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On This Day in History — May 6
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Highlights of May 6
- 2023 — King Charles III and Queen Camilla were crowned at Westminster Abbey in London. Read more
- 2013 — Amanda Berry escaped from the Cleveland, Ohio, home of her captor, Ariel Castro, having been held there with two other women for ten years. Read more
- 2008 — British barrister Mark Saunders was shot dead by police after a five-hour siege at his home in Chelsea, London. Read more
- 2004 — The final episode of the television sitcom Friends was aired. Read more
- 1998 — Steve Jobs unveiled the iMac G3' personal computer. Read more
- 1991 — Time magazine published the article "The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power" by Richard Behar criticizing the Church of Scientology, leading to years of legal conflict. Read more
- 1988 — Widerøe Flight 710 crashed into the fog-covered mountain of Torghatten in Brønnøy, Norway, killing all 36 people on board. Read more
- 1976 — An earthquake struck Northern Italy, killing 990 people and injuring up to 3,000. Read more
- 1975 — About 100,000 Armenians gathered during a lull in fighting to mark the 60th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Read more
- 1954 — At Oxford's Iffley Road Track, English runner Roger Bannister became the first person to run the mile in under four minutes. Read more
- 1942 — World War II: Japanese troops overcame fierce American and Philippine resistance to win the Battle of Corregidor. Read more
- 1941 — American entertainer Bob Hope performed his first show with the United Service Organizations, beginning a 50-year involvement with them. Read more
- 1937 — The German airship Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during an attempt to dock at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey, killing 36 people. Read more
- 1930 — Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson purchased the Kent property they would transform into Sissinghurst Castle Garden. Read more
- 1915 — Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition: SY Aurora, anchored in McMurdo Sound, broke loose during a gale, beginning a 312-day ordeal in the Ross Sea and Southern Ocean for her 18-man crew. Read more
- 1882 — Irish civil servants Thomas Henry Burke and Lord Frederick Cavendish were stabbed to death by members of the radical Irish National Invincibles in Phoenix Park, Dublin. Read more
- 1882 — U.S. president Chester A. Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion Act into law (cartoon pictured), implementing a ban on Chinese immigration to the United States that remained for 61 years. Read more
- 1801 — French Revolutionary Wars: The 32-gun Spanish frigate El Gamo was captured by the outmanned and outgunned HMS Speedy. Read more
- 1782 — Construction began on the Grand Palace in Bangkok, the official residence of the king of Thailand. Read more
- 1757 — English poet Christopher Smart (pictured) was admitted to St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics in London, beginning his six-year confinement in mental asylums. Read more
- 1536 — Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire: Sapa Inca emperor Manco Inca Yupanqui's army began a ten-month siege of Cusco. Read more
Events
- 2023 — The coronation of Charles III and Camilla as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms is held in Westminster Abbey, London. Read more
- 2023 — Eight people are killed and seven injured in a mass shooting in Allen, Texas. The perpetrator is killed by a police officer. Read more
- 2013 — Three women, kidnapped and missing for more than a decade, are found alive in Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States. Read more
- 2010 — In just 36 minutes, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunges nearly 1,000 points in what is known as the 2010 Flash Crash. Read more
- 2004 — The final episode of the television sitcom Friends is aired. Read more
- 2002 — Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn is assassinated following a radio interview at the Mediapark in Hilversum. Read more
- 2001 — During a trip to Syria, Pope John Paul II becomes the first pope to enter a mosque. Read more
- 1999 — The first elections to the devolved Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly are held. Read more
- 1998 — Kerry Wood strikes out 20 Houston Astros to tie the major league record held by Roger Clemens. He threw a one-hitter and did not walk a batter in his fifth career start. Read more
