May 31

Birthdays:

1965 ~ Brooke Shields, American model and actress.

1961 ~ Lea Thompson, American actress.

1960 ~ Chris Elliot, American actor and comedian.

1953 ~ Lynn Truss, British journalist and author, best known for her grammar book, Eats, Shoots & Leaves.

1948 ~ Svetlana Alexievich, Ukrainian journalist and author.  She was the recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature.

1945 ~ Rainer Werner Fassbinder (b. June 10, 1982), German actor and director.  He died of a drug overdose, just 10 days after his 37^th birthday.

1943 ~ Sharon Gless, American actress.

1943 ~ Joe Namath, American football player.

1941 ~ Louis J. Ignarro, American pharmacologist and recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

1939 ~ Terry Waite, English humanitarian.  He was kidnapped and held captive from 1987 to 1991 in Lebanon while trying to secure the release of several hostages.

1938 ~ Peter Yarrow, American singer-songwriter and a member of the trio, Peter, Paul and Mary.

1931 ~ John Robert Schrieffer, American physicist and recipient of the 1972 Nobel Prize in Physics.

1930 ~ Clint Eastwood, American actor and movie director.

1923 ~ Rainier III, Prince of Monaco (né Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi, d. Apr. 6, 2005), and husband of Grace Kelly.  He died at age 81.

1916 ~ Bernard Lewis, English-American historian.

1912 ~ Chien-Shiung Wu (d. Feb. 16, 1997), Chinese-American physicist and recipient of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics.  She died at age 84.

1911 ~ Maurice Allais (d Oct. 9, 2010), French economist and recipient of the 1988 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.  He died at age 99.

1908 ~ Don Ameche (né Dominic Felix Amici, d. Dec. 6, 1993), American actor.  He died of prostate cancer at age 85.

1898 ~ Norman Vincent Peale (d. Dec. 24, 1993), American clergyman and author.  He is best known for his book, The Power of Positive Thinking.  He died at age 95.

1887 ~ Saint-John Perse (né Alexis Leger, d. Sept. 20, 1975), French poet and recipient of the 1960 Nobel Prize in Literature.  He died at age 88.

1883 ~ Lauri Kristian Relander (d. Feb. 9, 1942), 2^nd President of Finland.  He served in Office from March 1925 until March 1931.  He died of heart failure at age 58.

1857 ~ Pope Pius XI (né Ambrogio Damiano Archille Ratti, d. Feb. 10, 1939).  He was Pope from February 1922 until his death in February 1939.  He was 81 at the time of his death.

1852 ~ Julius Richard Petri (d. Dec. 20, 1921), German microbiologist and inventor of the Petri dish.  He died at age 69.

1819 ~ Walter “Walt” Whitman (d. Mar. 26, 1892), American poet.  He died at age 72.

1818 ~ John Albion Andrew (d. Oct. 30, 1867), 25^th Governor of Massachusetts.  He served as Governor from January 1861 until January 1866.  He died at age 49.

1683 ~ Jean-Pierre Christin (d. Jan. 19, 1755), French mathematician and physicist.  He is also known for inventing the Celsius thermometer.  He died at 71.

1557 ~ Feodor I of Russia (d. Jan. 16, 1598).  He is believed to have been about 40 years old at the time of his death as the exact date of his birth is unknown, although it is often considered to have been May 31, 1557.

Events that Changed the World:

2013 ~ A powerful EF5 tornado, with a diameter of 2.6 miles, swept through El Reno, Oklahoma, killing 9 people and destroying the town.  This is the widest recorded tornado in history.

2005 ~ Former FBI Agent W. Mark Felt (1913 ~ 2008) came forward identifying himself as Deep Throat, the informant in the Watergate scandal.

1977 ~ The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System was completed.

1971 ~ In accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which Congress passed in 1968, Memorial Day was observed for the first time on the last Monday of May instead of the traditional May 30^th observation.

1970 ~ A massive earthquake, followed by a landslide buried the town of Yungay, Peru, killing nearly 70,000 people.

1961 ~ The Union of South Africa, which had been created on this date in 1910, became known as the Republic of South Africa.

1927 ~ The Ford Motor Company ceased manufacturing its Model T.  During the course of its production, over 15,000,000 cars had been made.

