Holidays
Cinco de Mayo
Commemorating this day in 1862, when a fledgling Mexican army defeated much larger and better equipped French forces. The French, looking to set up a French empire in Mexico, had invaded with 8,000 troops. On May 5, 1862, the much smaller Mexican army of 4,000 troops defeated the French near Puebla providing a large morale boost for the Mexican population. However a year later the French, now with 30,000 troops, were able to defeat the Mexican army and installed Emperor Maximilian I as ruler of Mexico. This victory too was short lived. After the American Civil War ended, the U.S. was able to provide support to Mexico and help expel the French.
In the U.S. Cinco de Mayo has become a time to celebrate Mexican-American culture.
What Happened On
Big Mac
May 5, 1968
The McDonald's Big Mac hamburger makes its nationwide debut with its "two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame-seed bun." It was created by a Pittsburgh McDonald's franchisee the previous year. It originally went by the names the "Aristocrat" and the "Blue Ribbon Burger", both of which did poorly in the marketplace, finally settling on the name Big Mac.
Alan Shepard in capsule aboard Freedom 7 before launch
Alan Shepard in capsule aboard Freedom 7 before launch
First American in Space and the Creation of "A-OK"
May 5, 1961
The creation of the phrase "A-OK" is generally attributed to Alan Shepard during this flight; however, it was actually created by a NASA public relations officer who misquoted Shepard.
When asked what he thought about as he sat atop the rocket waiting for liftoff, Shepard replied, "The fact that every part of this ship was built by the lowest bidder."
Only Continental U.S. Deaths in WWII
May 5, 1945
A pregnant woman and five Sunday school children are killed when they discover and accidentally detonate a Japanese balloon bomb that had landed in southern Oregon. They found the bomb while on a Sunday school picnic. Not knowing what it was, it is believed they detonated it by kicking it. These are the only known deaths in the continental U.S. as the result of enemy action during World War II and the only civilian casualties on American soil after the U.S. entry into the war.
The Japanese launched over 9,300 of these fire balloons, of which 300 were found or observed in the U.S. The balloons were generally ineffective as weapons, as these were the only deaths attributed to them.
First African-American Military Pilot
May 5, 1917
Eugene Bullard receives his French pilot's license, serving with the French Air Service, where he flew over 20 combat missions. He had previously served in the French Foreign Legion where he was wounded and cited for acts of valor and was awarded the croix de guerre. He was an American citizen who had been living in France at the outbreak of the war. When the U.S. entered the war, he tried to join the United States Army Air Service, but was turned down because he was black. He also served in the French infantry during World War II.
Noah's Ark
May 5, 2348 B.C.
The Biblical ark sets down on the Mountains of Ararat - As calculated in 1658 by Archbishop James Ussher of Armagh, Ireland. He used a combination of Biblical and historical documents to calculate this date.
Michael Fay
May 5, 1994
The American teenager Michael Peter Fay receives four lashes with a rattan rod from Singapore authorities for spray painting cars and other vandalism.
Hawaiian Same-Sex Marriage
May 5, 1993
Citing it as sex discrimination, the Hawaiian Supreme Court, rules the banning of same-sex marriages as unconstitutional.
Iran-Contra Affair
May 5, 1987
Hearings begin. Gen. Richard Secord claims his pro-contra activities had been approved by the Ronald Reagan administration, in what became known as the Iran-Contra Affair.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources
May 5, 1980
U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources is established.
U.S. Department of Education
May 5, 1980
U.S. Department of Education is established.
First U.S. Train Robbery
May 5, 1865
Thieves displace the rails causing the train to derail about seventeen miles from Cincinnati headed to St. Louis. About 20 armed bandits then proceeded to rob the passengers and baggage car which contained several safes. Some historians consider this not an actual robbery, but a military action since it was committed by armed guerrillas at the close of the American Civil War.
Birthdays
Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochran)
Born May 5, 1864 d. 1922
American journalist. She is known for her writings on divorce, women, and child labor conditions. Her book Ten Days in a Mad-House was based on what she experienced after committing herself to the Women's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island (1887) for an undercover story on the treatment of the mentally ill. The atrocities she uncovered there prompted numerous reforms in the treatment of the mentally ill. She completed a record-breaking 72-day around-the-world trip for the New York World (1889-90). She also manufactured the first practical 55-gallon steel oil drum, which evolved into the standard one used today.
