May 10
Every day on the calendar is more than just a passing mark of time; it's a vibrant tapestry woven with the threads of countless human stories, momentous events, and pivotal births and deaths. May 10th is no exception, holding within its single date a fascinating collection of world-changing occurrences, from ancient celestial observations to modern political transitions. Join us as we journey through history to uncover the remarkable moments that have unfolded on this specific day. May 10th has witnessed pivotal moments across millennia, from early astronomy to major political shifts and technological breakthroughs. The day is marked by the births of influential figures in science, arts, and politics, whose legacies continue to shape our world. From the American Revolution to the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, May 10th frequently appears as a date of significant human endeavor and historical turning points.
AI Summary
Every day on the calendar is more than just a passing mark of time; it's a vibrant tapestry woven with the threads of countless human stories, momentous events, and pivotal births and deaths. May 10th is no exception, holding within its single date a fascinating collection of world-changing occurrences, from ancient celestial observations to modern political transitions. Join us as we journey through history to uncover the remarkable moments that have unfolded on this specific day.
- May 10th has witnessed pivotal moments across millennia, from early astronomy to major political shifts and technological breakthroughs.
- The day is marked by the births of influential figures in science, arts, and politics, whose legacies continue to shape our world.
- From the American Revolution to the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, May 10th frequently appears as a date of significant human endeavor and historical turning points.
May 10: A Day Etched in Time
May 10th marks the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, or the 131st in a leap year. This seemingly ordinary fact opens the door to an extraordinary journey through history, revealing how much can happen on a single date across different eras and continents.
Echoes from Antiquity
Our journey begins far back in 28 BC, during the Han dynasty in China. On this day, astronomers made a precise observation of a sunspot. This wasn't just a curiosity; it was one of the earliest dated records of these enigmatic solar phenomena, showcasing the advanced astronomical knowledge of ancient China.
Centuries later, in 1294, a new power ascended in the East. Temür, a grandson of Kublai Khan, was formally enthroned as Khagan of the Mongols and Emperor of the Yuan dynasty. This event solidified Mongol rule over a vast empire, further shaping the course of Asian history.
The Age of Exploration
As the medieval period waned, the spirit of discovery took hold. On May 10, 1497, Amerigo Vespucci allegedly embarked on his first voyage to the New World, a journey that would ultimately lead to two continents bearing his name. Just six years later, in 1503, Christopher Columbus himself stumbled upon the Cayman Islands, naming them 'Las Tortugas' after the abundance of turtles he found there.
The exploration continued into North America. In 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier made his own significant landing, visiting Newfoundland. These voyages were not just about discovery; they set the stage for centuries of European colonization and profoundly altered the global map.
Seeds of Revolution and Nation Building
Fast forward to 1773, a date that lit the fuse for American independence. On this May 10th, the Parliament of Great Britain passed the infamous Tea Act. Designed to rescue the struggling British East India Company, it reduced taxes on tea but granted the company a monopoly, directly leading to the Boston Tea Party and escalating colonial tensions.
Just two years later, on May 10, 1775, the American Revolutionary War was fully underway. Colonial militia, led by figures like Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, bravely captured Fort Ticonderoga. On the very same day, the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia, a gathering that would soon declare independence and form the United States of America.
Across the Atlantic, 1796 saw a young Napoleon Bonaparte secure a significant victory. At the Battle of Lodi bridge, his French forces defeated the Austrians, demonstrating his military genius and boosting morale for the French campaign in Italy.
The early days of the United States also involved asserting its sovereignty abroad. In 1801, the Barbary pirates of Tripoli declared war on the young nation, initiating the First Barbary War. This conflict was crucial in defining America's naval power and its presence on the international stage.
Connecting a Continent, Shaking an Economy
The burgeoning American economy faced a severe test on May 10, 1837. New York City banks suspended specie payments, meaning they stopped redeeming paper money for gold or silver. This triggered the 'Panic of 1837,' a national banking crisis that spiraled into an economic depression of unprecedented severity, not surpassed until the Great Depression.
However, the nation also saw monumental progress. On May 10, 1869, a golden spike was driven into the ground at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory. This historic moment completed the First Transcontinental Railroad, physically linking the eastern and western United States and forever transforming trade, travel, and settlement across the continent.
