Events in History
- May 5 The British and Foreign Society for Improving the Embossed Literature of the Blind adopts Braille as best format for blind people
- May 12 Manitoba becomes a province of Canada
- May 20 Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament abolishes capital punishment in The Netherlands
- May 24 Memoria of Jackson Kemper, 1st Missionary Bishop in US
- May 25 Irish Fenians raid Eccles Hill, Quebec
- May 31 Congress passes 1st Enforcement Act (rights of blacks)
- May 31 E J DeSemdt patents asphalt pavement
Birthdays in History
Amadeo Giannini
May 6 Amadeo Giannini, American banker and entrepreneur (founded Bank of America), born in San Jose, California (d. 1949)
- May 6 John T. McCutcheon, American cartoonist (Pulitzer Prize-1931), born in South Raub, Tippecanoe County, Indiana (d. 1949)
- May 19 Albert Fish, American serial killer (d. 1936)
- May 19 Nishida KitarÅ, Japanese philosopher (Kyoto School), born in Unoke, Japan (d. 1945)
- May 24 Benjamin N. Cardozo, American lawyer and jurist, born in NYC, New York (d. 1938)
- May 24 Jan Christiaan Smuts, Prime Minister of South Africa and proponent of Commonwealth & League of Nations, born in Bovenplaats, Cape Colony (d. 1950)
Deaths in History
- May 6 James Young Simpson, Scottish obstetrician who popularized chloroform for medicinal use, dies at 58