1889 ~ A dam broke in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, killing over 2,200 people.

1859 ~ Big Ben, the clock in the clock tower at the Houses of Parliament in London began keeping time.

1790 ~ The US Copyright Act of 1790 was enacted by the US Congress.

1678 ~ According to legend, this is the date Lady Godiva rode naked through the streets of Coventry in order to gain remission on the oppressive taxes imposed by her husband.

1669 ~ Samuel Pepys (1633 ~ 1703) made his last diary entry.  His diary provided valuable insight into everyday life during the English Restoration period.

1578 ~ King Henry III (1551 ~ 1589) of France laid the first stone of the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris.

526 ~ Antioch was struck by a devastating earthquake.

Good-Byes:

2013 ~ Jean Stapleton (b. Jan. 19, 1923), American actress best known for her portrayal of Edith Bunker on All in the Family.  She was 90 years old.

2009 ~ Elizabeth Gladys Millvina Dean (b. Feb. 2, 1912), English secretary who was the last survivor of the sinking of the HMS Titanic.  She was 2 months old when she, along with her parents and sibling set sail on the Titanic.  She died at age 97.

2006 ~ Raymond Davis, Jr. (b. Oct. 14, 1914), American physicist and recipient of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics.  He was 91 years old.

2001 ~ Arlene Francis (b. Oct. 20, 1907), American actress, game show panelist and television personality.  She died at age 93.

2000 ~ Petar Mladenov (b. Aug. 22, 1936), 1^st President of Bulgaria.  He died at age 63.

2000 ~ Tito Puente (né Ernesto Antonio Puente, b. Apr. 20, 1923), American jazz musician.  He died at age 77.

1996 ~ Timothy Leary (b. Oct. 22, 1920), American psychologist and proponent of the use of psychedelic drugs, such as LSD.  He was 75 years old.

1986 ~ James Rainwater (b. Dec. 9, 1917), American physicist and recipient of the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physics.  He was 68 years old.

1983 ~ Jack Dempsey (né William Harrison Dempsey, b. June 24, 1895), American boxer.  He died 24 days before his 88^th birthday.

1976 ~ Jacques Monod (b. Feb. 9, 1910), French biologist and recipient of the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.  He was 66 years old.

1910 ~ Elizabeth Blackwell (b. Feb. 3, 1821), first woman to received a medical degree in the United States.  She died at age 89.

1860 ~ Peter Vivian Daniel (b. Apr. 24, 1784), Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.  He was appointed to the High Court by President Martin Van Buren.  He served on the Court from March 1841 until his death in May 19 years later.  He was 76 years old.

1832 ~ Évariste Galois (b. Oct. 25, 1811), French mathematician.  He died at age 20 from wounds suffered in a duel.

1831 ~ Eugène Cosserat (b. Mar. 4, 1866), French mathematician and astronomer.  He died at age 65.

1809 ~ Joseph Haydn (b. Mar. 31, 1732), Austrian composer.  He died at age 77.

1594 ~ Tintoretto (né Jacopo Comin, b. 1518), Italian Renaissance painter.  The exact date of his birth is unknown, but he is believed to have been about 75 at the time of his death.

1495 ~ Cecily Neville, Duchess of York (b. May 3, 1415), wife of Richard Plantagenet, 3^rd Duke of York and mother of King Edward IV and King Richard III of England.  She was also the mother of Margaret of York who was born on her 31^st birthday.  She died 28 days after her 80^th birthday.

1162 ~ Géza II of Hungary (b. 1130).  The exact date of his birth is unknown, but he is believed to have been about 31 or 32 at the time of his death.

May 30

Birthdays:

1958 ~ Ted McGinley, American actor best known for his role on Married with Children.

1951 ~ Stephen Tobolowsky, American actor and director.

1945 ~ Gladys Horton (d. Jan. 26, 2011), American singer who was the Motown star who made the song Please, Mr. Postman famous.  She died at age 65.

1943 ~ James Chaney (d. June 21, 1964), American civil rights activist who was murdered during Freedom Summer.  He was killed 22 days after his 21^st birthday.

1926 ~ Christine Jorgensen (né George William Jorgensen, Jr., d. May 3, 1989), American transgender woman.  She is the first American to have sex reassignment surgery.  She died 3 weeks before her 63^rd birthday.