Amidst these grand events, human ambition continued to push boundaries. In 1872, Victoria Woodhull made history as the first woman ever nominated for President of the United States. Though her campaign faced immense challenges, it was a profound step in the long struggle for women's political rights.
Pioneering Minds and Cultural Icons
May 10th has been the birth date for some truly remarkable individuals. Consider Augustin-Jean Fresnel, born in 1788, a brilliant French physicist. His work on the wave theory of light laid foundational principles for optics, explaining phenomena like diffraction and polarization. His contributions are encapsulated in the Fresnel equations, which describe how light is reflected and transmitted at an interface between two optical media.
This equation, known as the Fresnel equation for perpendicular polarization, demonstrates the fundamental physics of light interaction. Another significant birth on this day was Fred Astaire in 1899, whose unparalleled elegance and artistry redefined dance and musical film for generations.
R_{\perp} = \frac{n_1 \cos\theta_i - n_2 \cos\theta_t}{n_1 \cos\theta_i + n_2 \cos\theta_t}In 1900, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was born, an English-American astronomer whose groundbreaking work revealed that stars are primarily composed of hydrogen and helium. Her thesis was initially dismissed but later recognized as one of the most brilliant astronomical dissertations of the 20th century. Her discovery fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe.
Twentieth-Century Turning Points
The 20th century brought its own share of drama to May 10th. In 1924, J. Edgar Hoover was appointed the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a position he would hold for an astonishing 48 years, shaping the landscape of American law enforcement.
The shadows of World War II loom large over several May 10ths. In 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, delivering his iconic 'blood, toil, tears, and sweat' speech, rallying a nation on the brink. On that same day, Germany launched its invasion of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, dramatically escalating the conflict.
A year later, in 1941, in a bizarre twist of fate, Rudolf Hess, a high-ranking Nazi official, parachuted into Scotland on a self-appointed mission to negotiate peace between Britain and Nazi Germany. His unauthorized and ultimately futile endeavor remains one of the war's enduring mysteries.
Even as war raged, the seeds of a new technological era were sown. In 1946, the first successful launch of an American V-2 rocket occurred at White Sands Proving Ground. This captured German technology was instrumental in kickstarting the U.S. space program and missile development.
In 1962, a new kind of hero burst onto the scene: Marvel Comics published the first issue of 'The Incredible Hulk.' This iconic character, a symbol of unleashed power and internal struggle, would become a cornerstone of superhero mythology.
A truly historic moment arrived on May 10, 1994, when Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa's first black president. This joyous occasion marked the official end of apartheid and the dawn of a new democratic era for the nation, a testament to his decades-long struggle for justice.
Modern Moments and Celestial Events
The new millennium has also seen May 10th feature in notable events. In 2013, the One World Trade Center, rising from the ashes of tragedy, officially became the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, a powerful symbol of resilience and renewal.
Most recently, in 2024, May 10th marked the beginning of powerful solar storms, which led to breathtaking auroras visible across much of the globe. These celestial events remind us that our planet is part of a dynamic universe, often putting on spectacular displays.
A Day for Celebration and Remembrance
Beyond specific events, May 10th is recognized with various holidays and observances around the world. It’s celebrated as Mother's Day in countries like Guatemala and Mexico, and Children's Day in the Maldives. It also holds religious significance as a Christian feast day for several saints and can be the earliest possible date for Pentecost, marking 50 days after Easter.
From ancient observations to modern milestones, May 10th is a day rich with human endeavor, scientific discovery, and societal transformation. Each passing year adds new layers to its historical tapestry, reminding us that every day holds a unique place in the grand narrative of our world.
Article
May 10
<table><thead><tr><th>May 10 in recent years</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td> 2025 (Saturday)</td></tr><tr><td> 2024 (Friday)</td></tr><tr><td> 2023 (Wednesday)</td></tr><tr><td> 2022 (Tuesday)</td></tr><tr><td> 2021 (Monday)</td></tr><tr><td> 2020 (Sunday)</td></tr><tr><td> 2019 (Friday)</td></tr><tr><td> 2018 (Thursday)</td></tr><tr><td> 2017 (Wednesday)</td></tr><tr><td> 2016 (Tuesday)</td></tr></tbody></table>
May 10 is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 235 days remain until the end of the year.