- 1998 — Steve Jobs of Apple Inc. unveils the first iMac. Read more
- 1997 — The Bank of England is given independence from political control, the most significant change in the bank's 300-year history. Read more
- 1996 — The body of former CIA director William Colby is found washed up on a riverbank in southern Maryland, eight days after he disappeared. Read more
- 1994 — Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and French President François Mitterrand officiate at the opening of the Channel Tunnel. Read more
- 1988 — All thirty-six passengers and crew are killed when Widerøe Flight 710 crashes into Mt. Torghatten in Brønnøy. Read more
- 1984 — One hundred and three Korean Martyrs are canonized by Pope John Paul II in Seoul. Read more
- 1983 — The Hitler Diaries are revealed as a hoax after being examined by new experts. Read more
- 1976 — The 6.5 Mw Friuli earthquake affects Northern Italy with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), leaving 900–978 dead and 1,700–2,400 injured. Read more
- 1975 — During a lull in fighting, 100,000 Armenians gather in Beirut for the 60th anniversary commemorations of the Armenian genocide. Read more
- 1972 — Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin İnan are executed in Ankara after being convicted of attempting to overthrow the Constitutional order. Read more
- 1966 — Myra Hindley and Ian Brady are sentenced to life imprisonment for the Moors murders in England. Read more
- 1960 — More than 20 million viewers watch the first televised royal wedding when Princess Margaret marries Antony Armstrong-Jones at Westminster Abbey. Read more
- 1954 — Roger Bannister becomes the first person to run the mile in under four minutes. Read more
- 1949 — EDSAC, the first practical electronic digital stored-program computer, runs its first operation. Read more
- 1945 — World War II: Axis Sally delivers her last propaganda broadcast to Allied troops. Read more
- 1945 — World War II: The Prague Offensive, the last major battle of the Eastern Front, begins. Read more
- 1942 — World War II: On Corregidor, the last American forces in the Philippines surrender to the Japanese. Read more
- 1941 — At California's March Field, Bob Hope performs his first USO show. Read more
- 1941 — The first flight of the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. Read more
- 1940 — John Steinbeck is awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his novel The Grapes of Wrath. Read more
- 1937 — Hindenburg disaster: The German zeppelin Hindenburg catches fire and is destroyed within a minute while attempting to dock at Lakehurst, New Jersey. Thirty-six people are killed. Read more
- 1935 — New Deal: Under the authority of the newly-enacted Federal Emergency Relief Administration, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issues Executive Order 7034 to create the Works Progress Administration. Read more
- 1933 — The Deutsche Studentenschaft attack Magnus Hirschfeld's Institut für Sexualwissenschaft, later burning many of its books. Read more
- 1916 — Twenty-one Lebanese nationalists are executed in Martyrs' Square, Beirut by Djemal Pasha. Read more
- 1916 — Vietnamese Emperor Duy Tân is captured while calling upon the people to rise up against the French, and is later deposed and exiled to Réunion island. Read more
- 1915 — Babe Ruth, then a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, hits his first major league home run. Read more
- 1915 — Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition: The SY Aurora breaks loose from its anchorage during a gale, beginning a 312-day ordeal. Read more
- 1910 — George V becomes King of Great Britain, Ireland, and many overseas territories, on the death of his father, Edward VII. Read more
- 1906 — The Russian Constitution of 1906 is adopted (on April 23 by the Julian calendar). Read more
- 1901 — The first issue of Gorkhapatra, the oldest still running state-owned Nepali newspaper, is published. Read more
- 1889 — The Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition in Paris. Read more
- 1882 — Thomas Henry Burke and Lord Frederick Cavendish are stabbed to death by Fenian assassins in Phoenix Park, Dublin. Read more
- 1882 — The United States Congress passes the Chinese Exclusion Act. Read more
- 1877 — Chief Crazy Horse of the Oglala Lakota surrenders to United States troops in Nebraska. Read more
- 1863 — American Civil War: The Battle of Chancellorsville ends with a major defeat of the Union's Army of the Potomac under Joseph Hooker by the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee. Read more
