What Happened on May 22
Significant Events
- 334 BC The Macedonian army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus
- 1570 1st atlas 'Theatrum Orbis Terrarum' (Theatre of the World), published by Abraham Ortelius in Antwerp with 70 maps
- 1843 1st wagon train with 700 - 1000 migrants, departs Independence, Missouri for Oregon
- 1939 Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini sign "Pact of Steel" in Berlin, Germany
- 1946 First US rocket (WAC Corporal) to reach edge of space fired from White Sands Missile Range New Mexico
- 2014 Royal Thai Armed Forces, led by General Prayut Chan-o-cha stage a coup in Thailand, suspending the kingdom's constitution and taking control of the government, the 12th since the country's first coup in 1932
May 22 in Film & TV
- 1992 Johnny Carson's final appearance as host of "The Tonight Show"
May 22 in Music
- 1900 Edwin S Votey patents pneumatic piano player
May 22 in Sport
- 2003 In Fort Worth, Texas, Annika Sörenstam becomes the first woman to play the PGA Tour in 58 years.
Did You Know?
The U.S. town of Hallam, Nebraska, is wiped out by a powerful F4 tornado that broke a width record at an astounding 2.5 miles wide. It also kills one local resident.
On May 22, 2004
Famous Birthdays
Richard Wagner
(1813 - 1883)
Arthur Conan Doyle
(1859 - 1930)
Laurence Olivier
(1907 - 1989)
Harvey Milk
(1930 - 1978)
Ted Kaczynski
76 Years Old
Novak Đoković
31 Years Old
Would You Believe?
First modern sighting of the Loch Ness Monster by Aldie and John Mackay saw "something resembling a whale"
On May 22, 1933
Famous Weddings
- 1860 Major General George McClellan (33) weds Mary Ellen at Calvary Church in NYC, New York
- 1945 Paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren (18) weds partner Ed Warren (18)
- 1956 Actress Anita Ekberg (24) weds actor and singer Anthony Steel (36) in Florence, Italy
Famous Divorces
- 2001 Actress and former fitness guru Jane Fonda (63) divorces CNN founder Ted Turner (62) due to irretrievably broken marriage 10 years after getting married
Constantine the Great
Martha Washington
Victor Hugo
Langston HughesMay in History
My Fair Lady's Special Day
This was a day to remember for Eliza Doolittle, the 'My Fair Lady' of the stage and film musical that won and broke hearts.
May 20, 1956
Memories of Elvis
Only one actor has appeared on film with both the Beatles and Elvis Presley: the little-known Norman Rossington.
May 21, 1999
President Falls From Grace
Paul Deschanel had the makings of a fine President of France – until a series of bizarre incidents culminated in him falling out the window of a moving train.
May 23, 1920
Ship that Changed the Face of Britain
Britain was on its knees after the Second World War, its economy and infrastructure in tatters. For help the Mother Country turned to the Commonwealth.
May 27, 1948