Events
Pre-1600
• 28 BC – A sunspot is observed by Han dynasty astronomers during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han, one of the earliest dated sunspot observations in China. • (/wiki/1291) – Scottish nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England pending the selection of a king. • (/wiki/1294) – Temür, Khagan of the Mongols, is enthroned as Emperor of the Yuan dynasty. • (/wiki/1497) – Amerigo Vespucci allegedly leaves Cádiz for his first voyage to the New World. • (/wiki/1503) – Christopher Columbus visits the Cayman Islands and names them Las Tortugas after the numerous turtles there. • (/wiki/1534) – Jacques Cartier visits Newfoundland.
1601–1900
• (/wiki/1688) – King Narai nominates Phetracha as regent, leading to the revolution of 1688 in which Phetracha becomes king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. • (/wiki/1713) – Great Northern War: The Russian Navy led by Admiral Fyodor Apraksin land both at Katajanokka and Hietalahti during the Battle of Helsinki. • (/wiki/1768) – Rioting occurs in London after John Wilkes is imprisoned for writing an article for The North Briton severely criticising King George III. • (/wiki/1773) – The Parliament of Great Britain passes the Tea Act, designed to save the British East India Company by reducing taxes on its tea and granting it the right to sell tea directly to North America. The legislation leads to the Boston Tea Party. • (/wiki/1774) – Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette become King and Queen of France. • (/wiki/1775) – American Revolutionary War: A small Colonial militia led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold captures Fort Ticonderoga. • 1775 – American Revolutionary War: The Second Continental Congress takes place in Philadelphia. • (/wiki/1796) – War of the First Coalition: Napoleon wins a victory against Austrian forces at Lodi bridge over the Adda River in Italy. The Austrians lose some 2,000 men. • (/wiki/1801) – First Barbary War: The Barbary pirates of Tripoli declare war on the United States of America. • (/wiki/1824) – The National Gallery in London opens to the public. • (/wiki/1833) – A revolt broke out in southern Vietnam against Emperor Minh Mang, who had desecrated the deceased mandarin Le Van Duyet. • (/wiki/1837) – Panic of 1837: New York City banks suspend the payment of specie, triggering a national banking crisis and an economic depression whose severity was not surpassed until the Great Depression. • (/wiki/1849) – Astor Place Riot: A riot breaks out at the Astor Opera House in Manhattan, New York City over a dispute between actors Edwin Forrest and William Charles Macready, killing at least 22 and injuring over 120. • (/wiki/1857) – Indian Rebellion of 1857: In India, the first war of Independence begins. Sepoys mutiny against their commanding officers at Meerut. • (/wiki/1865) – American Civil War: In Kentucky, Union soldiers ambush and mortally wound Confederate raider William Quantrill, who lingers until his death on June 6. • (/wiki/1869) – The First transcontinental railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory with the golden spike. • (/wiki/1872) – Victoria Woodhull becomes the first woman nominated for President of the United States. • (/wiki/1876) – The Centennial Exposition is opened in Philadelphia. • (/wiki/1881) – Carol I is crowned the King of the Romanian Kingdom. • (/wiki/1899) – Finnish farmworker Karl Emil Malmelin kills seven people with an axe at the Simola croft in the village of Klaukkala.
