May 16
| May 16 in recent years |
| 2010 (Sunday) |
| 2009 (Saturday) |
| 2008 (Friday) |
| 2007 (Wednesday) |
| 2006 (Tuesday) |
| 2005 (Monday) |
| 2004 (Sunday) |
| 2003 (Friday) |
| 2002 (Thursday) |
| 2001 (Wednesday) |
| 2000 (Tuesday) |
May 16 is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 229 days remaining until the end of the year.
Events
- 1204 – Baldwin IX, Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire.
- 1527 – The Florentines drive out the Medici for a second time and Florence re-establishes itself as a republic.
- 1532 – Sir Thomas More resigns as Lord Chancellor of England.
- 1568 – Mary, Queen of Scots, flees to England.
- 1770 – 14-year old Marie Antoinette marries 15-year-old Louis-Auguste who later becomes king of France.
- 1771 – The 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.
- 1777 – Lachlan McIntosh and Button Gwinnett shoot each other during a duel near Savannah, Georgia. Gwinnett, a signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence, dies three days later.
- 1811 – Peninsular War: The allies Spain, Portugal and Britain, defeat the French at the Battle of Albuera.
- 1815 – The Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie, officially names the town of Blackheath in the upper Blue Mountains.
- 1822 – Greek War of Independence: The Turks capture the Greek town of Souli.
- 1836 – Edgar Allan Poe marries his 13-year-old cousin Virginia.
- 1843 – The first major wagon train heading for the Pacific Northwest sets out on the Oregon Trail with one thousand pioneers from Elm Grove, Missouri.
- 1866 – The U.S. Congress eliminates the half dime coin and replaces it with the five cent piece, or nickel.
- 1866 – Charles Elmer Hires invents root beer.
- 1868 – President Andrew Johnson is acquitted in his impeachment trial by one vote in the United States Senate.
- 1874 – A flood on the Mill River in Massachusetts destroys much of four villages and kills 139 people.
- 1877 – May 16, 1877 political crisis in France.
- 1910 – The United States Congress authorizes the creation of the United States Bureau of Mines.
- 1914 – The first ever Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final is played. Brooklyn Field Club defeats Brooklyn Celtic 2-1.
- 1918 – The Sedition Act of 1918 is passed by the U.S. Congress, making criticism of the government an imprisonable offense.
- 1919 – A naval Curtiss aircraft NC-4 commanded by Albert Cushing Read leaves Trepassey, Newfoundland, for Lisbon via the Azores on the first transatlantic flight.
- 1920 – In Rome, Pope Benedict XV canonizes Joan of Arc as a saint.
- 1929 – In Hollywood, California, the first Academy Awards are handed out.
- 1943 – Holocaust: The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising ends.
- 1948 – Chaim Weizmann is elected the first President of Israel.
- 1951 – The 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.
- 1960 – Nikita Khrushchev demands an apology from U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower for U-2 spy plane flights over the Soviet Union thus ending a Big Four summit in Paris.
- 1960 – Theodore Maiman operates the first optical laser, at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California.
- 1965 – The Campbell Soup Company introduces SpaghettiOs under its Franco-American brand.
- 1966 – The Communist Party of China issues the 'May 16 Notice', marking the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.
- 1969 – Venera program: Venera 5, a Soviet spaceprobe, lands on Venus.
- 1974 – Josip Broz Tito is re-elected president of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This time he is elected for life.
- 1975 – India annexes Sikkim after the mountain state holds a referendum in which the popular vote is in favour of merging with India.
- 1975 – Junko Tabei becomes the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
- 1983 – Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement rebels against the Sudanese government.
- 1986 – The Seville Statement on Violence is adopted by an international meeting of scientists, convened by the Spanish National Commission for UNESCO, in Seville, Spain.
- 1988 – A report by United States' Surgeon General C. Everett Koop states that the addictive properties of nicotine are similar to those of heroin and cocaine.
- 1992 – STS-49: Space Shuttle Endeavour lands safely after a successful maiden voyage.
- 2003 – In Casablanca, Morocco, 33 civilians are killed and more than 100 people are injured in the Casablanca terrorist attacks.
- 2004 – The Day of Mourning at Bykivnia forest, just outside of Kiev, Ukraine. Here during 1930s and early 1940s communist bolsheviks executed over 100,000 Ukrainian civilians.
