James Brown (1933-2006)
May 3 American R&B, gospel, soul and funk singer-songwriter known as 'The Godfather of Soul' ("Sex Machine"; "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag"; "Hot Pants"), born in Barnwell, South Carolina
Johnny Unitas (1933-2002)
May 7 American NFL quarterback (Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers); one of the greats, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Louis Farrakhan (89 years old)
May 11 American religious leader (Nation of Islam, Million Man March), born in New York City
- May 12 (Antoni) "Ton" Hartsuiker, Dutch pianist, composer, broadcaster, and educator, born in Zwolle, Netherlands (d. 2015)
- May 12 Andrey Voznesensky, Russian poet, born in Moscow, Soviet Union (d. 2010)
- May 13 Alden Ashforth, American composer and professor of ethno-musicology, born in New York City (d. 2016)
- May 13 Sid Morrison, American politician (Rep-R-WA, 1981-93), born in Yakima, Washington
- May 13 Stig Gustav Schonberg, Swedish composer and organist, born in Västra Husby, Sweden
- May 14 Frank Harte, Irish singer and song collector
- May 14 John Mortimore, cricketer (England off-spinner 1959-64)
- May 14 Lajos Kovacs, Hungarian actor (Wings of Desire)
- May 14 Michael Chevalier, German voice actor
- May 18 Bernadette Chirac, French politician and wife of President Jacques Chirac, born in Paris, France
- May 18 H. D. [Haradanahalli Doddegowda] Deve Gowda, Indian politician, Prime Minister of India (1996-97), born in Haradanahalli, Kingdom of Mysore
- May 20 Constance Towers, American actress (Capitol, Shock Corridor, Naked Kiss), born in Whitefish, Montana
- May 21 Gene “Joe” Byrd, American jazz bassist (Charlie Byrd Trio), born in Chuckatuck, Virginia (d. 2012)
- May 21 Maurice André, French classical trumpeter and baroque revivalist, born in Alès, France (d. 2012)
- May 21 Umberto Colombo, Italian soccer midfielder (3 caps; Juventus, Atalanta), born in Como, Italy (d. 2021)
- May 22 Don Estelle [Ronald Edwards], British actor and singer (It Ain't Half Hot Mum), born in Crumpsall, Lancashire (d. 2003)
- May 23 Bruce A Peterson, US test pilot (M2, HL-10)
- May 23 Gary Burden, American artist and pioneer of album cover art (Neil Young; Graham Nash; The Doors), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 2018)
- May 23 Gerrit J M Braks, Dutch minister of agriculture & land & fishing (CDA)
- May 23 Joan Henrietta Collins, actress (Alexis-Dynasty, Bitch), born in London, England
- May 23 John Browning, American pianist (Leventritt Award, 1956), born in Denver, Colorado (d. 2003)
- May 24 Aharon Lichtenstein, Orthodox Jewish rabbi, born in Paris (d. 2015)
- May 24 Christopher Staughton, British Lord Justice of Appeal (d. 2014)
- May 24 Hemchandra Tukaram "Bal" Dani, Indian cricketer (Test Ind v Pak, 1-19, ct 1, DNB), born in Dudhani, Maharashtra (d. 1999)
- May 24 Jane Byrne, American politician and 50th Mayor of Chicago, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2014)
- May 24 Joaquín Vaquero Turcios, Spanish painter, born in Madrid (d. 2010)
- May 24 Tony Mullett, dir-general (National Criminal Intelligence Service)
- May 25 Ray Spencer, English footballer, born in Kings Norton, Birmingham (d. 2016)
- May 25 Roger Bowen, American actor (M*A*S*H (film); The Main Event: What About Bob?: Petulia), born in Providence, Rhode Island (d. 1996)
- May 27 (Edward) "Ted" Rogers, Canadian entrepreneur (Rogers Communications), MLB team owner (Toronto Blue Jays), and philanthropist, born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 2008)
- May 28 John Karlen, American actor (Harvey Lacey-Cagney & Lacey), born in Brooklyn, New York
- May 28 Philip Otton, high court judge
- May 29 Helmuth Rilling, German conductor (founder of the Gächinger Kantorei), born in Stuttgart, Germany
- May 29 Tarquinio Provini, Italian motorcycle road racer (2-time world champion 1957-58), born in Roveleto di Cadeo, Emilia-Romagna (d. 2005)
- May 29 William Yorzyk Jr., American swimmer (Olympic gold 200m butterfly, WR 2:19.3, 1956), born in Northampton, Massachusetts (d. 2020)
- May 30 Sid Mark [Fliegelman], American disc jockey and 'Frank-ophile' (The Sounds of Sinatra, 1960-2022), born in Camden, New Jersey (d. 2022)
About May 1933
How Old? 89 years old
Generation: Silent Generation
Leap Year: No