May 1st What Happened on the day you were born on This day in History
1931 U.S.A. The Empire State Building
1st May 1931 : The Empire State Building in New York Officially opens
1st May 1931 : The Empire State Building in New York Officially opens
2003 U.S.A. George W. Bush announces major combat in Iraq is over
1st May 2003 : President George W. Bush on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln off the California coast announces in a speech to the nation, major combat in Iraq is over.
1st May 2003 : President George W. Bush on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln off the California coast announces in a speech to the nation, major combat in Iraq is over.
1942 World War II The Fighting Forces
United Nations Total Fighting Men and Women 12 - 18 million
Axis Powers Total Fighting Men and Women 12 - 14 million
United Nations Total Fighting Men and Women 12 - 18 million
Axis Powers Total Fighting Men and Women 12 - 14 million
1941 U.S.A. Citizen Kane
1st May 1941 : The movie "Citizen Kane," the first feature film directed by Orson Welles, also starring Orson Welles as Charles Foster Kane premiers in New York.
1st May 1941 : The movie "Citizen Kane," the first feature film directed by Orson Welles, also starring Orson Welles as Charles Foster Kane premiers in New York.
1925 Germany Field Marshall Hinderburg
1st May 1925 : Field Marshall Hinderburg a right wing conservative was elected as the president of Germany
1931 U.S.A. Al Capone
1st May 1931 : The Gangster Al Capone is being sought for questioning over the murder of Mike De Pike Hitler from a rival gang by detectives in Chicago a number of other members of his gang .
1st May 1931 : The Gangster Al Capone is being sought for questioning over the murder of Mike De Pike Hitler from a rival gang by detectives in Chicago a number of other members of his gang .
1931 U.S.A. Kate Smith
1st May 1931 : Kate Smith began her radio career on CBS. She became best known for her rendition of Irving Berlin's song "God Bless America." Her career spanned an amazing five decades and peaked during the 1940s.
1st May 1931 : Kate Smith began her radio career on CBS. She became best known for her rendition of Irving Berlin's song "God Bless America." Her career spanned an amazing five decades and peaked during the 1940s.
1937 U.S.A. Neutrality Acts
1st May 1937 : America strengthens it's Neutrality Act first passed in 1935 and ammended in 1936 which created an embargo on arms trading with the countries at war, loans or credits to countries at war. In 1937 the Neutrality Act was ammended again stating "all trade with countries involved in war must be conducted on a cash-and-carry basis"
1st May 1937 : America strengthens it's Neutrality Act first passed in 1935 and ammended in 1936 which created an embargo on arms trading with the countries at war, loans or credits to countries at war. In 1937 the Neutrality Act was ammended again stating "all trade with countries involved in war must be conducted on a cash-and-carry basis"
1942 England Free French Resistance
1st May 1942 : The leader of the Free French Military Resistance Movement based in London Charles De Gaulle is rallying troops and support to help keep up the fight for freedom for his french compatriots.
1st May 1942 : The leader of the Free French Military Resistance Movement based in London Charles De Gaulle is rallying troops and support to help keep up the fight for freedom for his french compatriots.
1960 Soviet Union American U–2 spy plane
1st May 1960 : An American U–2 spy plane is shot down over the Soviet Union near Sverdlovsk. The Soviet Union captured the pilot Gary Powers which prompted continuing deterioration in relations between the US and the Soviet Union.
1st May 1960 : An American U–2 spy plane is shot down over the Soviet Union near Sverdlovsk. The Soviet Union captured the pilot Gary Powers which prompted continuing deterioration in relations between the US and the Soviet Union.
1961 Cuba Castro Bans Elections
1st May 1961 : Castro bans elections in Cuba saying "The revolution has no time for elections." and telling the 10,000's who attended the May Day Celebrations Cuba is a socialist country. He has also stated all Roman Catholic priests would be expelled and all Roman Catholic and private schools would be nationalised.
1st May 1961 : Castro bans elections in Cuba saying "The revolution has no time for elections." and telling the 10,000's who attended the May Day Celebrations Cuba is a socialist country. He has also stated all Roman Catholic priests would be expelled and all Roman Catholic and private schools would be nationalised.
1962 U.S.A. First KMART department Store
1st May 1962 : The first Kmart department store opens in Garden City, Michigan selling a range of Clothes, shoes, housewares, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, and electronics. Kmart went through a period of rapid expansion up to the early eighties but from the late 80's due to lack of investment in technology and increased competition from the growing Walmart and Target stores and change in customer tastes sales continued to decline. In 2005 following sales decline Kmart merged with Sears, Roebuck and Company.
1st May 1962 : The first Kmart department store opens in Garden City, Michigan selling a range of Clothes, shoes, housewares, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, and electronics. Kmart went through a period of rapid expansion up to the early eighties but from the late 80's due to lack of investment in technology and increased competition from the growing Walmart and Target stores and change in customer tastes sales continued to decline. In 2005 following sales decline Kmart merged with Sears, Roebuck and Company.
