Hague Congress.
- 1952The concept of the integrated circuit, the basis for all modern computers, is first published by Geoffrey W.A. Dummer.
- 1954Indochina War: The Battle of Dien Bien Phu ends in a French defeat (the battle began on March 13).
- 1960Cold War: U-2 Crisis of 1960 – Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev announces that his nation is holding American U-2 pilot Gary Powers.
- 1964Pacific Air Lines Flight 773, a Fairchild F-27 airliner, crashes near San Ramon, California, killing all 44 aboard; the FBI later reports that a cockpit recorder tape indicates that the pilot and co-pilot had been shot by a suicidal passenger.
- 1974West German Chancellor Willy Brandt resigns.
- 1986Canadian Patrick Morrow became the first person to climb each of the Seven Summits.
- 1992Michigan ratifies a 203-year-old proposed amendment to the United States Constitution making the 27th Amendment law. This amendment bars the U.S. Congress from giving itself a mid-term pay raise.
- 1992The Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on its first mission (STS-49).
- 1992Three employees at a McDonald’s Restaurant in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, are brutally murdered and a fourth permanently disabled after a botched robbery. It is the first “fast-food murder” in Canada.
- 1994Edvard Munch’s iconic painting The Scream is recovered undamaged after having been stolen from the National Gallery of Norway in February.
- 1998Mercedes-Benz buys Chrysler for $40 billion USD and forms DaimlerChrysler in the largest industrial merger in history.
- 1999In Guinea-Bissau, President João Bernardo Vieira is ousted in a military coup.
- 1999Kosovo War: In Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, three Chinese citizens are killed and 20 wounded when a NATO aircraft bombs the Chinese embassy in Belgrade.
- 1999Pope John Paul II travels to Romania becoming the first pope to visit a predominantly Eastern Orthodox country since the Great Schism in 1054.
- 2000Vladimir Putin is inaugurated president of Russia
- 2002A China Northern Airlines MD-82 plunges into the Yellow Sea, killing 112 people.
- 2004American businessman Nick Berg is beheaded by Islamic militants. The act is recorded on videotape and released on the Internet.
- 2007Israeli archaeologists discover the tomb of Herod the Great south of Jerusalem.
- 2009Over 100 New Zealand Police officers begin a 40-hour siege of a lone gunman in Napier, New Zealand.
Who Were Born On May 7?
- 1328Louis VI the Roman, Duke of Bavaria (d. 1365)
- 1397Sejong the Great, was the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea (d. 1450)
- 1530Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de Condé, French Huguenot general (d. 1569)
- 1605Patriarch Nikon, 7th patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church (d. 1681)
- 1643Stephanus Van Cortlandt, American politician (d. 1700)
- 1700Gerard van Swieten, Dutch-born physician (d. 1772)
- 1711David Hume, Scottish philosopher and historian (d. 1776)
- 1724Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser, Austrian general (d. 1797)
- 1740Nikolai Arkharov, Russian general (d. 1814)
- 1748Olympe de Gouges, French playwright and feminist revolutionary (d. 1793)
- 1763Józef Antoni Poniatowski, Polish prince (d. 1813)
- 1767Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia, Duchess of York and Albany (d. 1820)
- 1774William Bainbridge, American Commodore (d. 1833)
- 1787Jacques Viger, French Canadian politician, first mayor of Montreal (d. 1858)
- 1812Robert Browning, English poet (d. 1889)
- 1826Varina Davis, First Lady of the Confederate States of America (d. 1906)
- 1833Johannes Brahms, German composer (d. 1897)
- 1836Joseph Gurney Cannon, American politician (d. 1926)
- 1840Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russian composer (d. 1893)
- 1847Archibald Primrose, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1929)
- 1857William A. MacCorkle, American politician (d. 1930)
- 1860Tom Norman, English freak showman (d. 1930)
- 1861Rabindranath Tagore, Indian writer, Nobel laureate (d. 1941)
- 1867Władysław Reymont, Polish writer, Nobel laureate (d. 1925)
- 1882Willem Elsschot, Flemish writer (d. 1960)
- 1885George ‘Gabby’Hayes, American actor (d. 1969)
- 1891Harry McShane, Scottish socialist (d. 1988)
- 1892Archibald MacLeish, American Librarian of Congress (d. 1982)
- 1892Josip Broz Tito, President of Yugoslavia (d. 1980)
- 1893Frank J. Selke, Canadian ice hockey manager (d. 1985)