- 2005 – Kuwait permits women's suffrage in a 35-23 National Assembly vote.
Births
- 1490 – Duke Albert of Prussia (d. 1568)
- 1578 – Everard Digby, English conspirator (d. 1606)
- 1611 – Pope Innocent XI (d. 1689)
- 1710 – William Talbot, 1st Earl Talbot, English politician (d. 1782)
- 1718 – Maria Gaetana Agnesi, Italian mathematician (d. 1799)
- 1763 – Louis Nicolas Vauquelin, French pharmacist (d. 1829)
- 1788 – Friedrich Rückert, German Poet, Translator and Orientalist (d. 1866)
- 1801 – William H. Seward, 24th United States Secretary of State & 12th Governor of New York (d. 1872)
- 1821 – Pafnuty Chebyshev, Russian mathematician (d. 1894)
- 1824 – Levi P. Morton, 22nd United States Vice President (d. 1920)
- 1827 – Pierre Cuypers, Dutch architect (d. 1921)
- 1831 – David E. Hughes, British inventor and musician (d. 1900)
- 1845 – Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov, Russian microbiologist, Nobel laureate (d. 1916)
- 1860 – Herman Webster Mudgett, American serial killer (d. 1896)
- 1891 – Richard Tauber, Austrian tenor (d. 1948)
- 1897 – Zvi Sliternik, Israeli entomologist (d. 1994)
- 1898 – Tamara de Lempicka, Polish-born painter (d. 1980)
- 1898 – Kenji Mizoguchi, Japanese film director (d. 1956)
- 1905 – Henry Fonda, American actor (d. 1982)
- 1906 – Alfred Pellan, French Canadian painter (d. 1988)
- 1906 – Arturo Uslar Pietri, Venezuelan writer (d. 2001)
- 1906 – Margret Rey, author and illustrator (d. 1996)
- 1909 – Margaret Sullavan, American actress (d. 1960)
- 1910 – Olga Berggolts, Russian poet (d. 1975)
- 1910 – Aleksandr Ivanovich Laktionov, Russian painter (d. 1972)
- 1912 – Studs Terkel, American writer (d. 2008)
- 1913 – Woody Herman, American musician and band leader (d. 1987)
- 1914 – Edward T. Hall, American anthropologist and author (d. 2009)
- 1916 – Adriana Caselotti, American actress (d. 1997)
- 1916 – Ephraim Katzir, 4th President of the State of Israel (d. 2009)
- 1917 – Juan Rulfo, Mexican novelist (d. 1986)
- 1917 – James C. Murray, American politician (d. 1999)
- 1917 – George Gaynes, American actor
- 1918 – Wilf Mannion, English former footballer (d. 2000)
- 1919 – Liberace, American pianist (d. 1987)
- 1919 – Ramon Margalef, Spanish scientist (d. 2004)
- 1920 – Martine Carol, French actress (d. 1967)
- 1921 – Harry Carey, Jr., American actor
- 1923 – Merton Miller, American economist, Nobel laureate (d. 2000)
- 1923 – Victoria Fromkin, American linguist and creator of the constructed language Pakuni
- 1923 – Peter Underwood, English parapsychologist
- 1925 – Bobbejaan Schoepen, Belgian entertainer (d. 2010)
- 1926 – Ronald Podrow, British peace activist (d. 2004)
- 1927 – Nílton Santos, Brazilian footballer
- 1928 – Billy Martin, American baseball player and coach (d. 1989)
- 1929 – John Conyers, American politician
- 1929 – Claude Morin, French Canadian politician
- 1929 – Adrienne Rich, American writer
- 1930 – Betty Carter, American jazz singer (d. 1998)
- 1930 – Friedrich Gulda, Austrian pianist (d. 2000)
- 1931 – Jack Dodson, American actor (d. 1994)
- 1931 – Denise Filiatrault, French Canadian actress and director
- 1931 – Natwar Singh, Indian politician
- 1931 – Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., American politician
- 1931 – Hana Brady, Killed during Holocaust (d. 1944)
- 1936 – Roy Hudd, English radio and television actor
- 1936 – Karl Lehmann, German Catholic cardinal
- 1937 – Yvonne Craig, American actress
- 1943 – Marko Kravos, Slovenian poet
- 1944 – Billy Cobham, American virtuoso drummer
- 1944 – Danny Trejo, American actor
- 1945 – Nicky Chinn, English songwriter (Sweet, Suzi Quatro)
- 1945 – Alan Flusser, American clothing designer
