What happened on May 16? There are more than 255 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 16
May 16 is the 137th day of the year 2024. There are 229 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Thursday. This day falls under the 20th week of the year 2024.
On this day in Bush, Kentucky 40724 sunrise will occur at 06:25 AM and sunset will occur at 08:40 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 258 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 21 famous birthdays. There are fun facts about that day that you must know. (Sponsored link)
Historical Events For May 16
- 218Julia Maesa, aunt of the assassinated Caracalla, is banished to her home in Syria by the self-proclaimed emperor Macrinus and declares her 14-year old grandson Elagabalus, emperor of Rome.
- 1204Baldwin IX, Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire.
- 1527The Florentines drive out the Medici for a second time and Florence re-establishes itself as a republic.
- 1532Sir Thomas More resigns as Lord Chancellor of England.
- 1568Mary, Queen of Scots, flees to England.
- 177014-year old Marie Antoinette marries 15-year-old Louis-Auguste who later becomes king of France.
- 1771The Battle of Alamance, a pre-American Revolutionary War battle between local militia and a group of rebels called The “Regulators”, occurs in present-day Alamance County, North Carolina.
- 1811Peninsular War: The allies Spain, Portugal and United Kingdom, defeat the French at the Battle of Albuera.
- 1822Greek War of Independence: The Turks capture the Greek town of Souli.
- 1843The first major wagon train heading for the Pacific Northwest sets out on the Oregon Trail with one thousand pioneers from Elm Grove, Missouri.
- 1866The U.S. Congress eliminates the half dime coin and replaces it with the five cent piece, or nickel.
- 1868President Andrew Johnson is acquitted in his impeachment trial by one vote in the United States Senate.
- 1874A flood on the Mill River in Massachusetts destroys much of four villages and kills 139 people.
- 1877May 16, 1877 political crisis in France.
- 1891The International Electro-Technical Exhibition opens in Frankfurt, Germany, and will feature the world’s first long distance transmission of high-power, three-phase electrical current (the most common form today).
- 1914The first ever Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final is played. Brooklyn Field Club defeats Brooklyn Celtic 2-1.
- 1918The Sedition Act of 1918 is passed by the U.S. Congress, making criticism of the government an imprisonable offense.
- 1919A naval Curtiss aircraft NC-4 commanded by Albert Cushing Read leaves Trepassey, Newfoundland, for Lisbon via the Azores on the first transatlantic flight.
- 1920In Rome, Pope Benedict XV canonizes Joan of Arc.
- 1929In Hollywood, California, the first Academy Awards are handed out.
- 1943Holocaust: The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising ends.
- 1948Chaim Weizmann is elected the first President of Israel.
- 1951The first regularly scheduled transatlantic flights begin between Idlewild Airport (now John F Kennedy International Airport) in New York City and Heathrow Airport in London, operated by El Al Israel Airlines.
- 1953American journalist William N. Oatis is released after serving 22 months of a ten-year prison sentence for espionage in Czechslovakia.
- 1960Theodore Maiman operates the first optical laser, at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California.
- 1961Park Chung-hee leads a coup d'état to overthrow the Second Republic of South Korea.
- 1966The Communist Party of China issues the “May 16 Notice”, marking the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.
- 1969Venera program: Venera 5, a Soviet spaceprobe, lands on Venus.
- 1974Josip Broz Tito is re-elected president of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This time he is elected for life.
- 1975India annexes Sikkim after the mountain state holds a referendum in which the popular vote is in favor of merging with India.
- 1975Junko Tabei becomes the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
- 1983Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement rebels against the Sudanese government.
- 1986The Seville Statement on Violence is adopted by an international meeting of scientists, convened by the Spanish National Commission for UNESCO, in Seville, Spain.
- 1988A report by United States’ Surgeon General C. Everett Koop states that the addictive properties of nicotine are similar to those of heroin and cocaine.
- 1991Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom addressed a joint session of the United States Congress. She is the first British monarch to address the U.S. Congress.
- 2003In Casablanca, Morocco, 33 civilians are killed and more than 100 people are injured in the Casablanca terrorist attacks.
- 2005Kuwait permits women’s suffrage in a 35-23 National Assembly vote.
Who Were Born On May 16?