1922 ~ Gilbert “Gil” Chancy (d. Mar. 2011), African-American Hall of Fame Boxer and trainer.  He died at age 88.

1912 ~ Julius Axelrod (b. Dec. 29, 2004), American biochemist and recipient of the 1970 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.  He died at age 92.

1910 ~Harry Bernstein (d. June 3, 2011), British-born journalist and author.  He is best known for his book, The Invisible Wall, which described his life as a Jewish young child in a small town in England.  This book was published when he was 96 years old.  He died just 4 days after his 101th birthday in New York City.

1909 ~ Benny Goodman (né Benjamin David Goodman, d. June 13, 1986), American clarinetist and bandleader.  He died 14 days after his 77^th birthday.

1908 ~ Mel Blanc (né Melvin Jerome Black, d. July 10, 1989), American voice actor known for creating the voices of many cartoon characters, including Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig and Sylvester the cat.  He died of heart disease and emphysema at age 81.

1908 ~ Hannes Alfvén (d. Apr. 2, 1995), Swedish physicist and recipient of the 1970 Nobel Prize in Physics.  He died at age 86.

1903 ~ Countee Cullen (né Coleman Rutherford, d. Jan. 9, 1946), African-American poet and author.  He died at age 42.

1901 ~ Cornelia Otis Skinner (d. July 9, 1979), American writer and actress.  She died at age 80.

1869 ~ Grace Andrews (d. July 27, 1951), American mathematician.  She died at age 82.

1846 ~ Peter Carl Fabergé (d. Sept. 24, 1920), Russian goldsmith and jeweler.  He died at age 74.

1814 ~ Eugène Charles Catalan (d. Feb. 14, 1894), Belgian mathematician.  He died at age 79.

1757 ~ Henry Addington, 1^st Viscount Sidmouth (d. Feb. 15, 1844), Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.  He was in Office from March 1801 until May 1804 during the reign of King George III.  He died at age 86.

1423 ~ Georg von Peuerbach (b. Apr. 8, 1461), German-Austrian mathematician and astronomer.  He died at age 37.

Events that Changed the World:

2012 ~ Former Liberian president Charles Taylor (b. 1948) was sentenced to 50 years in prison for his role in crimes against humanity committed during the Sierra Leone Civil War.

2011 ~ Memorial Day was celebrated in the United States.

2005 ~ American student from Alabama, Natalee Holloway (b. 1986), disappeared while on a high school trip to Aurba.  She was believed to have been murdered.  In January 2012, an Alabama judge declared her legally dead.

1998 ~ A 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan, killing at least 5,000 people.

1972 ~ Members of the Japanese Red Army carried out a massacre at the Lod Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.  Twenty-four people were killed and over 70 others were injured.

1967 ~ The eastern region of Nigeria declared its independence as the Republic of Biafra.  This declaration sparked a civil war, and after two and a half years, after many of its citizens were murdered, Biafra reintergrated into Nigeria.

1942 ~ During World War II, 1000 British bombers launched a 90-minute attack on Cologne, Germany.

1922 ~ The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., was dedicated.

1911 ~ The first Indianapolis 500 automobile race ended.  Ray Harroun (1879 ~ 1968) was the first winner of this race.

1806 ~ Andrew Jackson (1767 ~ 1845) killed Charles Dickinson (1780 ~ 1806) in a duel after Dickinson accused Rachel Jackson (1767 ~ 1828), Andrew’s wife, of bigamy.

1635 ~ The Peace of Prague was signed effectively ending the civil aspects of the Thirty Years’ War.

1574 ~ Henry III (1551 ~ 1589) became King of France.

1536 ~ King Henry VIII (1491 ~ 1547) of England married Jane Seymour (1508 ~ 1537).  She would die the following year in childbirth.

1431 ~ During the Hundred Years’ War, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in Rouen, France, by an English-dominated tribunal.

70 ~ The date ascribed during the Siege of Jerusalem when Titus and his Roman legions breached the Second Wall surrounding the city.  The Jewish defenders were forced to retreat to the First Wall.

Good-Byes:

2015 ~ Joseph “Beau” Biden (né Joseph Robinette Biden, b. Feb. 3, 1969), American son of Vice President Joseph Biden who dedicated his life to public service.  He served as the 44^th Attorney General of Delaware.  He had suffered from brain cancer and was 46 years old at the time of his death.