- 1946 – Robert Fripp, English guitarist (King Crimson)
- 1946 – Roger Earl, English rock drummer (Savoy Brown, Foghat)
- 1947 – Bob Edwards, American newscaster
- 1947 – Bill Smitrovich, American actor
- 1948 – Katia Dandoulaki, Greek actress
- 1948 – Judy Finnegan, English TV presenter (Richard & Judy)
- 1948 – Adrian Legg, English guitarist
- 1948 – Jesper Christensen, Danish actor
- 1950 – J. Georg Bednorz, German physicist, Nobel laureate
- 1950 – Ray Condo, Canadian rockabilly musician (d. 2004)
- 1951 – Christian Lacroix, French fashion designer
- 1951 – Jonathan Richman, American proto-punk icon
- 1952 – James Herndon, American media psychologist
- 1953 – Pierce Brosnan, Irish actor
- 1953 – Kitanoumi Toshimitsu, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 55th Yokozuna
- 1954 – Dafydd Williams, Canadian physician and astronaut
- 1955 – Olga Korbut, Belarussian gymnast
- 1955 – Jack Morris, American baseball player
- 1955 – Hazel O'Connor, English singer
- 1955 – Debra Winger, American actress
- 1959 – Mare Winningham, American actress
- 1960 – Landon Deireragea, Nauruan politician
- 1961 – Kevin McDonald, Canadian comedian and actor
- 1961 – Charles Wright, American professional wrestler
- 1963 – Jon Coffelt, American artist
- 1963 – Mercedes Echerer, Austrian actress and politician
- 1964 – John Salley, American basketball player
- 1964 – Boyd Tinsley, American violinist (Dave Matthews Band)
- 1964 – Edit Berces, Hungarian marathon runner
- 1965 – Krist Novoselic, American musician, author, and activist
- 1966 – Janet Jackson, American singer
- 1966 – Scott Reeves, American actor and singer
- 1966 – Thurman Thomas, American football player
- 1968 – Ralph Tresvant, American singer (New Edition)
- 1968 – Chingmy Yau, Hong Kong actress
- 1969 – David Boreanaz, American actor
- 1969 – Tucker Carlson, American television commentator
- 1969 – Tracey Gold, American actress
- 1969 – Steve Lewis, American athlete
- 1970 – Gabriela Sabatini, Argentine tennis player
- 1970 – Danielle Spencer, Australian singer and actress
- 1971 – Rachel Goswell, English singer and songwriter (Slowdive, Mojave 3)
- 1972 – Derek Mears, American actor
- 1972 – Khary Payton, American actor
- 1972 – Christian Califano, French rugby player
- 1973 – Special Ed, American rapper
- 1973 – Tori Spelling, American actress
- 1973 – Jason Acuña, American television personality
- 1974 – Laura Pausini, Italian pop singer
- 1974 – Sonny Sandoval, American singer (P.O.D.)
- 1974 – Adam Richman (actor), host of Man v. Food
- 1975 – Tony Kakko, Finnish singer (Sonata Arctica)
- 1975 – Tonéx, American singer
- 1976 – Brian Langtry, American lacrosse player
- 1976 – Dirk Nannes, Dutch/Australian cricketer
- 1977 – Dolcenera, Italian singer
- 1977 – Jean-Sébastien Giguère, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1977 – Melanie Lynskey, New Zealand actress
- 1978 – David Ford, English singer/songwriter
- 1978 – Lionel Scaloni, Argentine footballer
- 1979 – McKenzie Lee, English pornographic actress
- 1980 – Mikel Alonso, Spanish footballer
- 1980 – Michael Ryan, American ice hockey player
- 1980 – Melanie Lofton, American Journalist
- 1981 – Jim Sturgess, English actor
- 1982 – Billy Crawford, Filipino-American singer/musician
- 1982 – Joo Ji Hoon, Korean actor and model
- 1982 – Łukasz Kubot, Polish tennis player
- 1982 – Hanna Mariën, Belgian athlete
- 1983 – Nancy Ajram, Lebanese singer
- 1983 – Kyle Wellwood, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1983 – Daniel Kerr, Australian football player (AFL)
- 1984 – Mickie Knuckles, American female professional wrestler
- 1984 – Dario Cvitanich, Argentinian footballer
