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On This Day in History — May 22

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Highlights of May 22

2026 — A gas explosion at a coal mine in Changzhi, Shanxi, China, leaves at least 82 people dead. Read more
2014 — Prayut Chan-o-cha (pictured), the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army, launched a coup d'état against the caretaker government following six months of political crisis. Read more
2010 — Upon landing in Mangalore, Air India Express Flight 812 overshot the runway and fell down a hillside, killing 158 of the 166 people on board. Read more
2002 — Police announced that the skeletal remains of Federal Bureau of Prisons intern Chandra Levy, who had been missing for a year, had been found in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. Read more
1998 — In Public Prosecutor v Taw Cheng Kong, the Court of Appeal of Singapore overruled a High Court decision in the only time a statute in Singapore had been ruled unconstitutional. Read more
1987 — During Hindu–Muslim rioting in Meerut, India, 19 members of the Provincial Armed Constabulary allegedly massacred 42 Muslims and dumped their bodies in water canals. Read more
1980 — Location testing for Pac-Man, a Japanese arcade game that became an icon of 1980s popular culture, began in Shibuya, Tokyo. Read more
1972 — The Dominion of Ceylon changed its name to Sri Lanka, adopted a new constitution, and officially became a republic within the Commonwealth. Read more
1960 — The most powerful earthquake ever recorded, registering approximately 9.5 Mw, struck near Valdivia, Chile, generating tsunamis that reached Hawaii and Japan. Read more
1958 — Ethnic riots mostly targeting the minority Sri Lankan Tamils broke out in Ceylon, resulting in at least 158 deaths over the next few days. Read more
1939 — Germany and Italy signed the Pact of Steel, a military and political alliance. Read more
1915 — California's Lassen Peak violently erupted, the only volcanic eruption in the contiguous U.S. in the 20th century until Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980. Read more
1911 — The Uruguayan Regional Workers' Federation declared a general strike in solidarity with trolley workers in Montevideo. Read more
1905 — Sultan Abdul Hamid II established the Ullah millet, a separate millet for the Aromanians within the Ottoman Empire. Read more
1897 — The first Blackwall Tunnel under the River Thames was opened to improve commerce and trade in the East End of London. Read more
1874 — Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem was first performed in the San Marco church in Milan to commemorate the first anniversary of Alessandro Manzoni's death. Read more
1856 — Senator Charles Sumner (pictured) was assaulted by Representative Preston Brooks in the United States Senate chamber in retaliation for a speech in which Sumner fiercely criticized slaveholders. Read more
1849 — Abraham Lincoln was issued a patent for an invention to lift boats over obstacles in a river, making him the only U.S. president ever to hold a patent. Read more
1844 — In Shiraz, Iran, the Báb declared himself to be a messenger of God to Mullá Husayn, leading to the foundation of Bábism, considered to be a precursor to the Baháʼí Faith. Read more
1826 — HMS Beagle (pictured) departed on her first voyage from Plymouth for a hydrographic survey of the Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego regions of South America. Read more
1816 — A riot broke out in Littleport, England, over high unemployment and rising grain costs, spreading to Ely the next day before being quelled by troops. Read more
1766 — A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Constantinople and was followed by a tsunami that caused significant damage. Read more
1762 — The Trevi Fountain (pictured) in Rome was officially inaugurated by Pope Clement XIII. Read more
1629 — Albrecht von Wallenstein and King Christian IV of Denmark signed the Treaty of Lübeck to end Danish intervention in the Thirty Years' War. Read more
853 — Arab–Byzantine wars: The Byzantine navy began a raid on the Nile Delta port city of Damietta, whose garrison was absent at the time. Read more

