Sunday, May 30, 2021

May 30

Birthdays:

 

1974 ~ CeeLo Green (né Thomas DeCarlo Callaway), African-American singer-songwriter.  He was born in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

1971 ~ Idina Menzel (né Idina Kim Mentzel), American actress and singer.  She was born in New York, New York.

 

1958 ~ Ted McGinley (né Theodore Martin McGinley), American actor best known for his role as Jefferson D’Arcy on Married with Children.  He was born in Newport Beach, California.

 

1955 ~ Jonathan Idema (né Jonathan Keith Idema; d. Jan. 21, 2012), American con man who ran a torture chamber.  He was a former United States army special reserve operations non-commissioned officer.  He was convicted of running a private prison in Afghanistan and tortured civilians he claimed to be terrorists.  He was born in Poughkeepsie, New York.  He died of AIDS at age 55 in Bacalar, Mexico.

 

1951 ~ Stephen Tobolowsky (né Stephen Harold Tobolowsky), American actor and director.  He was born in Dallas, Texas.

 

1945 ~ Gladys Horton (née Gladys Catherine Horton; d. Jan. 26, 2011), African-American singer who was the Motown star who made the song Please, Mr. Postman famous.  She was born in Gainesville, Florida.  She died at age 65 in Sherman Oaks, California.

 

1943 ~ James Chaney (né James Earle Chaney; d. June 21, 1964), African-American civil rights activist who was murdered during Freedom Summer.  He was from Meridian, Mississippi.  He was murdered in Philadelphia, Mississippi 22 days after his 21st birthday.

 

1934 ~ Aleskei Leonov (d. Oct. 11, 2019), Soviet Russian cosmonaut who, in March 1965, made the first spacewalk.  He stayed outside the space capsule during the Voskhod 2 mission for just over 12 minutes.  He died at age 85 in Moscow, Russia.

 

1927 ~ Clora Bryant (née Clora Larea Bryant; d. Aug. 25, 2019), African-American jazz trumpet virtuoso who was set back by sexism.  She performed with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.  She was born in Denison, Texas.  She died at age 92 in Los Angeles, California.

 

1927 ~ Joan Birman (née Joan Sylvia Lyttle), American mathematician known for her work in braid theory and knot theory.  She was born in New York, New York.

 

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 was born in the Bronx, New York.  She died of cancer 3 weeks before her 63rd birthday in San Clemente, California.

 

1922 ~ Gil Clancy (né Gilbert Thomas Clancy, d. Mar. 31, 2011), American Hall of Fame Boxer and trainer and boxing commentator.  He was born in New York, New York.  He died at age 88 in Lynbrook, New York.

 

1915 ~ Maxine Powell (née Maxine Blair; d. Oct. 14, 2013), African-American mentor who gave polish to Motown’s stars.  She was an etiquette instructor and talent agent.  She was born in Texarkana, Texas.  She died at age 98 in Southfield, Michigan.

 

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

 

1910 ~Harry Bernstein (né Harry Louis 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 101st birthday in New York, New York.

 

1909 ~ Benny Goodman (né Benjamin David Goodman; d. June 13, 1986), American clarinetist and bandleader.  He was born in Chicago, Illinois.  He died of a heart attack 14 days after his 77th birthday in New York, New York.

 

1908 ~ Mel Blanc (né Melvin Jerome Blank; 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 was born in San Francisco, California.  He died of heart disease and emphysema at age 81 in Los Angeles, California.

 

1908 ~ Hannes Alfvén (né Hannes Olof Gösta 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 Countee LeRoy Porter; d. Jan. 9, 1946), African-American poet and author.  He was a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance.  He died at age 42.

 

1899 ~ Cornelia Otis Skinner (d. July 9, 1979), American writer and actress.  She was born in Chicago, Illinois.  She died in New York, New York at age 80.  She is buried in Fall River, Massachusetts.

 

1869 ~ Grace Andrews (d. July 27, 1951), American mathematician.  She was one of only 2 women listed in the first edition of American Men of Science in 1906.  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, 1st 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.

 

1010 ~ Emperor Renzong of Song (d. Apr. 30, 1063), 4th Chinese emperor of the Song Dynasty.  He died a month before his 53rd birthday.

 

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 Aruba.  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 up to 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 reintegrated 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.

 

1913 ~ A peace treaty was signed ending the First Balkan War.  The newly aligned Slavic nations of Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Greece had driven out Turkish forces that had been in the Balkans region of southeastern Europe.

 

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

 

1899 ~ Pearl Hart (1871 ~ 1955), a female outlaw, robbed a stagecoach just outside of Globe, Arizona.

 

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 (1412 ~ 1431) 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:

 

2020 ~ Bobby Morrow (né Bobby Joe Morrow; b. Oct. 15, 1935), American sprinting champion who ran from the spotlight.  He won 3 gold medals at the 1956 Olympics.  He was born in Harlingen, Texas.  He died at age 84 in San Benito, Texas.

 

2019 ~ Leon Redbone (né Dickran Gobalian; b. Aug. 26, 1949), Cyprian-born American musician.  He was born in Nicosia, Cyprus.  He died of complications of dementia at age 69 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

 

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

 

2015 ~ Jim Bailey (né James William Bailey; b. Jan. 10, 1938), American entertainer and female impersonator who became a diva.  He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He died of complications of pneumonia at age 77 in Los Angeles, California.

 

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 78th birthday.

 

2012 ~ Sir Andrew Huxley (né Andrew Fielding 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 (née Rosalyn Sussman; b. July 19, 1921), American medical physicist and recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the development of the Radioimmunoassay technique.  She died at age 89.

 

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

 

1993 ~ Marge (née Marjorie Lyman Henderson; b. Dec. 11, 1904), American cartoonist.  She was the creator of Little Lulu.  She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  She died of lymphoma at age 88 in Elyria, Ohio.

 

1989 ~ Claude Pepper (né Claude Denson Pepper; b. Sept. 8, 1900), American politician and United States Senator from Florida.  He was born in Dudleyville, Alabama.  He died at age 88 in Washington, D.C.

 

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

 

1975 ~ Steve Prefontaine (né Steve Roland 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 85th 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 of an abdominal hemorrhage in Laconia, New Hampshire at age 77.

 

1960 ~ Boris Pasternak (b. Feb. 10, 1890), Russian writer and recipient of the 1958 Nobel Peace Prize.  The Communist Party forced him to decline the award.  His descendants were able to accept the Prize in his name in 1988.  He is best known for his novel, Dr. Zhivago.  He died of lung cancer at age 70.

 

1947 ~ Georg Ludwig von Trapp (né Georg Johannes Ludwig Ritter 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 of lung cancer 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 Vienna, Maine and died in Springfield, 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 nominated to the High Court by President Andrew Jackson.  He served on the Court from March 8, 1937 until his death in Nashville, Tennessee at age 79.  The seat was established for him, and after he left the Court, the seat was abolished to prevent President Andrew Johnson from appointing any further members on the Court.

 

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 56th birthday.

 

1730 ~ Arabella Churchill (b. Feb. 23, 1648), English mistress of King James II of England.  She died at age 82.

 

1670 ~ John Davenport (b. Apr. 9, 1597), English-American clergyman and co-founder of the New Haven Connecticut colony.  He died of apoplexy at age 73.

 

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

 

1593 ~ Christopher Marlowe (b. Feb. 26, 1564), English playwright.  He was stabbed to death in a barroom brawl 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 24th birthday.  He was succeeded by his brother, Henry III.

 

1431 ~ Joan of Arc (b. Jan. 6, 1412), French military figure and Roman Catholic saint.  She led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years’ War.  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.

 

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