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On This Day in History — May 29
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Highlights of May 29
- 2020 — An oil spill in Norilsk released 17,500 tons of diesel oil into nearby rivers. Read more
- 2011 — Residents of Portland, Oregon, held a rally called Hands Across Hawthorne in response to an attack against a gay couple holding hands while crossing the Hawthorne Bridge. Read more
- 1999 — Charlotte Perrelli, representing Sweden, won the Eurovision Song Contest, the first edition not to feature an orchestra or live accompaniment. Read more
- 1999 — President Olusegun Obasanjo took office as Nigeria's first elected and civilian head of state after 16 years of military dictatorship. Read more
- 1954 — Diane Leather became the first woman to run a mile in less than five minutes. Read more
- 1953 — The mountaineers Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Read more
- 1942 — Bing Crosby recorded his version of the song "White Christmas", which went on to become the best-selling single worldwide, with more than 50 million copies sold. Read more
- 1935 — A strike by copper miners in Northern Rhodesia ended after six workers were shot and killed by police. Read more
- 1918 — World War I: Armenian forces defeated Ottoman troops at the Battle of Sardarabad, halting the Turkish advance and preventing further destruction of the Armenian nation. Read more
- 1913 — During the premiere of the ballet Le Sacre du printemps by Igor Stravinsky at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the avant-garde nature of the music and choreography caused a near-riot in the audience (report pictured). Read more
- 1911 — English dramatist W. S. Gilbert of the songwriting duo Gilbert and Sullivan died while saving a young woman from drowning in his lake. Read more
- 1900 — N'Djamena, now the capital of Chad, was founded as Fort-Lamy by French commander Émile Gentil. Read more
- 1852 — Swedish operatic soprano Jenny Lind concluded a successful concert tour of the United States under the management of showman P. T. Barnum. Read more
- 1851 — Sojourner Truth (pictured) delivered her "Ain't I a Woman?" speech at the Woman's Rights Convention in Akron. Read more
- 1792 — The Great Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was disbanded following the Russian invasion of Poland. Read more
- 1453 — With the fall of Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire fell to the Ottomans. Read more
- 1416 — A squadron of the Venetian navy captured many Ottoman ships at the Battle of Gallipoli, confirming Venetian naval superiority in the Aegean Sea for the next few decades. Read more
- 1233 — Mongol–Jin War: The Mongols entered and began looting Kaifeng, the capital of the Jin dynasty of China, after a 13-month siege. Read more
- 1176 — Wars of the Guelphs and Ghibellines: Troops of the Lombard League defeated forces of the Holy Roman Empire at the Battle of Legnano in present-day Italy. Read more
Events
- 2022 — Tara Air Flight 197 crashes in Nepal's Mustang District, killing 22. Read more
- 2021 — A Cessna Citation I/SP crashes into Percy Priest Lake in Tennessee, killing all six people on board, including actor Joe Lara and his wife Gwen Shamblin Lara. Read more
- 2020 — An oil spill in Norilsk releases 17,500 tons of diesel oil into nearby rivers. Read more
- 2015 — One World Observatory at One World Trade Center opens. Read more
- 2012 — A 5.8-magnitude earthquake hits northern Italy near Bologna, killing at least 24 people. Read more
- 2008 — A doublet earthquake, of combined magnitude 6.1, strikes Iceland near the town of Selfoss, injuring 30 people. Read more
- 2005 — France rejects the Constitution of the European Union in a national referendum. Read more
- 2004 — The National World War II Memorial is dedicated in Washington, D.C. Read more
- 2001 — The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the disabled golfer Casey Martin can use a cart to ride in tournaments. Read more
- 1999 — Olusegun Obasanjo takes office as President of Nigeria, the first elected and civilian head of state in Nigeria after 16 years of military rule. Read more
- 1999 — Space Shuttle Discovery completes the first docking with the International Space Station. Read more
- 1993 — The Miss Sarajevo beauty pageant is held in war-torn Sarajevo drawing global attention to the plight of its citizens. Read more