Events

2026 — A gas explosion at a coal mine in Changzhi, Shanxi, leaves at least 82 people dead. Read more
2021 — Hypothermia kills 21 runners in the 100 km (60-mile) Gansu ultramarathon disaster in China. Read more
2020 — Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303 crashes in Model Colony near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan, killing 98 people. Read more
2017 — Twenty-two people are killed at an Ariana Grande concert in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. Read more
2017 — United States President Donald Trump visits the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and becomes the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Western Wall. Read more
2015 — The Republic of Ireland becomes the first nation in the world to utilise a public referendum to legalise gay marriage. Read more
2014 — General Prayut Chan-o-cha becomes interim leader of Thailand in a military coup d'état, following six months of political turmoil. Read more
2014 — An explosion occurs in Ürümqi, capital of China's far-western Xinjiang region, resulting in at least 43 deaths and 91 injuries. Read more
2013 — Fusilier Lee Rigby is murdered by two Islamic extremists in Woolwich, Southeast London. Read more
2012 — Tokyo Skytree opens to the public. It is the tallest tower in the world (634 m), and the third tallest man-made structure on Earth after Merdeka 118 (680.5 m) and Burj Khalifa (829.8 m). Read more
2012 — SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2 launches a Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket in the first commercial flight to the International Space Station. Read more
2011 — An EF5 tornado strikes Joplin, Missouri, killing 158 people and wreaking $2.8 billion in damages, the costliest and seventh-deadliest single tornado in U.S. history. Read more
2010 — Air India Express Flight 812, a Boeing 737 crashes over a cliff upon landing at Mangalore, India, killing 158 of 166 people on board, becoming the deadliest crash involving a Boeing 737 until the crash of Lion Air Flight 610. Read more
2010 — Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich 2–0 in the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid, Spain to become the first, and so far only, Italian team to win the historic treble (Serie A, Coppa Italia, Champions League). Read more
2009 — Metalworkers at a Ssangyong Motor plant in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, begin a strike to protest job cuts. Read more
2002 — Civil rights movement: A jury in Birmingham, Alabama, convicts former Ku Klux Klan member Bobby Frank Cherry of the 1963 murder of four girls in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. Read more
2000 — In Sri Lanka, over 150 Tamil rebels are killed over two days of fighting for control in Jaffna. Read more
1998 — A U.S. federal judge rules that U.S. Secret Service agents can be compelled to testify before a grand jury concerning the Lewinsky scandal involving President Bill Clinton. Read more
1996 — The Burmese military regime jails 71 supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi in a bid to block a pro-democracy meeting. Read more
1994 — A worldwide trade embargo against Haiti goes into effect to punish its military rulers for not reinstating the country's ousted elected leader, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Read more
1992 — Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia join the United Nations. Read more
1990 — North and South Yemen are unified to create the Republic of Yemen. Read more
1987 — Hashimpura massacre occurs in Meerut, India. Read more
1987 — First ever Rugby World Cup kicks off with New Zealand playing Italy at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. Read more
1972 — Ceylon adopts a new constitution, becoming a republic and changing its name to Sri Lanka. Read more
1972 — Over 400 women in Derry, Northern Ireland attack the offices of Sinn Féin following the shooting by the Irish Republican Army of a young British soldier on leave. Read more
1969 — Apollo 10's Lunar Module flies within 8.4 nautical miles (16 km) of the Moon's surface. Read more
1968 — The nuclear-powered submarine USS Scorpion sinks with 99 men aboard, 400 nautical miles (740 km) southwest of the Azores. Read more
1967 — Egypt closes the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping. Read more
1967 — L'Innovation department store in Brussels, Belgium, burns down, resulting in 323 dead or missing and 150 injured, the most devastating fire in Belgian history. Read more
1964 — U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson launches his Great Society program. Read more
1963 — Greek left-wing politician Grigoris Lambrakis is clubbed over the head, causing his death five days later. Read more
1962 — Continental Airlines Flight 11 crashes in Unionville, Missouri after bombs explode on board, killing 45. Read more
1960 — The Great Chilean earthquake, measuring 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale, hits southern Chile, becoming the most powerful earthquake ever recorded. Read more
1958 — The 1958 riots in Ceylon become a watershed in the race relations of various ethnic communities of Sri Lanka. The total deaths are estimated at 300, mostly Tamils. Read more
1957 — South Africa's government approves of racial separation in universities. Read more
1948 — Finnish President J. K. Paasikivi releases Yrjö Leino from his duties as interior minister after the Finnish parliament adopted a motion of censure of Leino with connection to his illegal handing over of nineteen people to the Soviet Union in 1945. Read more
1947 — Cold War: The Truman Doctrine goes into effect, aiding Turkey and Greece. Read more
1943 — Joseph Stalin disbands the Comintern. Read more
1942 — Mexico enters the Second World War on the side of the Allies. Read more
1941 — During the Anglo-Iraqi War, British troops take Fallujah. Read more
1939 — World War II: Germany and Italy sign the Pact of Steel. Read more
1927 — Near Xining, China, an 8.3 magnitude earthquake causes 200,000 deaths in one of the world's most destructive earthquakes. Read more
1926 — Chiang Kai-shek replaces the communists in Kuomintang China.[vague] Read more
1916 — A British army defeats a force of the Darfur Sultanate under Sultan Ali Dinar due to its superior firepower in the battle of Beringia. Read more
1915 — Lassen Peak erupts with a powerful force, the only volcano besides Mount St. Helens to erupt in the contiguous U.S. during the 20th century. Read more
1915 — Three trains collide in the Quintinshill rail disaster near Gretna Green, Scotland, killing 227 people and injuring 246. Read more
1911 — The Uruguayan Regional Workers' Federation declares a general strike in solidarity with trolley workers in Montevideo. Read more
1906 — The Wright brothers are granted U.S. patent number 821,393 for their "Flying-Machine". Read more
1905 — The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Abdul Hamid II establishes the Ullah millet for the Aromanians of the empire. For this reason, the Aromanian National Day is sometimes celebrated on this day, although most do so on May 23 instead, which is when this event was publicly announced. Read more
1874 — Verdi's Requiem is first performed at San Marco in Milan on the first anniversary of Alessandro Manzoni's death. Read more
1872 — Reconstruction Era: President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Amnesty Act into law, restoring full civil and political rights to all but about 500 Confederate sympathizers. Read more
1866 — Oliver Winchester founds the Winchester Repeating Arms. Read more
1864 — American Civil War: After ten weeks, the Union Army's Red River Campaign ends in failure. Read more
1863 — American Civil War: Union forces begin the Siege of Port Hudson which lasts 48 days, the longest siege in U.S. military history. Read more
1856 — Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina severely beats Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts with a cane in the hall of the United States Senate for a speech Sumner had made regarding Southerners and slavery. Read more
1849 — Future U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is issued a patent for an invention to lift boats, making him the only U.S. president to ever hold a patent. Read more
1848 — Slavery is abolished in Martinique. Read more
1846 — The Associated Press is formed in New York City as a non-profit news cooperative. Read more
1840 — The penal transportation of British convicts to the New South Wales colony is abolished. Read more