- 1861 — American Civil War: Arkansas secedes from the Union. Read more
- 1857 — The East India Company disbands the 34th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry whose sepoy Mangal Pandey had earlier revolted against the British in the lead up to the War of Indian Independence. Read more
- 1840 — The Penny Black postage stamp becomes valid for use in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Read more
- 1835 — James Gordon Bennett, Sr. publishes the first issue of the New York Herald. Read more
- 1801 — Captain Thomas Cochrane in the 14-gun HMS Speedy captures the 32-gun Spanish frigate El Gamo. Read more
- 1782 — Construction begins on the Grand Palace, the royal residence of the King of Siam in Bangkok, at the command of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke. Read more
- 1757 — Battle of Prague: A Prussian army fights an Austrian army in Prague during the Seven Years' War. Read more
- 1757 — The end of Konbaung–Hanthawaddy War, and the end of Burmese Civil War (1740–1757). Read more
- 1757 — English poet Christopher Smart is admitted into St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics in London, beginning his six-year confinement to mental asylums. Read more
- 1682 — Louis XIV of France moves his court to the Palace of Versailles. Read more
- 1659 — English Restoration: A faction of the British Army removes Richard Cromwell as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth and reinstalls the Rump Parliament. Read more
- 1594 — The Dutch city of Coevorden, held by the Spanish, falls to a Dutch and English force. Read more
- 1542 — Francis Xavier reaches Old Goa, the capital of Portuguese India at the time. Read more
- 1541 — King Henry VIII orders English-language Bibles be placed in every church. In 1539 the Great Bible would be provided for this purpose. Read more
- 1536 — The Siege of Cuzco commences, in which Incan forces attempt to retake the city of Cuzco from the Spanish. Read more
- 1527 — Spanish and German troops sack Rome; many scholars consider this the end of the Renaissance. Read more
Born on May 6
- 2019 — Prince Archie of Sussex Read more
- 2006 — Sadie Sandler, American actress Read more
- 2002 — Cole Palmer, English footballer Read more
- 2002 — Angel Reese, American basketball player Read more
- 1999 — Pato O'Ward, Mexican racing driver Read more
- 1998 — Luigi Mangione, suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Read more
- 1997 — Maymay Entrata, Filipino model, entertainer and singer-songwriter Read more
- 1997 — Ranz Kyle, Filipino social media personality and entertainer Read more
- 1997 — Duncan Scott, Scottish swimmer Read more
- 1994 — Mateo Kovačić, Croatian international footballer Read more
- 1993 — Gustavo Gómez, Paraguayan footballer Read more
- 1993 — Naomi Scott, English actress and singer Read more
- 1992 — Brendan Gallagher, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1992 — Baekhyun, South Korean musician and actor Read more
- 1992 — Jonas Valančiūnas, Lithuanian basketball player Read more
- 1990 — Jose Altuve, Venezuelan baseball player Read more
- 1990 — Péter Gulácsi, Hungarian footballer Read more
- 1989 — Dominika Cibulková, Slovak tennis player Read more
- 1989 — Cameron Heyward, American football player Read more
- 1988 — Ryan Anderson, American basketball player Read more
- 1988 — Dakota Kai, New Zealand professional wrestler Read more
- 1987 — Dries Mertens, Belgian footballer Read more
- 1987 — Meek Mill, American rapper Read more
- 1987 — Gerardo Parra, Venezuelan baseball player and coach Read more
- 1987 — Adrienne Warren, American actress Read more
- 1986 — Goran Dragic, Slovenian basketball player Read more
- 1985 — Chris Paul, American basketball player Read more
- 1983 — Dani Alves, Brazilian footballer Read more
- 1983 — Gabourey Sidibe, American actress Read more
- 1983 — Trinley Thaye Dorje, Tibetan religious leader, the 17th Karmapa Lama Read more
- 1982 — Jason Witten, American football player Read more
- 1980 — Brooke Bennett, American swimmer Read more
- 1980 — Dimitris Diamantidis, Greek professional basketball player Read more
- 1980 — Ricardo Oliveira, Brazilian footballer Read more
- 1979 — Gerd Kanter, Estonian discus thrower Read more
- 1979 — Jon Montgomery, Canadian skeleton racer and television host Read more
- 1978 — John Abraham, American football player Read more
- 1978 — Tony Estanguet, French slalom canoeist Read more
- 1978 — Fredrick Federley, Swedish journalist and politician Read more
