Holidays
Feast Day of Visitation
Commemorating the Virgin Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth after the annunciation and before the birth of John the Baptist.
What Happened On
Covfefe
May 31, 2017
"Despite the constant negative press covfefe" - Tweet sent by U.S. President Donald Trump. About five hours later, Trump deleted the tweet and sent out another one, asking people what they thought "covfefe" could mean. At a press briefing later the same day, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer stated that "the president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant". No further explanation was given during the briefing.
Jimi Hendrix Joins the Army
May 31, 1961
Future legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix joins the U.S. Army after being given the choice of prison or joining the Army. The 19-year-old Hendrix was caught for the second time riding in a stolen vehicle. He completed paratrooper training was awarded the prestigious Screaming Eagles patch.
Forming a band, called the Casuals, he began playing at base clubs. However, he soon began neglecting his duties and failing to make bed checks and was caught sleeping on duty. Calling him an unqualified marksman, his platoon sergeant filed a report in which he stated, "He has no interest whatsoever in the Army … It is my opinion that Private Hendrix will never come up to the standards required of a soldier. I feel that the military service will benefit if he is discharged as soon as possible." Hendrix was discharged in June 1962 and granted a discharge under honorable conditions. Hendrix would later claim he had received a medical discharge after breaking his ankle during his 26th parachute jump.
Tulsa Race Riot
May 31, 1921
A white mob attacks residents and businesses of the African-American community of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. With a death toll estimated at 300, it is one of the worst incidents of racial violence in the U.S.
The riots started when a black man was arrested for raping a young white female elevator operator. A white mob formed at the jail in an effort to lynch him. When blacks gathered to protect him, gunfire erupted and 10 whites and two black people were killed. Over the next several days, thousands of white people rampaged through the black community, killing men and women, burning and looting stores and homes, and dropping fire bombs from airplanes.
Thirty-five blocks of the district, at the time the wealthiest black community in the U.S., were destroyed with property damage estimated over $2 million ($31 million in 2018 dollars).
According to conflicting reports, the initial arrest was prompted after a black man tripped in an elevator, and a white store clerk who saw the incident misinterpreted it as an "assault" of the female elevator operator. The elevator operator refused to press charges.
WWI Flying Ace
May 31, 1918
Douglas Campbell becomes the first American flying in an American unit to achieve the status of ace by downing his fifth enemy aircraft.
Johnstown Flood
May 31, 1889
More than 2,200 people are killed in Pennsylvania after several days of extremely heavy rainfall caused a dam 14 miles (23 km) upriver to fail, releasing 3.84 billion gallons (14.55 million cubic meters) of water on the town. Sixteen hundred homes were destroyed. It is estimated that 6 to 10 inches (150 to 250 mm) of rain fell in 24 hours over the region. It was the largest loss of civilian life in a U.S. disaster up to that time.
First Lady Godiva Procession
May 31, 1678
It celebrated the legend of Lady Godiva's famous nude ride through Coventry marketplace. According to the legend, her husband, Leofric, Earl of Mercia, had promised to relieve Coventry of its heavy taxes if she would ride through the town of Coventry clothed only in her hair. She issued a proclamation that all persons should stay indoors and shut their windows as she rode. The term "Peeping Tom" for a voyeur originates from this legend in which a man named Thomas watched her ride and was struck blind.
While Lady Godiva was a real person, the historicity of the ride itself is debated.
Watergate - Deep Throat Revealed
May 31, 2005
Deep Throat is revealed to be Mark Felt, former Associate Director of the FBI. His leaks about Watergate led to U.S. President Richard Nixon's resignation.
Ecstasy
May 31, 1985
Ecstasy (MDMA) is banned in the U.S.
Photo Credit: Hovercraft Museum
Photo Credit: Hovercraft Museum
First Manned Hovercraft Flight
May 31, 1959
The seven-ton SR.N1 developed by Christopher Cockerell makes its first test flight. It was capable of 60 knots.
Charles Kingsford Smith and the Southern Cross
Charles Kingsford Smith and the Southern Cross
First Transpacific Flight
May 31, 1928
Charles Kingsford Smith and his four-man crew depart from Oakland, California. They arrived in Australia on June 9. They flew a Fokker F.VII/3m monoplane, which they named the Southern Cross.
Kingsford Smith also made the first non-stop crossing of the Australian mainland, the first flights between Australia and New Zealand, and the first eastward Pacific crossing from Australia to the United States.
Photo Credit: History of Hilton Resorts
Photo Credit: History of Hilton Resorts
First Hilton Hotel
May 31, 1919
Conrad Hilton buys his first hotel. He was going to buy a bank, but the deal fell through so he bought the Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas instead.
NAACP
May 31, 1909
The National Negro Committee holds its first meeting. It would become the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) the following year. It was created in response to the Springfield Race Riot of 1908 - A mob of about 5,000 whites had attacked black residents in Springfield, Illinois resulting in seven deaths, the destruction of 40 homes, 24 businesses, and 107 indictments against mostly black Americans who had tried to defend their homes.
Birthdays
Clint Eastwood
Born May 31, 1930
American actor, Oscar-winning director. "Make my day." Eastwood was elected mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California (1986-88). Film: A Fist Full of Dollars (1974, The Man with No Name), Dirty Harry (1971), Unforgiven (1992, Oscar), and Million Dollar Baby (2004, Oscar). TV: Rawhide (1959-65, Rowdy Yates).