- 1578Everard Digby, English conspirator (d. 1606)
- 1611Pope Innocent XI (d. 1689)
- 1710William Talbot, 1st Earl Talbot, English politician (d. 1782)
- 1718Maria Gaetana Agnesi, Italian mathematician (d. 1799)
- 1763Louis Nicolas Vauquelin, French pharmacist (d. 1829)
- 1788Friedrich Rückert, German Poet, Translator and Orientalist (d. 1866)
- 1801William H. Seward, American politician and diplomat (d. 1872)
- 1821Pafnuty Chebyshev, Russian mathematician (d. 1894)
- 1824Levi P. Morton, 22nd United States Vice President (d. 1920)
- 1827Pierre Cuypers, Dutch architect (d. 1921)
- 1831David E. Hughes, British inventor and musician (d. 1900)
- 1845Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov, Russian microbiologist, Nobel laureate (d. 1916)
- 1861H. H. Holmes, American serial killer (d. 1896)
- 1888Royal Raymond Rife, American inventor (d. 1971)
- 1891Richard Tauber, Austrian tenor (d. 1948)
- 1897Zvi Sliternik, Israeli entomologist (d. 1994)
- 1898Kenji Mizoguchi, Japanese film director (d. 1956)
- 1898Tamara de Lempicka, Polish-born painter (d. 1980)
- 1905Henry Fonda, American actor (d. 1982)
- 1906Alfred Pellan, French Canadian painter (d. 1988)
- 1906Arturo Uslar Pietri, Venezuelan writer (d. 2001)
- 1906Margret Rey, author and illustrator (d. 1996)
- 1909Margaret Sullavan, American actress (d. 1960)
- 1910Aleksandr Ivanovich Laktionov, Russian painter (d. 1972)
- 1910Olga Berggolts, Russian poet (d. 1975)
- 1912Studs Terkel, American writer (d. 2008)
- 1913Woody Herman, American musician and band leader (d. 1987)
- 1914Edward T. Hall, American anthropologist and author (d. 2009)
- 1916Adriana Caselotti, American actress (d. 1997)
- 1916Ephraim Katzir, Israeli politician (d. 2009)
- 1917George Gaynes, American actor
- 1917James C. Murray, American politician (d. 1999)
- 1917Juan Rulfo, Mexican novelist (d. 1986)
- 1918Wilf Mannion, English former footballer (d. 2000)
- 1919Liberace, American pianist (d. 1987)
- 1919Ramon Margalef, Spanish scientist (d. 2004)
- 1920Martine Carol, French actress (d. 1967)
- 1921Harry Carey, Jr., American actor
- 1921S. Neil Fujita, American graphic designer (d. 2010)
- 1923Merton Miller, American economist, Nobel laureate (d. 2000)
- 1923Peter Underwood, English parapsychologist
- 1923Victoria Fromkin, American linguist (d. 2000)
- 1925Bobbejaan Schoepen, Belgian entertainer (d. 2010)
- 1926Ronald Podrow, British peace activist (d. 2004)
- 1927Nílton Santos, Brazilian footballer
- 1928Billy Martin, American baseball player and coach (d. 1989)
- 1929Adrienne Rich, American writer
- 1929Claude Morin, French Canadian politician
- 1929John Conyers, American politician
- 1930Betty Carter, American jazz singer (d. 1998)
- 1930Friedrich Gulda, Austrian pianist (d. 2000)
- 1931Denise Filiatrault, French Canadian actress and director
- 1931Hana Brady, Polish Holocaust victim (d. 1944)
- 1931Jack Dodson, American actor (d. 1994)
- 1931Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., American politician
- 1931Natwar Singh, Indian politician
- 1936Karl Lehmann, German Catholic cardinal
- 1936Roy Hudd, English radio and television actor
- 1937Yvonne Craig, American actress
- 1943Dan Coats, American politician, junior senator of Indiana
- 1943Marko Kravos, Slovenian poet
- 1944Billy Cobham, American drummer
- 1944Danny Trejo, American actor
- 1945Alan Flusser, American clothing designer
- 1945Nicky Chinn, English songwriter (Sweet, Suzi Quatro)
- 1946Robert Fripp, English guitarist (King Crimson)
- 1946Roger Earl, English rock drummer (Savoy Brown, Foghat)
- 1947Bill Smitrovich, American actor
- 1947Bob Edwards, American newscaster
- 1948Adrian Legg, English guitarist
- 1948Jesper Christensen, Danish actor
- 1948Judy Finnegan, English TV presenter (Richard & Judy)
- 1948Katia Dandoulaki, Greek actress
- 1949Rick Reuschel, American baseball player
- 1950J. Georg Bednorz, German physicist, Nobel laureate
- 1950Ray Condo, Canadian rockabilly musician (d. 2004)
- 1951Christian Lacroix, French fashion desinger