- 1990 — The Congress of People's Deputies of Russia elects Boris Yeltsin as President of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Read more
- 1989 — Signing of an agreement between Egypt and the United States that allows for the manufacture of F-16 Falcon parts in Egypt. Read more
- 1988 — U.S. President Ronald Reagan begins his first visit to the Soviet Union when he arrives in Moscow for a superpower summit with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Read more
- 1985 — Heysel Stadium disaster: Thirty-nine association football fans die and hundreds are injured when a dilapidated retaining wall collapses. Read more
- 1985 — Amputee Steve Fonyo completes cross-Canada marathon at Victoria, British Columbia, after 14 months. Read more
- 1982 — Pope John Paul II becomes the first pontiff to visit Canterbury Cathedral. Read more
- 1982 — Falklands War: The British Army defeats the Argentine Army at the Battle of Goose Green. Read more
- 1974 — SETA, a Finnish LGBT rights organisation, is founded in Helsinki. Read more
- 1973 — Tom Bradley is elected the first black mayor of Los Angeles, California. Read more
- 1964 — The Arab League meets in East Jerusalem to discuss the Palestinian question, leading to the formation of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Read more
- 1964 — Having deposed them in a January coup South Vietnamese leader Nguyễn Khánh has rival Generals Trần Văn Đôn and Lê Văn Kim convicted of "lax morality". Read more
- 1962 — Chinese police open fire on protesters in Yining, Xinjiang, killing at least five people and wounding a dozen others. Read more
- 1953 — Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay become the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest, on Tenzing Norgay's (adopted) 39th birthday. Read more
- 1950 — The St. Roch, the first ship to circumnavigate North America, arrives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Read more
- 1948 — United Nations Truce Supervision Organization is founded. Read more
- 1947 — United Airlines Flight 521 crashes at LaGuardia Airport, killing 43. Read more
- 1945 — First combat mission of the Consolidated B-32 Dominator heavy bomber. Read more
- 1935 — First flight of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter aeroplane. Read more
- 1932 — World War I veterans begin to assemble in Washington, D.C., in the Bonus Army to request cash bonuses promised to them to be paid in 1945. Read more
- 1931 — Michele Schirru, a citizen of the United States, is executed by a Royal Italian Army firing squad for intent to kill Benito Mussolini. Read more
- 1920 — The Louth flood of 1920, a severe flash flood in the Lincolnshire market town of Louth, results in 23 fatalities in 20 minutes. It has been described as one of the most significant flood disasters in the United Kingdom during the 20th century. Read more
- 1919 — Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity is tested (later confirmed) by Arthur Eddington and Andrew Claude de la Cherois Crommelin. Read more
- 1918 — Armenia defeats the Ottoman Army in the Battle of Sardarabad. Read more
- 1914 — The ocean liner RMS Empress of Ireland sinks in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence with the loss of 1,012 lives. Read more
- 1913 — Igor Stravinsky's ballet score The Rite of Spring receives its premiere performance in Paris, France, provoking a near-riot. Read more
- 1903 — In the May Coup, Alexander I, King of Serbia, and Queen Draga, are assassinated in Belgrade by the Black Hand (Crna Ruka) organization. Read more
- 1900 — N'Djamena is founded as Fort-Lamy by the French commander Émile Gentil. Read more
- 1886 — The pharmacist John Pemberton places his first advertisement for Coca-Cola, which appeared in The Atlanta Journal. Read more
- 1867 — The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 ("the Compromise") is born through Act 12, which establishes the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Read more
- 1864 — Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico arrives in Mexico for the first time. Read more
- 1861 — The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce is founded, in Hong Kong. Read more
- 1852 — Jenny Lind leaves New York after her two-year American tour. Read more
- 1851 — Sojourner Truth delivers her famous Ain't I a Woman? speech at the Woman's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. Read more