Fred Allen (John Florence Sullivan)
Born May 31, 1894 d. 1956
American radio and TV comedian. His long standing feud with fellow radio comedian Jack Benny earned some of the highest ratings in radio history.
Brooke Shields
Born May 31, 1965
American actress. Film: Pretty Baby (1978, as a teenage prostitute), Just You and Me Kid (1979), and Blue Lagoon (1980). She was the Ivory Soap Girl (at age 11 months).
Sharon Gless
Born May 31, 1943
American actress. TV: Cagney & Lacey (Cagney).
Joe Namath
Born May 31, 1943
American Football Hall-of-Famer quarterback, "Broadway Joe." He was Rookie of the Year (1965), Player of the Year (1968), and Super Bowl MVP (1968).
Johnny Paycheck
Born May 31, 1938 d. 2003
American singer. Music: Eleven Months and Twenty-nine Days (the time he spent in jail), and Take This Job And Shove It.
First Black Woman U.S. Ambassador
Patricia Roberts Harris
Born May 31, 1924 d. 1985
American lawyer, educator, first black woman U.S. ambassador (1965, Luxembourg) and the first woman to hold two cabinet positions (Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 1977-79 and Secretary of Health Education and Welfare 1979-81).
Denholm Elliott
Born May 31, 1922 d. 1992
British actor. Film: Trading Places (Eddie Murphy's butler).
Don Ameche (Dominic Felix Amici)
Born May 31, 1908 d. 1993
American Oscar-winning actor. Film: The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1939), Trading Places (1983), and Cocoon (1985, Oscar).
Norman Vincent Peale
Born May 31, 1898 d. 1993
American minister, author, and founder of Guideposts magazine (1945). Writings: The Power of Positive Thinking (1952). Radio: The Art of Living. His life was portrayed in the movie One Man's Way (1964).
John Ringling
Born May 31, 1866 d. 1936
American circus operator, with Ringling Brothers Circus.
Pius XI
Born May 31, 1857 d. 1939
Italian religious leader, 259th Pope (1922-39). He created the Vatican radio station.
Walt Whitman
Born May 31, 1819 d. 1892
American poet. Writings: Leaves of Grass.
Deaths
Jean Stapleton (Jeanne Murray)
Died May 31, 2013 b. 1923
American actress. Jean Stapleton is best known as Edith Bunker on TV's All in the Family.
TV: All in the Family (1971-79, Edith Bunker) and First Lady of the World (1982, title role).
Spuds MacKenzie (Honey Tree Evil Eye)
Died May 31, 1993 b. 1983
American spokes dog. Made her first TV appearance for Bud Light during 1987 Super Bowl. Her appearance generated large sales of Spuds memorabilia. The ads were attacked by temperance-oriented groups and were also attacked by U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond claiming the ads were designed to appeal to children. More legal action resulted from the use of ads featuring Spuds dressed as Santa, which is illegal in states such as Ohio which ban the use of children-oriented images such as Santa Clause to promote alcohol. Budweiser eventually pulled the ads due to all the controversies.
Since Spuds was a female dog portraying a male character, it's surprising the anti-LGBT groups weren't protesting.
Jack Dempsey (William Harrison Dempsey)
Died May 31, 1983 b. 1895
American boxer, "The Manassa Mauler," world heavyweight champion (1919-26).
William Castle (William Schloss)
Died May 31, 1977 b. 1914
American film producer, director. Known for the use of gimmicks to promote his horror films, such as hot-wiring theater seats and issuing "life insurance" to patrons in case they should die of fright while watching the movie. During viewings of House on Haunted Hill (1959) a plastic skeleton was rigged to fly over the audience during the corresponding scene in the movie, in an effect Castle called "Emergo". The low-budget House on Haunted Hill was made on a budget of about $200,000 and made over $2.5 million at the box office. Its huge success inspired Alfred Hitchcock to make his own low-budget horror movie Psycho.
Film: Macabre (1958, "So terrifying we insure you for $1,000 against death by fright!"), House on Haunted Hill (1959, which featured a glowing-eyed skeleton that floated over the movie goers), The Tingler (1959, the seats were wired to vibrating shock devices), and Homicidal (1961, with a "Fright Break," where those too frightened to watch could go to "Coward's Corner," with the words, "Watch the chicken! Watch him shiver in Coward's Corner!" blaring over the loudspeaker).
Grimaldi as "Joey" the Clown
Grimaldi as "Joey" the Clown
Joseph Grimaldi
Died May 31, 1837 b. 1778
English clown. He was the first to wear clown makeup and a clown suit. The term "Joey," which is synonymous with the word clown, is from a character he played.
Arlene Francis (Arlene Francis Kazanjian)
Died May 31, 2001 b. 1907
American radio talk-show host, actress. TV: What's My Line (panelist 1950-67).
Timothy Leary
Died May 31, 1996 b. 1920
American psychologist. He promoted the psychedelic experience of the '60s with his famous phrase "Turn on, tune in, and drop out." U.S. President Richard Nixon called him "the most dangerous man in America."
Terry Sawchuk
Died May 31, 1970 b. 1929
American hockey goalie. He was Rookie of the Year (1950), Goaltender of the Year (1951-52, 54, 64), and is the all-time leader in wins (435) and shutouts (103).
Elizabeth Blackwell
Died May 31, 1910 b. 1821
American physician, the first U.S. woman doctor of medicine (1849).
Franz Joseph Haydn
Died May 31, 1809 b. 1732
Austrian composer, "Father of the Symphony." He composed about 120 symphonies.