- 1951Jonathan Richman, American Protopunk singer and musician (The Modern Lovers)
- 1952James Herndon, American media psychologist
- 1953Kitanoumi Toshimitsu, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 55th Yokozuna
- 1953Pierce Brosnan, Irish actor
- 1954Dafydd Williams, Canadian physician and astronaut
- 1955Debra Winger, American actress
- 1955Hazel O'Connor, English singer
- 1955Jack Morris, American baseball player
- 1955Olga Korbut, Belarussian gymnast
- 1957Yuri Shevchuk, Russian singer
- 1958Gitane Demone, American Goth singer
- 1958Glenn Gregory, British musician (Heaven 17)
- 1959Mare Winningham, American actress
- 1960Landon Deireragea, Nauruan politician
- 1961Charles Wright, American professional wrestler
- 1961Kevin McDonald, Canadian comedian and actor
- 1963Jon Coffelt, American artist
- 1963Mercedes Echerer, Austrian actress and politician
- 1964Boyd Tinsley, American musician (Dave Matthews Band)
- 1964Edit Berces, Hungarian marathon runner
- 1964John Salley, American basketball player
- 1965Krist Novoselic, American musician and author
- 1966Janet Jackson, American singer
- 1966Scott Reeves, American actor and singer
- 1966Thurman Thomas, American football player
- 1967Doug Brocail, American baseball player
- 1968Chingmy Yau, Hong Kong actress
- 1968Ralph Tresvant, American singer (New Edition)
- 1969David Boreanaz, American actor
- 1969Steve Lewis, American athlete
- 1969Tracey Gold, American actress
- 1969Tucker Carlson, American television commentator
- 1970Danielle Spencer, Australian singer and actress
- 1970Gabriela Sabatini, Argentine tennis player
- 1971Rachel Goswell, English singer and songwriter (Slowdive, Mojave 3)
- 1972Christian Califano, French rugby player
- 1972Derek Mears, American actor
- 1972Khary Payton, American actor
- 1973Jason Acuña, American television personality
- 1973Special Ed, American rapper
- 1973Tori Spelling, American actress
- 1974Adam Richman, American actor and television personality
- 1974Laura Pausini, Italian pop singer
- 1974Sonny Sandoval, American singer (P.O.D.)
- 1975Tonéx, American singer
- 1975Tony Kakko, Finnish singer (Sonata Arctica)
- 1976Brian Langtry, American lacrosse player
- 1976Dirk Nannes, Dutch-born Australian cricketer
- 1977Dolcenera, Italian singer
- 1977Emiliana Torrini Icelandic singer and songwriter
- 1977Jean-Sébastien Giguère, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1977Melanie Lynskey, New Zealand actress
- 1978David Ford, English singer and songwriter
- 1978Lionel Scaloni, Argentine footballer
- 1979McKenzie Lee, English pornographic actress
- 1980Melanie Lofton, American journalist
- 1980Michael Ryan, American ice hockey player
- 1980Mikel Alonso, Spanish footballer
- 1981Jim Sturgess, English actor
- 1981Taavi Rähn, Estonian footballer
- 1982Łukasz Kubot, Polish tennis player
- 1982Billy Crawford, Filipino singer and musician
- 1982Hanna Mariën, Belgian athlete
- 1982Joo Ji Hoon, Korean actor and model
- 1983Daniel Kerr, Australian football player (AFL)
- 1983Kyle Wellwood, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1983Nancy Ajram, Lebanese singer
- 1984Dario Cvitanich, Argentinian footballer
- 1984Jensen Lewis, American baseball player
- 1984Mickie Knuckles, American professional wrestler
- 1984Rick Rypien, Canadian hockey player (d. 2011)
- 1985Anja Mittag, German footballer
- 1985Café, Brazilian footballer
- 1985Corey Perry, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1985Okura Tadayoshi, Japanese singer (Kanjani Eight)
- 1985Stanislav Ianevski, Bulgarian actor
- 1986Andy Keogh, Irish footballer
- 1986Megan Fox, American actress
- 1987Tom Onslow-Cole, British racing driver
- 1990Darko Sarovic, Serbian sprinter
- 1990Thomas Sangster, English actor
- 1991Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgarian tennis player
- 1992Jeff Skinner, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1993Lee Ji-eun, Korean singer also known as IU
- 1994Miles Heizer, American actor
- 1998Ariel Waller, Canadian actress
Who Died On May 16?