1901–present
• (/wiki/1904) – The Horch & Cir. Motorwagenwerke AG is founded. It would eventually become the Audi company. • (/wiki/1908) – Mother's Day is observed for the first time in the United States, in Grafton, West Virginia. • (/wiki/1916) – Sailing in the lifeboat James Caird, Ernest Shackleton arrives at South Georgia after a journey of 800 nautical miles from Elephant Island. • (/wiki/1922) – The United States annexes the Kingman Reef. • (/wiki/1924) – J. Edgar Hoover is appointed first Director of the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and remains so until his death in (/wiki/1972). • (/wiki/1933) – Censorship: In Germany, the Nazis stage massive public book burnings. • (/wiki/1940) – World War II: German fighters accidentally bomb the German city of Freiburg. • 1940 – World War II: Winston Churchill is appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain. On the same day, Germany invades France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom occupies Iceland. • (/wiki/1941) – World War II: The House of Commons in London is damaged by the Luftwaffe in an air raid. • 1941 – World War II: Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland to try to negotiate a peace deal between the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany. • (/wiki/1942) – World War II: The Thai Phayap Army invades the Shan States during the Burma Campaign. • (/wiki/1946) – First successful launch of an American V-2 rocket at White Sands Proving Ground. • (/wiki/1961) – Air France Flight 406 is destroyed by a bomb over the Sahara, killing 78. • (/wiki/1962) – Marvel Comics publishes the first issue of The Incredible Hulk. • (/wiki/1967) – The Northrop M2-F2 crashes on landing, becoming the inspiration for the novel Cyborg and TV series The Six Million Dollar Man. • (/wiki/1969) – Vietnam War: The Battle of Dong Ap Bia begins with an assault on Hill 937. It will ultimately become known as Hamburger Hill. • (/wiki/1975) – Sony introduces the Betamax videocassette recorder. • (/wiki/1993) – In Thailand, a fire at the Kader Toy Factory kills over 200 workers. • (/wiki/1994) – Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as South Africa's first black president. • (/wiki/1996) – A blizzard strikes Mount Everest, killing eight climbers by the next day. • (/wiki/1997) – The 7.3 Mw Qayen earthquake strikes Iran's Khorasan Province killing 1,567 people. • (/wiki/2002) – FBI agent Robert Hanssen is sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for selling United States secrets to Russia for $1.4 million in cash and diamonds. • (/wiki/2005) – A hand grenade thrown by Vladimir Arutyunian lands about 20 m from U.S. President George W. Bush while he is giving a speech to a crowd in Tbilisi, Georgia, but it malfunctions and does not detonate. • (/wiki/2012) – The Damascus bombings are carried out using a pair of car bombs detonated by suicide bombers outside a military intelligence complex in Damascus, Syria, killing 55 people. • (/wiki/2013) – One World Trade Center becomes the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. • (/wiki/2017) – Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) capture the last footholds of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Al-Tabqah, bringing the Battle of Tabqa to an end. • (/wiki/2022) – Queen Elizabeth II misses the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years. It was the first time that a new session of Parliament was opened by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge acting as Counsellors of State. • (/wiki/2024) – Start of the May 2024 Solar Storms, the most powerful set of Geomagnetic storms since the 2003 Halloween solar storms.
Births
Pre-1600
• (/wiki/874) – Meng Zhixiang, Chinese general and emperor (died 934) • (/wiki/955) – Al-Aziz Billah, Fatimid caliph (died 996) • (/wiki/1491) – Suzanne, Duchess of Bourbon (died 1521)
1601–1900