- 1984 – Jensen Lewis, American baseball player
- 1985 – Stanislav Ianevski, Bulgarian actor
- 1985 – Anja Mittag, German footballer
- 1985 – Corey Perry, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1985 – Okura Tadayoshi, Japanese singer (Kanjani Eight)
- 1986 – Megan Fox, American actress
- 1986 – Andy Keogh, Irish footballer
- 1990 – Thomas Sangster, British actor
- 1991 – Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgarian tennis player
- 1994 – Miles Heizer, American actor
- 1998 – Ariel Waller, Canadian child actress
Deaths
- 583 – Saint Brendan, Irish navigator (b. 484)
- 1265 – Saint Simon Stock, English saint (b. 1165)
- 1569 – Dirk Willems, Anabaptist Martyr
- 1620 – William Adams, English navigator (b. 1564)
- 1657 – Andrzej Bobola, Polish Jesuit missionary (b. 1591)
- 1667 – Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton, English statesman (b. 1607)
- 1669 – Pietro da Cortona, Italian architect (b. 1596)
- 1691 – Jacob Leisler, American colonist (b. 1640)
- 1703 – Charles Perrault, French author (b. 1628)
- 1778 – Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness, English diplomat (b. 1718)
- 1782 – Daniel Solander, Swedish botanist (b. 1736)
- 1790 – Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke, English politician (b. 1720)
- 1830 – Joseph Fourier, French scientist (b. 1768)
- 1882 – Reuben Chapman, American lawyer and politician (b. 1799)
- 1891 – Ion Brătianu, Romanian statesman (b. 1821)
- 1913 – Louis Perrier, member of the Swiss Federal Council (b. 1849)
- 1920 – Levi P. Morton, 22nd United States Vice President (b. 1824)
- 1926 – Mehmed VI, last Ottoman Sultan (b. 1861)
- 1943 – Alfred Hoche, German psychiatrist (b. 1865)
- 1944 – George Ade, American author (b. 1866)
- 1947 – Frederick Hopkins, English biochemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1861)
- 1953 – Django Reinhardt, Belgian musician (b. 1910)
- 1954 – Clemens Krauss, Austrian conductor (b. 1893)
- 1955 – James Agee, American writer (b. 1909)
- 1956 – H. B. Reese, American confectioner, founder of Reese's (b. 1876)
- 1957 – Eliot Ness, American federal agent (b. 1903)
- 1959 – Elisha Scott, Northern Irish footballer (b. 1894)
- 1961 – George A. Malcolm, American jurist & educator (b. 1881)
- 1969 – Robert R., American teenager, first confirmed death from AIDS in North America (b. 1954)
- 1975 – Al Helfer, American radio sportscaster (b. 1911)
- 1979 – A. Philip Randolph, American civil rights activist and labor union leader (b. 1889)
- 1981 – Ernie Freeman, American pianist and arranger (b. 1922)
- 1984 – Andy Kaufman, American comedian (b. 1949)
- 1984 – Irwin Shaw, American author (b. 1913)
- 1985 – Margaret Hamilton, American actress (b. 1902)
- 1988 – Charles Keeping, English illustrator (b. 1924)
- 1990 – Sammy Davis, Jr., American entertainer (b. 1925)
- 1990 – Jim Henson, American puppeteer (b. 1936)
- 1992 – Chalino Sanchez, Mexican musician (b. 1960)
- 1993 – Marv Johnson, American R&B and soul singer (b. 1938)
- 1996 – Jeremy Michael Boorda, American admiral (b. 1939)
- 1997 – Elbridge Durbrow, American diplomat (b. 1903)
- 2000 – Bodacious the Bull, rodeo bull (b. 1988)
- 2001 – Brian Pendleton, English musician (The Pretty Things) (b. 1944)
- 2002 – Alec Campbell, the last surviving ANZAC (b. 1899)
- 2002 – Big Dick Dudley, American professional wrestler (b. 1968)
- 2003 – Mark McCormack, American businessman (b. 1930)
- 2008 – David Mitton, British television director (b. 1939)
- 2008 – Robert Mondavi, American winemaker (b. 1913)
- 2010 – Ronnie James Dio, American heavy metal vocalist (b. 1942)
- 2010 – Hank Jones, American jazz pianist (b. 1918)
Holidays and observances
External links