- 583Saint Brendan, Irish navigator (b. 484)
- 1265Saint Simon Stock, English saint (b. 1165)
- 1569Dirk Willems, Dutch Anabaptist
- 1620William Adams, English navigator (b. 1564)
- 1657Andrzej Bobola, Polish Jesuit missionary (b. 1591)
- 1667Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton, English statesman (b. 1607)
- 1669Pietro da Cortona, Italian architect (b. 1596)
- 1691Jacob Leisler, American colonist (b. 1640)
- 1703Charles Perrault, French author (b. 1628)
- 1778Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness, English diplomat (b. 1718)
- 1782Daniel Solander, Swedish botanist (b. 1736)
- 1790Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke, English politician (b. 1720)
- 1830Joseph Fourier, French scientist (b. 1768)
- 1882Reuben Chapman, American lawyer and politician (b. 1799)
- 1891Ion Brătianu, Romanian statesman (b. 1821)
- 1913Louis Perrier, member of the Swiss Federal Council (b. 1849)
- 1920Levi P. Morton, 22nd United States Vice President (b. 1824)
- 1926Mehmed VI, last Ottoman Sultan (b. 1861)
- 1943Alfred Hoche, German psychiatrist (b. 1865)
- 1944George Ade, American author (b. 1866)
- 1947Frederick Hopkins, English biochemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1861)
- 1953Django Reinhardt, Belgian musician (b. 1910)
- 1954Clemens Krauss, Austrian conductor (b. 1893)
- 1955James Agee, American writer (b. 1909)
- 1956H. B. Reese, American confectioner, founder of Reese’s (b. 1876)
- 1957Eliot Ness, American federal agent (b. 1903)
- 1959Elisha Scott, Northern Irish footballer (b. 1894)
- 1961George A. Malcolm, American jurist & educator (b. 1881)
- 1969Robert R., American AIDS victim (b. 1954)
- 1975Al Helfer, American radio sportscaster (b. 1911)
- 1979A. Philip Randolph, American civil rights activist and labor union leader (b. 1889)
- 1981Ernie Freeman, American pianist and arranger (b. 1922)
- 1984Andy Kaufman, American comedian (b. 1949)
- 1984Irwin Shaw, American author (b. 1913)
- 1985Margaret Hamilton, American actress (b. 1902)
- 1988Charles Keeping, English illustrator (b. 1924)
- 1988George Pyrounakis, Greek religious figure (b. 1910)
- 1990Jim Henson, American puppeteer (b. 1936)
- 1990Sammy Davis, Jr., American entertainer (b. 1925)
- 1992Chalino Sánchez, Mexican musician (b. 1960)
- 1993Marv Johnson, American R&B and soul singer (b. 1938)
- 1996Jeremy Michael Boorda, American admiral (b. 1939)
- 1997Elbridge Durbrow, American diplomat (b. 1903)
- 2000Bodacious the Bull, rodeo bull (b. 1988)
- 2001Brian Pendleton, English musician (The Pretty Things) (b. 1944)
- 2002Alec Campbell, Australian soldier (b. 1899)
- 2002Big Dick Dudley, American professional wrestler (b. 1968)
- 2003Mark McCormack, American businessman (b. 1930)
- 2008David Mitton, British television director (b. 1939)
- 2008Robert Mondavi, American winemaker (b. 1913)
- 2010Hank Jones, American jazz pianist (b. 1918)
- 2010Ronnie James Dio, American heavy metal vocalist (b. 1942)
- 2011Bill Skiles, American comic (b. 1931)
- 2011Bob Davis, Australian rules footballer (b. 1928)
- 2011Edward Hardwicke, English actor (b. 1932)
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