• (/wiki/1604) – Jean Mairet, French author and playwright (died 1686) • (/wiki/1697) – Jean-Marie Leclair, French violinist and composer (died 1764) • (/wiki/1727) – Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot, Baron de Laune, French economist and politician (died 1781) • (/wiki/1755) – Robert Gray, American captain and explorer (died 1806) • (/wiki/1760) – Johann Peter Hebel, German author and poet (died 1826) • 1760 – Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, French captain, engineer, and composer (died 1836) • (/wiki/1770) – Louis-Nicolas Davout, French general and politician, French Minister of War (died 1823) • (/wiki/1788) – Augustin-Jean Fresnel, French physicist and engineer (died 1827) • (/wiki/1793) – R. E. B. Baylor, American politician and jurist (died 1873) • (/wiki/1812) – William Henry Barlow, English engineer (died 1902) • (/wiki/1813) – Montgomery Blair, American lieutenant and politician, 20th United States Postmaster General (died 1883) • (/wiki/1838) – John Wilkes Booth, American actor, assassin of Abraham Lincoln (died 1865) • (/wiki/1841) – James Gordon Bennett Jr., American publisher and broadcaster (died 1918) • (/wiki/1843) – Benito Pérez Galdós, Spanish author and playwright (died 1920) • (/wiki/1847) – Wilhelm Killing, German mathematician and academic (died 1923) • (/wiki/1855) – Yukteswar Giri, Indian guru and educator (died 1936) • (/wiki/1872) – Marcel Mauss, French sociologist and anthropologist (died 1950) • (/wiki/1876) – Ivan Cankar, Slovenian poet and playwright (died 1918) • (/wiki/1878) – Konstantinos Parthenis, Greek painter (died 1967) • 1878 – Gustav Stresemann, German journalist and politician, Chancellor of Germany, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1929) • (/wiki/1879) – Symon Petliura, Ukrainian journalist and politician (died 1926) • (/wiki/1886) – Karl Barth, Swiss theologian and author (died 1968) • (/wiki/1888) – Max Steiner, Austrian-American composer and conductor (died 1971) • (/wiki/1890) – Alfred Jodl, German general (died 1946) • (/wiki/1891) – Mahmoud Mokhtar, Egyptian sculptor and academic (died 1934) • (/wiki/1893) – Tonita Peña, San Ildefonso Pueblo (Native American) artist (died 1949) • (/wiki/1894) – Dimitri Tiomkin, Ukrainian-American composer and conductor (died 1979) • (/wiki/1895) – Joe Murphy, (Irish-American), died during the 1920 Cork hunger strike (died 1920) • (/wiki/1897) – Einar Gerhardsen, Norwegian politician, Prime Minister of Norway (died 1987) • (/wiki/1898) – Ariel Durant, American historian and author (died 1981) • (/wiki/1899) – Fred Astaire, American actor, singer, and dancer (died 1987) • (/wiki/1900) – Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, English-American astronomer and astrophysicist (died 1979)
1901–present
• (/wiki/1901) – John Desmond Bernal, Irish-English crystallographer and physicist (died 1971) • (/wiki/1902) – David O. Selznick, American producer and screenwriter (died 1965) • (/wiki/1903) – Otto Bradfisch, German economist, jurist, and SS officer (died 1994) • (/wiki/1905) – Alex Schomburg, Puerto Rican artist and illustrator (died 1998) • (/wiki/1908) – Carl Albert, American lawyer and politician, 54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (died 2000) • (/wiki/1909) – Maybelle Carter, American autoharp player (died 1978) • (/wiki/1915) – Denis Thatcher, English businessman, Spouse of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died 2003) • (/wiki/1919) – Ella T. Grasso, Governor of Connecticut (died 1981) • (/wiki/1920) – Bert Weedon, English guitarist (died 2012) • (/wiki/1922) – David Azrieli, Polish-Canadian businessman and philanthropist (died 2014) • 1922 – Nancy Walker, American actress, singer, and director (died 1992) • (/wiki/1923) – Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan general and politician, President of Azerbaijan (died 2003) • (/wiki/1926) – Hugo Banzer, Bolivian general and politician, President of Bolivia (died 2002) • (/wiki/1928) – Arnold Rüütel, Estonian agronomist and politician, President of Estonia (died 2024) • 1928 – Lothar Schmid, German chess player (died 2013) • (/wiki/1929) – George Coe, American actor and producer (died 2015) • (/wiki/1930) – George E. Smith, American physicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2025) • (/wiki/1931) – Ettore Scola, Italian director and screenwriter (died 2016) • (/wiki/1933) – Barbara Taylor Bradford, British novelist (died 2024) • (/wiki/1935) – Larry Williams, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (died 1980) • (/wiki/1938) – Manuel Santana, Spanish tennis player (died 2021) • (/wiki/1940) – Arthur Alexander, American country-soul singer-songwriter (died 1993) • (/wiki/1942) – Jim Calhoun, American basketball player and coach • (/wiki/1943) – Raquel Blandón, Guatemalan lawyer and activist, First Lady of Guatemala (died 2024) • 1943 – Judith Jamison, American dancer and choreographer (died 2024) • (/wiki/1944) – Marie-France Pisier, French actress, director, and screenwriter (died 2011) • (/wiki/1946) – Donovan, Scottish singer-songwriter • 1946 – Graham Gouldman, English guitarist and songwriter • 1946 – Dave Mason, English singer-songwriter and guitarist • (/wiki/1949) – Miuccia Prada, Italian fashion designer • (/wiki/1954) – Mike Hagerty, American actor (died 2022) • (/wiki/1955) – Chris Berman, American sportscaster • 1955 – Mark David Chapman, American murderer • (/wiki/1956) – Mickey Faerch, Danish-Canadian burlesque dancer and actress • 1956 – Vladislav Listyev, Russian journalist (died 1995) • (/wiki/1957) – Sid Vicious, English singer and bass player (died 1979) • (/wiki/1958) – Rick Santorum, American lawyer and politician, United States Senator from Pennsylvania • (/wiki/1959) – Victoria Rowell, American actress • 1959 – Cindy Hyde-Smith, American politician, United States Senator from Mississippi • (/wiki/1960) – Bono, Irish singer-songwriter, musician and activist • 1960 – Dean Heller, American lawyer and politician, United States Senator from Nevada • 1960 – Kerry Hemsley, Australian rugby league player • 1960 – Merlene Ottey, Jamaican-Slovenian runner • (/wiki/1962) – Robby Thompson, American baseball player and coach • (/wiki/1963) – Lisa Nowak, American commander and astronaut • (/wiki/1965) – Linda Evangelista, Canadian model • 1965 – Greg Fasala, Australian swimmer • 1965 – Paul Langmack, Australian rugby league player and coach • (/wiki/1966) – Jonathan Edwards, English triple jumper • (/wiki/1967) – Eion Crossan, New Zealand rugby player • (/wiki/1968) – Al Murray, English comedian and television host • 1968 – William Regal, English wrestler • (/wiki/1969) – Dennis Bergkamp, Dutch footballer and manager • 1969 – John Scalzi, American author and blogger • (/wiki/1970) – David Weir, Scottish footballer • (/wiki/1974) – Sylvain Wiltord, French footballer • (/wiki/1975) – Hazem Emam, Egyptian footballer and politician • 1975 – Hélio Castroneves, Brazilian race car driver • 1975 – Ueli Kestenholz, Swiss snowboarder (died 2026) • (/wiki/1977) – Adrian Morley, English rugby league player • (/wiki/1978) – Kenan Thompson, American actor and comedian • (/wiki/1981) – Humberto Suazo, Chilean footballer • (/wiki/1982) – Adebayo Akinfenwa, English footballer • (/wiki/1984) – Edward Mujica, Venezuelan baseball player • (/wiki/1985) – Ryan Getzlaf, Canadian ice hockey player • 1985 – Farah Jacquet, Belgian politician • 1985 – Jon Schofield, English canoe racer • (/wiki/1988) – Adam Lallana, English footballer • (/wiki/1990) – Salvador Pérez, Venezuelan baseball player • 1990 – Ivana Španović, Serbian long jumper • (/wiki/1993) – Jake Zyrus, Filipino singer • (/wiki/1995) – Andrew Anderson, American bowler • 1995 – Missy Franklin, American swimmer • 1995 – Gabriella Papadakis, French ice dancer • (/wiki/1996) – Nicolas Aubé-Kubel, Canadian ice hockey player • 1996 – Tyus Jones, American basketball player • 1996 – Kateřina Siniaková, Czech tennis player • 1996 – Alex Tuch, American ice hockey player • (/wiki/1997) – Brittany Broski, American comedian and singer • 1997 – Richarlison, Brazilian footballer • (/wiki/2000) – Bae Jin-young, South Korean singer
Deaths
Pre-1600
• (/wiki/1299) – Theingapati, heir to the Pagan Kingdom • (/wiki/1403) – Katherine Swynford, widow of John of Gaunt • (/wiki/1482) – Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli, Italian mathematician and astronomer (born 1397) • (/wiki/1493) – Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll, Scottish politician, Lord Chancellor of Scotland (born 1433) • (/wiki/1521) – Sebastian Brant, German author (born 1457) • (/wiki/1566) – Leonhart Fuchs, German physician and botanist (born 1501) • (/wiki/1569) – John of Ávila, Spanish mystic and saint (born 1500)
1601–1900