2015 ~ James “Jim” Bailey (b. Jan. 10, 1938), American entertainer and female impersonator who became a diva.  He was 77 years old.

2012 ~ Jack Twyman (né John Kennedy Twyman, b. May 21, 1934), All-Star basketball player who sent on off-court example.  He died 11 days after his 78^th birthday.

2012 ~ Sir Andrew Huxley (b. Nov. 22, 1917), English physiologist and biophysicist.  He was the recipient of the 1963 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.  He was also half brother of writer Aldous Huxley.  He died at age 94.

2011 ~ Rosalyn Sussman Yalow (b. July 19, 1921), American biophysicist and recipient of the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.  She died at age 89.

2009 ~ Ephraim Katzir (b. May 16, 1916), Israeli biophysicist.  He also served as the 4^th President of Israel.  He was President from May 1973 until May 1978.  He died 14 days after his 93^rd birthday.

1986 ~ Perry Ellis (b. Mar. 3, 1940), American fashion designer.  He died at age 46.

1975 ~ Steve Prefontaine (b. Jan. 25, 1951), American runner.  He died at age 24 in a car accident.

1971 ~ Marcel Dupré (b. May 3, 1886), French organist and composer.  He died 27 days after his 85^th birthday.

1967 ~ Claude Rains (né William Claude Rains, b. Nov. 10, 1889), English actor.  He is best known for his role in Casablanca.  He died in Laconia, New Hampshire at age 77.

1960 ~ Boris Pasternak (b. Feb. 10, 1890), Russian writer and recipient of the 1958 Nobel Peace Prize.  He is best known for his novel, Dr. Zhivago.  He died at age 70.

1947 ~ Georg Ludwig von Trapp (b. Apr. 4, 1880), Austro-Hungarian navy officer and patriarch of the von Trapp family.  His family’s story inspired the movie, The Sound of Music.  He died at age 67 in Stowe, Vermont.

1926 ~ Vladimir Skeklov (b. Jan. 9, 1864), Russian mathematician and physicist.  He died at age 62.

1912 ~ Wilber Wright (b. Apr. 16, 1867) American inventor, pioneer in aviation and airplane designer.  He, along with his brother, Orville, invented the airplane and founded the Wright company.  He died of typhoid fever at age 45.

1911 ~ Milton Bradley (b. Nov. 8, 1836), American businessman and founder of the Milton Bradley Company.  He was born in Maine and died in Massachusetts at age 74.

1901 ~ Victor D’Hondt (b. Nov. 20, 1841), Belgian mathematician.  He died at age 59.

1865 ~ John Catron (b. Jan. 7, 1786), Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.  He was appointed to the High Court by President Andrew Jackson.  He served on the Court from March 8, 1937 until his death at age 79 on this date in 1865.

1778 ~ Voltaire (né François-Marie Arouet, b. Nov. 21, 1694), French writer and philosopher.  He died at age 83.

1770 ~ François Boucher (b. Sept. 29, 1703), French painter.  He died at age 66.

1744 ~ Alexander Pope (b. May 21, 1688), English writer and poet.  He died 9 days after his 56^th birthday.

1670 ~ Johan Davenport (b. Apr. 9, 1597), English-American clergyman and co-founder of the New Haven Connecticut colony.

1640 ~ Sir Peter Paul Rubens (b. June 28, 1577), Flemish painter.  He was knighted by both King Philip IV of Spain and Charles I of England.  He died 29 days before his 63^rd birthday

1593 ~ Christopher Marlowe (b. Feb. 26, 1564), English playwright.  He was stabbed to death at age 29.  The exact date of his birth is unknown, but he was baptized on February 26.

1574 ~ King Charles IX of France (b. June 27, 1550).  He was King from December 1560 until his death at age 23 on this date in 1574.  He died most likely from tuberculosis 28 days before his 24^th birthday.  He was succeeded by his brother, Henry III.

1431 ~ Joan of Arc (b. Jan. 6, 1412), French military figure and saint.  She was condemned as a heretic and burned at the stake.  She was approximately 19 years old as the exact date of her birth is unknown, although Jan. 6 is commonly accepted as her birthdate.