- 1825 — The Coronation of Charles X of France takes place in Reims Cathedral, the last-ever coronation of a French monarch. Read more
- 1807 — Mustafa IV becomes Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and Caliph of Islam. Read more
- 1798 — United Irishmen Rebellion: Between 300 and 500 United Irishmen are executed as rebels by the British Army in County Kildare, Ireland. Read more
- 1790 — Rhode Island becomes the last of North America's original Thirteen Colonies to ratify the Constitution and become one of the United States. Read more
- 1780 — American Revolutionary War: At the Waxhaws Massacre, the British continue attacking after the Continentals lay down their arms, killing 113 and critically wounding all but 53 that remained. Read more
- 1733 — The right of settlers in New France to enslave natives is upheld at Quebec City. Read more
- 1660 — English Restoration: Charles II is restored to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland. Read more
- 1658 — Battle of Samugarh: Decisive battle in the struggle for the throne during the Mughal war of succession (1658–1659). Read more
- 1555 — The Ottoman Empire and the Safavid Empire sign a peace treaty to end the Ottoman–Safavid War of 1532–1555. Read more
- 1453 — Fall of Constantinople: Ottoman armies under Sultan Mehmed II capture Constantinople after a 53-day siege, ending the Roman Empire after over 2,000 years. Read more
- 1416 — Battle of Gallipoli: The Venetians under Pietro Loredan defeat a much larger Ottoman fleet off Gallipoli. Read more
- 1328 — Philip VI is crowned King of France. Read more
- 1233 — Mongol–Jin war: The Mongols enter Kaifeng after a successful siege and begin looting in the fallen capital of the Jin dynasty. Read more
- 1176 — Battle of Legnano: The Lombard League defeats Emperor Frederick I. Read more
- 1167 — Battle of Monte Porzio: A Roman army supporting Pope Alexander III is defeated by Christian of Buch and Rainald of Dassel. Read more
Born on May 29
- 2006 — Gukesh Dommaraju, Indian chess player Read more
- 2002 — Paul Skenes, American baseball player Read more
- 2001 — Puka Nacua, American football player Read more
- 2001 — Andrew Torgashev, American figure skater Read more
- 2000 — Gennaro Nigro, American soccer player Read more
- 2000 — Adam Zdrójkowski, Polish actor and television presenter Read more
- 1999 — Park Ji-hoon, South Korean actor and singer Read more
- 1998 — Markelle Fultz, American basketball player Read more
- 1998 — Austin Reaves, American basketball player Read more
- 1997 — Tyler Nevin, American baseball player Read more
- 1995 — Konosuke Takeshita, Japanese professional wrestler Read more
- 1993 — Jana Čepelová, Slovak tennis player Read more
- 1993 — Maika Monroe, American actress and kiteboarder Read more
- 1993 — Grete Šadeiko, Estonian heptathlete Read more
- 1992 — Sarah Moundir, Swiss tennis player Read more
- 1992 — Gregg Sulkin, English actor Read more
- 1991 — Yaime Perez, Cuban discus thrower Read more
- 1991 — Tan Zhongyi, Women's World Chess Champion, 2017–2018 Read more
- 1990 — Joe Biagini, American baseball pitcher Read more
- 1990 — Erica Garner, American civil rights activist (died 2017) Read more
- 1989 — Ezekiel Ansah, Ghanaian-American football player Read more
- 1989 — Diego Barisone, Argentinian footballer (died 2015) Read more
- 1989 — Riley Keough, American model and actress Read more
- 1988 — Muath Al-Kasasbeh, Jordanian captain and pilot (died 2015) Read more
- 1988 — Cheng Fei, Chinese gymnast Read more
- 1988 — Tobin Heath, American soccer player Read more
- 1988 — Steve Mason, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1987 — Lina Andrijauskaitė, Lithuanian long jumper Read more
- 1987 — Jon Holland, Australian cricketer Read more
- 1987 — Issac Luke, New Zealand rugby league player Read more
- 1987 — Kelvin Maynard, Dutch footballer (died 2019) Read more
- 1987 — Noah Reid, Canadian actor, musician, producer, and screenwriter Read more
- 1987 — Rui Sampaio, Portuguese footballer Read more
- 1985 — Nathan Horton, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1984 — Carmelo Anthony, American basketball player Read more
- 1984 — Nia Jax, Australian-American professional wrestler Read more
- 1984 — Funmi Jimoh, American long jumper Read more
- 1984 — Dhar Mann, American entrepreneur, film producer and YouTuber Read more
- 1984 — Andreas Schäffer, German footballer Read more
- 1984 — Ina Wroldsen, Norwegian singer and songwriter Read more