- 1901Gary Cooper, American actor (d. 1961)
- 1909Edwin H. Land, American inventor (d. 1991)
- 1911Ishirō Honda, Japanese film director (d. 1993)
- 1912Pannalal Patel, Gujarati author (d. 1989)
- 1914Sir Arthur Snelling, British Ambassador (d. 1996)
- 1916Huw Wheldon, British broadcaster (d. 1986)
- 1917David Tomlinson, English film actor (d. 2000)
- 1919Eva Perón, Argentine first lady (d. 1952)
- 1919La Esterella, Flemish singer (d. 2011)
- 1921Gaston Rébuffat, French mountaineer (d. 1985)
- 1922Darren McGavin, American actor (d. 2006)
- 1922Joe O'Donnell, American documentary photographer and photojournalist (d. 2007)
- 1922Lew Anderson, American actor and bandleader (d. 2006)
- 1923Anne Baxter, American actress (d. 1985)
- 1924Albert Band, American film director (d. 2002)
- 1926Val Bisoglio, Italian-American actor
- 1927Jim Lowe, American singer
- 1927Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, German screenwriter
- 1928John Ingle, American actor
- 1929Babe Parilli, American football player
- 1929Dick Williams, American baseball player, manager and coach (d. 2011)
- 1930Totie Fields, American comedienne (d. 1978)
- 1931Gene Wolfe, American science fiction author
- 1931Teresa Brewer, American pop and jazz singer (d. 2007)
- 1932Pete Domenici, American politician
- 1933Johnny Unitas, American football player (d. 2002)
- 1933Nexhmije Pagarusha, Albanian singer
- 1935Isobel Warren, Canadian author
- 1936Bobby Joe Green, American football player (d. 1993)
- 1937Claude Raymond, Quebec baseball player
- 1939Jimmy Ruffin, American singer
- 1939Johnny Maestro, American pop singer (d. 2010)
- 1939Ruggero Deodato, Italian film director, actor and screen writer
- 1939Ruud Lubbers, Former Prime Minister of the Netherlands
- 1939Sidney Altman, Canadian molecular biologist, Nobel laureate
- 1940Angela Carter, English novelist and journalist (d. 1992)
- 1940Jim Connors, American radio personality (d. 1987)
- 1940Vasilis N. Triantafillidis, Greek comedian and actor
- 1941Catherine P. Saxton, British-born American public relations executive
- 1943Harvey Andrews, English singer and songwriter
- 1943Peter Carey, Australian author
- 1943Terry Allen, American country music singer
- 1944Eva Norvind, Mexican actress (d. 2006)
- 1944Richard O'Sullivan, British actor
- 1945Christy Moore, Irish folk artist
- 1945Robin Strasser, American TV soap opera actress
- 1946Bill Kreutzmann, American drummer (Grateful Dead)
- 1946Brian Turner, English chef
- 1946Jerry Nolan, American musician (The New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers) (d. 1992)
- 1946Marv Hubbard, American football player
- 1946Michael Rosen, English children’s poet
- 1946Thelma Houston, American singer
- 1948Susan Atkins, American murderer (d. 2009)
- 1949Marilyn Cole, English model
- 1950Randall ‘Tex’Cobb, American boxer and actor
- 1950Tim Russert, American television host (d. 2008)
- 1951Bernie Marsden, English musician
- 1951Robert Hegyes, American actor
- 1953Ian McKay, British soldier, Victoria Cross recipient (d. 1982)
- 1953Pat McInally, American football player
- 1954Amy Heckerling, American director
- 1954Philippe Geluck, Belgian cartoonist
- 1955Ben Poquette, American basketball player
- 1955Kevin Reed, American theologian
- 1955Peter Reckell, American actor
- 1956Anne Dudley, British composer
- 1956Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Netherlands
- 1956Jean Lapierre, Canadian politician and television host
- 1957Ned Bellamy, American actor
- 1957Ray Fernandez, American wrestler (d. 2004)
- 1958Mark G. Kuzyk, American physicist
- 1959Barbara Yung Mei-ling, Hong Kong actress (d. 1985)
- 1959Michael E. Knight, American actor
- 1960Adam Bernstein, American music video/television director
- 1960Almudena Grandes, Spanish novelist
- 1961Hans-Peter Bartels, German politician
- 1961Phil Campbell, British musician (Motörhead)
- 1962Tony Campbell, American basketball player
- 1963Johnny Lee Middleton, American musician (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
- 1964Doug Benson, American comedian
- 1964Leslie O'Neal, American football player
- 1964Ronnie Harmon, American football player
- 1965Norman Whiteside, Northern Irish footballer
- 1965Owen Hart, Canadian professional wrestler (d. 1999)
- 1965Reuben Davis, American football player
- 1967Joe Rice, American politician
- 1967Martin Bryant, Australian mass murderer
- 1968Traci Lords, American actress
- 1969Eagle-Eye Cherry, Swedish musician
- 1969Jun Falkenstein, American film director