Born on May 22

2004 — Peyton Elizabeth Lee, American actress Read more
2002 — Anthony Richardson, American football player Read more
2001 — Enzo Barrenechea, Argentine footballer Read more
2001 — Emma Chamberlain, American internet personality Read more
2001 — Joshua Zirkzee, Dutch footballer Read more
2000 — Julián Carranza, Argentine footballer Read more
1999 — Samuel Chukwueze, Nigerian footballer Read more
1999 — Femke Huijzer, Dutch model Read more
1999 — Hōshōryū Tomokatsu, Mongolian sumo wrestler Read more
1998 — Samile Bermannelli, Brazilian fashion model Read more
1997 — Lauri Markkanen, Finnish basketball player Read more
1997 — Brandon Duhaime, American ice hockey player Read more
1994 — Florian Luger, Austrian male model Read more
1994 — Athena Manoukian, Greek-Armenian singer and songwriter Read more
1992 — Anna Baryshnikov, American actress Read more
1991 — Joel Obi, Nigerian footballer Read more
1991 — Suho, South Korean singer and actor Read more
1990 — Wyatt Roy, Australian politician Read more
1989 — Corey Dickerson, American baseball player Read more
1988 — Heida Reed, Icelandic-British actress Read more
1987 — Novak Djokovic, Serbian tennis player Read more
1987 — Arturo Vidal, Chilean footballer Read more
1986 — Julian Edelman, American football player Read more
1986 — Matt Jarvis, English footballer Read more
1986 — Tatiana Volosozhar, Russian figure skater Read more
1985 — Tranquillo Barnetta, Swiss footballer Read more
1985 — Mauro Boselli, Argentine footballer Read more
1985 — Tao Okamoto, Japanese model and actress Read more
1984 — Clara Amfo, English television and radio presenter Read more
1984 — Karoline Herfurth, German actress Read more
1984 — Didier Ya Konan, Ivorian footballer Read more
1984 — Dustin Moskovitz, American entrepreneur, co-founder of Facebook Read more
1983 — Natasha Kai, American soccer player and Olympic medalist Read more
1982 — Erin McNaught, Australian model and actress Read more
1982 — Apolo Ohno, American speed skater Read more
1982 — Hong Yong-jo, North Korean footballer Read more
1981 — Bryan Danielson, American wrestler Read more
1981 — Bassel Khartabil, Syrian computer programmer and engineer (died 2015) Read more
1981 — Jürgen Melzer, Austrian tennis player Read more
1981 — Mark O'Meley, Australian rugby league player Read more