• (/wiki/1641) – Johan Banér, Swedish field marshal (born 1596) • (/wiki/1717) – John Hathorne, American merchant and politician (born 1641) • (/wiki/1726) – Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans, English soldier and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire (born 1670) • (/wiki/1774) – Louis XV, King of France (born 1710) • (/wiki/1787) – William Watson, English physician, physicist, and botanist (born 1715) • (/wiki/1794) – Élisabeth of France, French princess and youngest sibling of Louis XVI (born 1764) • (/wiki/1798) – George Vancouver, English navigator and explorer (born 1757) • (/wiki/1807) – Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, French general (born 1725) • (/wiki/1818) – Paul Revere, American engraver and soldier (born 1735) • (/wiki/1829) – Thomas Young, English physician and linguist (born 1773) • (/wiki/1849) – Hokusai, Japanese painter and illustrator (born 1760) • (/wiki/1863) – Stonewall Jackson, American general (born 1824) • (/wiki/1865) – William Armstrong, American lawyer, civil servant, politician, and businessperson (born 1782) • (/wiki/1868) – Henry Bennett, American lawyer and politician (born 1808) • (/wiki/1889) – Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, Russian journalist, author, and playwright (born 1826) • (/wiki/1891) – Carl Nägeli, Swiss botanist and mycologist (born 1817) • 1891 – Peter Ward, New York politician (born 1827) • (/wiki/1897) – Andrés Bonifacio, Filipino soldier and politician, President of the Philippines (born 1863)
1901–present
• (/wiki/1910) – Stanislao Cannizzaro, Italian chemist and academic (born 1826) • (/wiki/1945) – Richard Glücks, German SS officer (born 1889) • 1945 – Konrad Henlein, Czech soldier and politician (born 1898) • (/wiki/1950) – Belle da Costa Greene, American librarian and bibliographer (born 1883) • (/wiki/1960) – Yury Olesha, Russian author, poet, and playwright (born 1899) • (/wiki/1964) – Mikhail Larionov, Russian painter, illustrator, and set designer (born 1881) • (/wiki/1965) – Hubertus van Mook, Dutch politician, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (born 1894) • (/wiki/1968) – Scotty Beckett, American actor and singer (born 1929) • (/wiki/1974) – Hal Mohr, American director and cinematographer (born 1894) • (/wiki/1977) – Joan Crawford, American actress (year of birth disputed) • (/wiki/1982) – Peter Weiss, German playwright and painter (born 1916) • (/wiki/1988) – Shen Congwen, Chinese author and academic (born 1902) • (/wiki/1989) – Dominik Tatarka, Slovak writer (born 1913) • (/wiki/1990) – Walker Percy, American novelist and essayist (born 1916) • (/wiki/1994) – John Wayne Gacy, American serial killer (born 1942) • (/wiki/1999) – Shel Silverstein, American poet, author, and illustrator (born 1930) • (/wiki/2000) – Jules Deschênes, Canadian lawyer and judge (born 1923) • 2000 – Dick Sprang, American illustrator (born 1915) • (/wiki/2001) – Sudhakarrao Naik, Indian politician, Governor of Himachal Pradesh (born 1934) • (/wiki/2002) – Kaifi Azmi, Indian poet and songwriter (born 1919) • 2002 – Yves Robert, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1920) • (/wiki/2003) – Milan Vukcevich, Serbian-American chemist and chess player (born 1937) • (/wiki/2006) – Soraya, Colombian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1969) • (/wiki/2008) – Leyla Gencer, Turkish soprano (born 1928) • (/wiki/2010) – Frank Frazetta, American illustrator and painter (born 1928) • (/wiki/2012) – Horst Faas, German photographer and journalist (born 1933) • 2012 – Carroll Shelby, American race car driver and designer (born 1923) • 2012 – Gunnar Sønsteby, Norwegian captain and author (born 1918) • (/wiki/2015) – Chris Burden, American sculptor, illustrator, and academic (born 1946) • (/wiki/2018) – David Goodall, Australian botanist and ecologist (born 1914) • (/wiki/2019) – Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, Spanish politician and chemist (born 1951) • (/wiki/2020) – Betty Wright, American soul singer (born 1953) • (/wiki/2021) – Pauline Tinsley, British soprano (born 1928) • (/wiki/2022) – Bob Lanier, American professional basketball player (born 1948) • 2022 – Leonid Kravchuk, Ukrainian politician (born 1934) • (/wiki/2024) – Sam Rubin, American journalist (born 1960) • 2024 – Jim Simons, American hedge fund manager, mathematician, and philanthropist (born 1938)
Holidays and observances
May 10
• Children's Day (Maldives) • Christian feast day: • Alphius, Philadelphus and Cyrinus • Calepodius • Catald • Comgall • Damien of Molokai • Gordianus and Epimachus • Job (Roman Catholic Church, pre-1969 calendar) • John of Ávila • May 10 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) • Confederate Memorial Day (North Carolina and South Carolina) • Constitution Day (Micronesia) • Earliest possible day on which Pentecost can fall, while June 13 is the latest; celebrated 50 days after Easter Day. (Christianity) • Golden Spike Day (Promontory, Utah) • Mother's Day (Guatemala, and Mexico)