- 1969Rick Porras, American film producer
- 1970Kim Su-ro, South Korean actor
- 1971Horgh, Norwegian drummer (Immortal, Hypocrisy)
- 1972Frank Trigg, American mixed martial artist
- 1972Peter Dubovský, Slovak footballer (d. 2000)
- 1973Kristian Lundin, Swedish songwriter
- 1973Paolo Savoldelli, Italian cyclist
- 1974Breckin Meyer, American actor
- 1974Ian Pearce, English footballer
- 1975Jason Tunks, Canadian discus thrower
- 1975Zee, American hip hop artist
- 1976Andrea Lo Cicero, Italian rugby player
- 1976Calvin Booth, American basketball player
- 1977Lisa Kelly, Irish singer
- 1978Brian Clevinger, American author
- 1978Shawn Marion, American basketball player
- 1978Stephanie Pohl, German beach volleyball player
- 1978Stian Arnesen, Norwegian musician
- 1979Katie Douglas, American basketball player
- 1980Johan Kenkhuis, Dutch swimmer
- 1980Kate Lawler, English reality television personality
- 1982Ákos Buzsáky, Hungarian footballer
- 1984Alex Smith, American football player
- 1984Drew Stanton, American football player
- 1984James Loney, American baseball player
- 1984May7ven, Nigerian-born British singer-songwriter and dancer
- 1985Dan Sweetman, Australian television host
- 1985Drew Neitzel, American basketball player
- 1986Mark Furze, Australian actor
- 1986Matt Helders, English drummer (Arctic Monkeys)
- 1987Jérémy Ménez, French footballer
- 1987Michael Maidens, English footballer (d. 2007)
- 1987Serge Gakpé, Togolese footballer
- 1988Natalie Mejia, American dancer and singer (Girlicious)
- 1989Master Shortie, British hip-hop and R&B singer-songwriter and rapper
- 1992Alexander Ludwig, Canadian actor
- 2000Maxwell Perry Cotton, American actor
Who Died On May 7?
- 973Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 912)
- 1092Remigius de Fécamp, first bishop of Lincoln (b. unknown)
- 1427Thomas la Warr, 5th Baron De La Warr, English churchman
- 1523Franz von Sickingen, German soldier (b. 1481)
- 1539Ottaviano Petrucci, Italian printer (b. 1466)
- 1615Sanada Yukimura, Japanese samurai (b. 1567)
- 1617David Fabricius, German astronomer (b. 1564)
- 1667Johann Jakob Froberger, German composer (b. 1616)
- 1682Tsar Feodor III of Russia (b. 1661)
- 1718Mary of Modena, wife of James II of England (b. 1658)
- 1793Pietro Nardini, Italian composer (b. 1722)
- 1800Niccolò Piccinni, Italian composer (b. 1728)
- 1805William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1737)
- 1825Antonio Salieri, Italian composer (b. 1750)
- 1840Caspar David Friedrich, German painter (b. 1774)
- 1868Henry Peter Brougham, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain (b. 1778)
- 1876William Buell Sprague, American clergyman and author (b. 1795)
- 1887C. F. W. Walther, American Lutheran theologian (b. 1811)
- 1896H. H. Holmes (Herman Webster Mudgett), American serial killer (b. 1860)
- 1922Max Wagenknecht, German composer (b. 1857)
- 1925William Hesketh Lever, First Viscount Leverhulme (b. 1851)
- 1940George Lansbury, British Labour Party leader (b. 1859)
- 1941Sir James George Frazer, Scottish anthropologist (b. 1854)
- 1942Felix Weingartner, Yugoslavian conductor (b. 1863)
- 1951Warner Baxter, American actor (b. 1889)
- 1986Jeffrey Mylett, American actor (b. 1949)
- 1987Colin Blakely, British actor (b. 1930)
- 1989Guy Williams, American actor (b. 1924)
- 1995Ray McKinley, American jazz drummer, singer and bandleader (b. 1910)
- 1998Allan McLeod Cormack, South African physicist, Nobel laureate (b. 1924)
- 1998Eddie Rabbitt, American musician (b. 1941)
- 2000Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., American actor (b. 1909)
- 2002Kevyn Aucoin, American makeup artist and photographer (b. 1962)
- 2002Seattle Slew, American racehorse (b. 1974)
- 2004Waldemar Milewicz, Polish reporter (b. 1956)
- 2005Otilino Tenorio, Ecuadorian footballer (b. 1980)
- 2005Peter W. Rodino, American politician (b. 1909)
- 2005Tristan Egolf, American writer (b. 1971)
- 2006Joan C. Edwards, American philanthropist (b. 1918)
- 2006Machiko Soga, Japanese actress (b. 1943)
- 2006Richard Carleton, Australian news reporter (b. 1943)
- 2007Diego Corrales, American boxer (b. 1977)
- 2007Octavian Paler, Romanian writer and journalist (b. 1926)
- 2007Yahweh ben Yahweh, American cult leader (b. 1935)
- 2009David Mellor, English cutlery designer (b. 1930)
- 2011Allyson Hennessy, Trindadian television presenter
- 2011Big George, British broadcaster, composer, bandleader and musician (b. 1957)
- 2011Seve Ballesteros, Spanish golfer (b. 1957)
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