Died on May 29
- 2025 — Bernie Kerik, American police officer, 40th Police Commissioner of New York City and interior minister of the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority (born 1955) Read more
- 2024 — Bob Rogers, Australian radio and television host (born 1926) Read more
- 2022 — Ronnie Hawkins, American rockabilly singer-songwriter and guitarist. (born 1935) Read more
- 2022 — Sidhu Moosewala, Indian singer, rapper, actor and politician. (born 1993) Read more
- 2021 — Gavin MacLeod, American actor, Christian activist, and author (born 1931) Read more
- 2021 — Mark Eaton, American basketball player and sportscaster (born 1957) Read more
- 2021 — B. J. Thomas, American singer (born 1942) Read more
- 2021 — Cornelius Sim, Bruneian cardinal (born 1951) Read more
- 2020 — Maikanti Baru, Nigerian engineer, former chief of state oil firm. (born 1959) Read more
- 2017 — Manuel Noriega, Panamanian general and politician, Military Leader of Panama (born 1934) Read more
- 2017 — Mordechai Tzipori, Israeli Lieutenant General and minister (born 1924) Read more
- 2017 — Konstantinos Mitsotakis, Greek politician and prime minister (born 1918) Read more
- 2015 — Henry Carr, American football player and sprinter (born 1942) Read more
- 2015 — Doris Hart, American tennis player (born 1925) Read more
- 2015 — Betsy Palmer, American actress (born 1926) Read more
- 2014 — Christine Charbonneau, Canadian singer-songwriter (born 1943) Read more
- 2014 — Walter Jakob Gehring, Swiss biologist and academic (born 1939) Read more
- 2014 — Peter Glaser, Czech-American scientist and engineer (born 1923) Read more
- 2014 — Miljenko Prohaska, Croatian composer and conductor (born 1925) Read more
- 2014 — William M. Roth, American businessman (born 1916) Read more
- 2013 — Richard Ballantine, American-English journalist and author (born 1940) Read more
- 2013 — Françoise Blanchard, French actress (born 1954) Read more
- 2013 — Andrew Greeley, American priest, sociologist, and author (born 1928) Read more
- 2013 — Mulgrew Miller, American pianist and composer (born 1955) Read more
- 2013 — Henry Morgentaler, Polish-Canadian physician and activist (born 1923) Read more
- 2013 — Franca Rame, Italian actress and playwright (born 1928) Read more
- 2013 — Ludwig G. Strauss, German physician and academic (born 1949) Read more
- 2013 — Wali-ur-Rehman, Pakistani commander (born 1970) Read more
- 2012 — Mark Minkov, Russian composer (born 1944) Read more
- 2012 — Kaneto Shindo, Japanese director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1912) Read more
- 2012 — Doc Watson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1923) Read more
- 2011 — Sergei Bagapsh, Abkhazian politician, 2nd President of Abkhazia (born 1949) Read more
- 2011 — Bill Clements, American soldier and politician, 42nd Governor of Texas (born 1917) Read more
- 2011 — Ferenc Mádl, Hungarian academic and politician, 14th President of Hungary (born 1931) Read more
- 2010 — Dennis Hopper, American actor, director, and screenwriter (born 1936) Read more
- 2008 — Paula Gunn Allen, American writer (born 1939) Read more
- 2008 — Luc Bourdon, Canadian ice hockey player (born 1987) Read more
- 2008 — Harvey Korman, American actor and comedian (born 1927) Read more
- 2007 — Dave Balon, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (born 1938) Read more
- 2007 — Lois Browne-Evans, Bermudian lawyer and politician (born 1927) Read more
Holidays & observances
Army Day (Argentina); Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh (Baháʼí Faith) (Only if Baháʼí Naw-Rúz falls on March 21 of the Gregorian calendar); Christian feast day:
Bona of Pisa; Christian feast day:
Hypomone (Eastern Orthodox Church); Christian feast day:
Joseph Gérard; Christian feast day:
Maximin of Trier; Christian feast day:
Pope Alexander of Alexandria (Eastern Orthodox Church); Christian feast day:
Pope Paul VI; Christian feast day:
Richard Thirkeld; Christian feast day:
Theodosia of Constantinople (Eastern Orthodox Church); Christian feast day:
Ursula Ledóchowska; Christian feast day:
May 29 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers (International); Oak Apple Day (England), and its related observance:
Castleton Garland Day (Castleton); Veterans Day (Sweden); Democracy Day (Nigeria)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “May 29”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.