Died on May 22

2026 — Richard A. Tapia, American mathematician, National Medal of Science recipient (born 1939) Read more
2024 — David Wilkie, Scottish swimmer (born 1954) Read more
2022 — Dervla Murphy, Irish touring cyclist and author (born 1931) Read more
2020 — Denise Cronenberg, Canadian costume designer (born 1938) Read more
2019 — Judith Kerr, German-born British writer and illustrator (born 1923) Read more
2017 — Nicky Hayden, American motorcycle racer (born 1981) Read more
2016 — Velimir "Bata" Živojinović, Serbian actor and politician (born 1933) Read more
2015 — Marques Haynes, American basketball player and coach (born 1926) Read more
2015 — Vladimir Katriuk, Ukrainian-Canadian SS officer (born 1921) Read more
2013 — Sigurd Ottovich Schmidt, Russian historian and ethnographer (born 1922) Read more
2012 — Muzafar Bhutto, Pakistani politician (born 1970) Read more
2012 — Wesley A. Brown, American lieutenant and engineer (born 1927) Read more
2011 — Joseph Brooks, American director, producer, screenwriter, and composer (born 1938) Read more
2010 — Martin Gardner, American mathematician, cryptographer, and author (born 1914) Read more
2008 — Robert Asprin, American soldier and author (born 1946) Read more
2007 — Pemba Doma Sherpa, Nepalese mountaineer (born 1970) Read more
2006 — Lee Jong-wook, South Korean physician and diplomat (born 1945) Read more
2005 — Charilaos Florakis, Greek politician (born 1914) Read more
2005 — Thurl Ravenscroft, American voice actor and singer (born 1914) Read more
2004 — Richard Biggs, American actor (born 1960) Read more
2004 — Mikhail Voronin, Russian gymnast (born 1945) Read more
2000 — Davie Fulton, Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician (born 1916) Read more
1998 — John Derek, American actor, director, and photographer (born 1926) Read more
1998 — José Enrique Moyal, Israeli physicist and engineer (born 1910) Read more
1997 — Alziro Bergonzo, Italian architect and painter (born 1906) Read more
1997 — Alfred Hershey, American biochemist and geneticist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1908) Read more
1993 — Mieczysław Horszowski, Polish-American pianist and composer (born 1892) Read more
1992 — Zellig Harris, American linguist and academic (born 1909) Read more
1991 — Lino Brocka, Filipino director and screenwriter (born 1939) Read more
1991 — Shripad Amrit Dange, Indian lawyer and politician (born 1899) Read more
1991 — Stan Mortensen, English footballer and manager (born 1921) Read more
1990 — Rocky Graziano, American boxer (born 1922) Read more
1989 — Steven De Groote, South African pianist and educator (born 1953) Read more
1988 — Giorgio Almirante, Italian journalist and politician (born 1914) Read more
1985 — Wolfgang Reitherman, German-American animator, director, and producer (born 1909) Read more
1984 — Karl-August Fagerholm, Finnish politician, valtioneuvos, the Speaker of the Parliament and the Prime Minister of Finland (born 1901) Read more
1983 — Albert Claude, Belgian biologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1899) Read more
1983 — Erna Scheffler, German lawyer and justice of the Federal Constitutional Court (born 1893) Read more
1982 — Cevdet Sunay, Turkish general and politician, 5th President of Turkey (born 1899) Read more
1975 — Lefty Grove, American baseball player (born 1900) Read more

Holidays & observances

Abolition Day (Martinique); Aromanian National Day (marginal, celebration on May 23 is more common); Christian feast day: Castus and Emilius; Christian feast day: Fulk; Christian feast day: Humilita; Christian feast day: Blessed John Forest; Christian feast day: Blessed Maria Domenica Brun Barbantini; Christian feast day: Michael Hồ Đình Hy (one of Vietnamese Martyrs); Christian feast day: Quiteria; Christian feast day: Rita of Cascia; Christian feast day: Romanus of Subiaco; Christian feast day: May 22 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Harvey Milk Day (California); International Day for Biological Diversity (International); United States National Maritime Day; National Sovereignty Day (Haiti); Republic Day (Sri Lanka); Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra to Bari (Ukraine); Unity Day (Yemen), celebrates the unification of North and South Yemen into the Republic of Yemen in 1990.; World Goth Day

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Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “May 22”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.