Historic Event
May 1 US President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Neutrality Act, banning travel on belligerent ships and imposes an arms embargo on warring nations
Historic Event
May 3 Margaret Mitchell wins Pulitzer Prize for "Gone With The Wind"
The Age of Zeppelins
May 6 German airship Hindenburg explodes in flames at Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 35 of the 97 on board and 1 on the ground
Baseball Record
May 27 New York Giants pitcher Carl Hubbell wins his MLB record 24th consecutive game in a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field; streak starts July 17, 1936
Election of Interest
May 28 Neville Chamberlain becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
PGA Championship
May 30 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Pittsburgh Field Club: Defending champion Denny Shute defeats Jug McSpaden in 37 holes
- May 30 Memorial Day Massacre: Chicago Police Department shoot and kill 10 unarmed demonstrators during the "Little Steel Strike" in the United States
- May 30 42nd Men's French Championships: Henner Henkel beats Bunny Austin (6-1, 6-4, 6-3)
- May 30 42nd Women's French Championships: Hilde Sperling beats Simonne Mathieu (6-2, 6-4)
- May 31 Second largest crowd in Polo Grounds history (61,756) sees Brooklyn Dodgers beat NY Giants, 10-3, ending Carl Hubbell's record consecutive-game winning streak at 24
- May 31 1st quadruplets to finish college (Baylor University)
- May 31 German warships bombard Almeria, Spain
- May 31 Indianapolis 500: Wilbur Shaw and riding mechanic 'Jigger' Johnson win race from Ralph Hepburn by 2.16 seconds, closest finish to that point; Johnson last winning riding mechanic