Stetson (left) and Tom Mix with his Stetson hat
Stetson (left) and Tom Mix with his Stetson hat
Created the Cowboy Hat
John B. Stetson
Born May 5, 1830 d. 1906
American hat maker. He founded his hat company in 1865. Stetson learned the hat-making trade from his father in Philadelphia. After he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and given only a short time to live, he moved to the American West to use his remaining days exploring the wild frontier. Dismayed by the flea-infested coonskin caps worn by many of the gold seekers, in 1865 he created his "Boss of the Plains" hat. It was made of durable waterproof felt and the wide brim provided protection from the hot sun. The hat was an instant success and was worn by such notables as Buffalo Bill, Calamity Jane, Will Rogers, Annie Oakley, Tom Mix, and the Lone Ranger and Stetson's line of hats became known as the de facto cowboy hats.
Tina Yothers
Born May 5, 1973
American actress. TV: Family Ties (Jennifer).
Michael Palin
Born May 5, 1943
British actor. TV: Monty Python's Flying Circus. Film: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), and A Fish Called Wanda (1988).
Tammy Wynette (Virginia Wynette Pugh)
Born May 5, 1942 d. 1998
American country singer. Music: Stand By Your Man. She has more #1 country hits than any other female singer.
Michael Murphy
Born May 5, 1938
American actor. Film: An Unmarried Woman (1978, the cheating husband).
Ilene Woods
Born May 5, 1929 d. 2010
American actress/singer. Film: Cinderella (1950, voice of Cinderella).
Leo J. Ryan
Born May 5, 1925 d. 1978
American politician, San Francisco mayor (1972) and California Representative (1972-78). He was killed by Jim Jones' followers in the Jonestown Massacre.
Tyrone Power (Tyrone Edmund Power, Jr.)
Born May 5, 1914 d. 1958
American actor. Film: The Razor's Edge (1946) and Witness for the Prosecution (1957). He was one of the most popular film actors of the 1930s and '40s.
Florence Li Tim-Oi
Born May 5, 1907 d. 1992
Chinese religious leader. She was the first woman Anglican priest (1944, China). The Japanese invasion during World War II had created a shortage of male priests in China.
Freeman Fisher Gosden
Born May 5, 1899 d. 1982
American radio comedian. Radio: Amos 'n' Andy (1928-60, Amos and Kingfish). Amos 'n' Andy was the first U.S. syndicated radio program. It featured Gosden and Charles J. Correll, both white actors, portraying black characters.
Jack Pierce working on Boris Karloff
Jack Pierce working on Boris Karloff
Jack Pierce
Born May 5, 1889 d. 1968
American make-up artist. Created the monsters for Frankenstein (1931), Werewolf of London (1935), The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), The Wolfman (1941), Dracula (1945), and many others.
Pres. McKinley's Assassin
Leon Frank Czolgosz
Born May 5, 1873 d. 1901
American assassin. He was executed for assassinating U.S. Pres. McKinley (1901). At his execution he proclaimed, "I killed the President because he was the enemy of the good people - the good working people. I am not sorry for my crime."
Karl Marx
Born May 5, 1818 d. 1883
German socialist and philosopher.
Deaths
Miss Unsinkable
Violet Jessop
Died May 5, 1971 b. 1887
Argentinean survivor, "Miss Unsinkable." She survived the sinking of the sister ships RMS Titanic (1912) and HMHS Britannic (1916), and was aboard their elder sister ship RMS Olympic when it collided with a British warship in 1911.
Napoleon Crossing the Alps, by Jacques-Louis David (1805)
Napoleon Crossing the Alps, by Jacques-Louis David (1805)
Napoleon Bonaparte
Died May 5, 1821 b. 1769
Emperor of France (1804-14), King of Italy (1805-14). He was exiled to the south Atlantic island of St. Helena after his defeat in 1815 to the British at the Battle of Waterloo.
Author of West Side Story
Arthur Laurents
Died May 5, 2011 b. 1917
American Tony-winning playwright. Writings: West Side Story (1957) and Gypsy (1959).
Theodore Maiman
Died May 5, 2007 b. 1927
American physicist. He developed the first working laser (1960). His laser utilized a synthetic pink ruby crystal as the lasing medium and a helical xenon flash lamp as the excitation source.
The term "laser" is an acronym for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation". A laser emits light that is coherent which allows the beam to stay narrow over long distances and to be focused to a tight spot, enabling applications such as laser cutting and laser pointers.
John Williams
Died May 5, 1983 b. 1903
British Tony-winning actor. Film: Dial M For Murder (1954, reprising his Tony-winning role as Chief Inspector Hubbard). TV: Family Affair (1967, Giles French - filling in for the ailing Sebastian Cabot). He also starred in the commercial for 120 Musical Masterpieces which became the longest-running national U.S. commercial (1971-84).
Irvin Charles Mollison
Died May 5, 1962 b. 1898
American judge. He was the first black U.S. Customs Court judge (1945).
August von Hofmann
Died May 5, 1892 b. 1818
German chemist. His work established the synthetic dye industry.
Washington Charles DePauw
Died May 5, 1887 b. 1822
American banker, for whom DePauw University is named.