- 1977 — Mark Eaton, American ice hockey player and coach Read more
Died on May 6
- 2026 — Ted Turner, American media mogul (born 1938) Read more
- 2024 — Bernard Pivot, French journalist, interviewer and host (born 1935) Read more
- 2024 — Brian Wenzel, Australian actor (born 1929) Read more
- 2022 — George Pérez, American comic book artist and writer (born 1954) Read more
- 2021 — Kentaro Miura, Japanese manga artist (born 1966) Read more
- 2016 — Patrick Ekeng, Cameroonian footballer (born 1990) Read more
- 2016 — Reg Grundy, Australian businessman (born 1923) Read more
- 2015 — Novera Ahmed, Bangladeshi sculptor (born 1930) Read more
- 2015 — Denise McCluggage, American race car driver and journalist (born 1927) Read more
- 2015 — Jim Wright, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (born 1922) Read more
- 2014 — Wil Albeda, Dutch economist and politician, Dutch Minister of Social Affairs (born 1925) Read more
- 2014 — William H. Dana, American pilot, engineer, and astronaut (born 1930) Read more
- 2014 — Jimmy Ellis, American boxer (born 1940) Read more
- 2014 — Billy Harrell, American baseball player and scout (born 1928) Read more
- 2014 — Antony Hopkins, English pianist, composer, and conductor (born 1921) Read more
- 2014 — Maria Lassnig, Austrian painter and academic (born 1919) Read more
- 2014 — Farley Mowat, Canadian environmentalist and author (born 1921) Read more
- 2013 — Giulio Andreotti, Italian journalist and politician, 41st Prime Minister of Italy (born 1919) Read more
- 2013 — Severo Aparicio Quispe, Peruvian bishop (born 1923) Read more
- 2013 — Michelangelo Spensieri, Italian-Canadian lawyer and politician (born 1949) Read more
- 2012 — James R. Browning, American lieutenant, lawyer, and judge (born 1918) Read more
- 2012 — James Isaac, American director and producer (born 1960) Read more
- 2012 — Jean Laplanche, French psychoanalyst and author (born 1924) Read more
- 2010 — Robin Roberts, American baseball player, coach, and sportscaster (born 1926) Read more
- 2009 — Kevin Grubb, American race car driver (born 1978) Read more
- 2007 — Enéas Carneiro, Brazilian physician and politician (born 1938) Read more
- 2007 — Curtis Harrington, American actor, director, and screenwriter (born 1926) Read more
- 2006 — Grant McLennan, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1958) Read more
- 2006 — Lorne Saxberg, Canadian journalist (born 1958) Read more
- 2004 — Virginia Capers, American actress and singer (born 1925) Read more
- 2004 — Philip Kapleau, American monk and educator (born 1912) Read more
- 2004 — Barney Kessel, American guitarist and composer (born 1923) Read more
- 2003 — Art Houtteman, American baseball player and journalist (born 1927) Read more
- 2002 — Murray Adaskin, Canadian violinist, composer, conductor, and educator (born 1906) Read more
- 2002 — Otis Blackwell, American singer-songwriter and pianist (born 1932) Read more
- 2002 — Pim Fortuyn, Dutch sociologist, academic, and politician (born 1948) Read more
- 2002 — Bjørn Johansen, Norwegian saxophonist (born 1940) Read more
- 2000 — Gordon McClymont, Australian ecologist and academic (born 1920) Read more
- 1995 — Noel Brotherston, Northern Irish footballer (born 1956) Read more
- 1993 — Ann Todd, English actress and producer (born 1909) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Dominic Savio; Christian feast day:
Evodius of Antioch (Roman Catholic Church); Christian feast day:
François de Laval; Christian feast day:
Jacinto Vera (Roman Catholic Church); Christian feast day:
Lucius of Cyrene; Christian feast day:
Blessed Maria Caterina Troiani; Christian feast day:
Peter Nolasco; Christian feast day:
Petronax of Monte Cassino; Christian feast day:
Blessed Rosa Maria Benedetta Gattorno Custo; Christian feast day:
St George's Day related observances (Eastern Orthodox Church):
Day of Bravery, also known as Gergyovden (Bulgaria); Christian feast day:
St George's Day related observances (Eastern Orthodox Church):
Đurđevdan (Gorani, Roma); Christian feast day:
St George's Day related observances (Eastern Orthodox Church):
Yuri's Day in the Spring (Russian Orthodox Church); Christian feast day:
St John before the Latin Gate; Christian feast day:
May 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); International No Diet Day; Martyrs' Day (Lebanon and Syria); National Azulejo Day (Portugal); The first day of Hıdırellez (Turkey)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “May 6”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.