1965 Santa Dominica Fighting
1st May 1965 : Fierce fighting is still happening on the streets in Dominica between US Paratroopers and local forces despite a cease fire having been agreed and signed
1st May 1965 : Fierce fighting is still happening on the streets in Dominica between US Paratroopers and local forces despite a cease fire having been agreed and signed
1967 U.S.A. Elvis Presley Marries
1st May 1967 : Elvis Presley, married his longtime girlfriend, Priscilla Ann Beaulieu, 21, at a at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas
1st May 1967 : Elvis Presley, married his longtime girlfriend, Priscilla Ann Beaulieu, 21, at a at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas
1971 U.S.A. AMTRAK
1st May 1971 : Amtrak went into service, to provide inter city passenger train services. ( All Amtrak's preferred stock is owned by the U.S. federal government. )
1st May 1971 : Amtrak went into service, to provide inter city passenger train services. ( All Amtrak's preferred stock is owned by the U.S. federal government. )
1973 England 1.5 Million Strike On Day Of Protest
1st May 1973 : About one and a half million workers joined the TUC call for a one-day strike in protest at the government's pay restraint policy and price rises. The biggest effect was in the transport industry including the railways which forced many others to stay home because they could not get to work.
1st May 1973 : About one and a half million workers joined the TUC call for a one-day strike in protest at the government's pay restraint policy and price rises. The biggest effect was in the transport industry including the railways which forced many others to stay home because they could not get to work.
1977 Turkey Gunfight
1st May 1977 : A march by 100,000 May Day protesters turned into a gunfight between rival leftist groups and 33 people were left dead from the fighting
1st May 1977 : A march by 100,000 May Day protesters turned into a gunfight between rival leftist groups and 33 people were left dead from the fighting
1982 U.S.A. World’s Fair
1st May 1982 : The 1982 World’s Fair opens in Knoxville, Tennessee. The theme of the year was “Energy Turns the World” and more than 11 million people visited the exposition during the seven months that it was open.
1st May 1982 : The 1982 World’s Fair opens in Knoxville, Tennessee. The theme of the year was “Energy Turns the World” and more than 11 million people visited the exposition during the seven months that it was open.
1982 Falkland Islands British Bombing
1st May 1982 : British Warships and Fighter Bombers bombed Argentinean positions at Port Stanley on the Islands as war broke out over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands after Argentina invaded the Islands .
1st May 1982 : British Warships and Fighter Bombers bombed Argentinean positions at Port Stanley on the Islands as war broke out over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands after Argentina invaded the Islands .
1994 Italy Ayrton Senna
1st May 1994 : The Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna has been killed in a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, near Bologna in Italy
1st May 1994 : The Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna has been killed in a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, near Bologna in Italy
1997 England Labour Party
1st May 1997 : After nearly 20 years of Conservative government, British voters give the Labour Party, led by Tony Blair, a landslide victory in British parliamentary elections.
1st May 1997 : After nearly 20 years of Conservative government, British voters give the Labour Party, led by Tony Blair, a landslide victory in British parliamentary elections.
2001 U.S.A. 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing
1st May 2001 : Thomas E. Blanton Jr. became the second ex-Ku Klux Klansman to be convicted in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing by members of a Ku Klux Klan group in Birmingham, Alabama, The bombing of the African-American church resulted in the deaths of four girls.
1st May 2001 : Thomas E. Blanton Jr. became the second ex-Ku Klux Klansman to be convicted in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing by members of a Ku Klux Klan group in Birmingham, Alabama, The bombing of the African-American church resulted in the deaths of four girls.
2006 U.S.A. Hispanic Immigrant Strike
1st May 2006 : The Great American Strike was a one day boycott of United States schools and businesses by immigrants, both legal and illegal, mostly Latin American origin it is estimated that one million people participated in the demonstrations of mostly Hispanic immigrants skipped work and took to the streets in protest at the immigration reform proposals.
1st May 2006 : The Great American Strike was a one day boycott of United States schools and businesses by immigrants, both legal and illegal, mostly Latin American origin it is estimated that one million people participated in the demonstrations of mostly Hispanic immigrants skipped work and took to the streets in protest at the immigration reform proposals.
2006 Bolivia Nationalizes Natural Gas Reserves
1st May 2006 : President Evo Morales signs decree nationalizing hydrocarbons including natural gas, he Ordered the military and engineers of YPFB, the state firm, to occupy and secure energy installations, and gave 6 months for current operators to re-negotiate contracts which would increase the percentage of revenue to the government from resources by 20%.
1st May 2006 : President Evo Morales signs decree nationalizing hydrocarbons including natural gas, he Ordered the military and engineers of YPFB, the state firm, to occupy and secure energy installations, and gave 6 months for current operators to re-negotiate contracts which would increase the percentage of revenue to the government from resources by 20%.
2008 Australia Ongoing Drought
1st May 2008 : Australia's drought continues and is presently in the grip of what the locals call the "Big Dry" the worst period of drought in a century. The effects of this ongoing drought range from up to 10% of farmers giving up to wheat production going from a high of 25m tonnes of wheat each year to wheat crops below 10m tonnes per year a decrease of more than 50%.
1st May 2008 : Australia's drought continues and is presently in the grip of what the locals call the "Big Dry" the worst period of drought in a century. The effects of this ongoing drought range from up to 10% of farmers giving up to wheat production going from a high of 25m tonnes of wheat each year to wheat crops below 10m tonnes per year a decrease of more than 50%.
