Unusual facts
The month of May gets it’s name from Maia, the Greek goddess of fertility.
Before Julius Caesar had changes made to the calendar, May was the third of the year, not the fifth.
The month of May was also once known as “Threemilk,” referring to the fact that during that month, cows could be milked three times a day.
In 2015, students at the Columbia University Medical Center conducted a study in which they researched whether or not there was a correlation between heart disease and the month they were born. The discovered that individuals born in the month of May had the lowest risk for heart disease. Those born in October had the highest risk.
According to the Zombie Research Society, May is the official Zombie Awareness Month. Those supporting Zombie Awareness are asked to wear grey ribbons in honor of the undead.
Whereas May signifies Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, it is the beginning of Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.
No U.S. President died in the month of May.
Every year, no month of the year either begins on the same day of the week as May or ends on the same day of the week as May. This year, 2024, May is the only month that starts on a Tuesday. It is also the only month that ends on a Thursday.
May in History
On May 8th, 1902 the eruption of Mount Pelee caused the deaths of approximately 30,000 on the Caribbean island of Martinique. It was known as the most destructive volcanic eruption of the 20th century.
On May 12th, 1932, the body of Charles Lindbergh’s kidnapped son was found. He had been taken from his home two months prior and the kidnapper left a note demanding a ransom. Though the demands were met, the kidnapper failed to deliver Lindbergh’s child as promised. A few years later, Bruno Hauptmann became a suspect when he used a marked bill from the kidnapping at a gas station. His trial became known as “The Trial of the Century” and Hauptmann proclaimed his innocence throughout. Though there was no other evidence found against him besides the marked bill, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. Many had doubts about Hauptmann’s guilt but he was executed on April 3, 1936.
On May 14th, 1804, Lewis and Clark departed St Louis on their expedition to explore the Northwest Territory. They arrived at the Pacific coast of Oregon in November of 1805 and returned to St Louis in September 1806, completing a journey of about 6,000 miles.
On May 15th, 1972, Alabama Governor George Wallace was shot while campaigning for the presidency in front of a crowd of over a thousand people. Though he did survive the ordeal, he was paralyzed for life. Wallace is considered one of the most controversial presidential candidates in history with his push to maintain segregation as one of his main platforms.
On May 17th, 1792, two dozen merchants and brokers established the New York Stock Exchange. If the weather was fair, they operated under a shade tree on Wall Street. If the weather was bad, they moved inside a nearby coffee house to conduct their business.
On May 26, 1897, Brian Stoker’s novel, Dracula, was released for sale in London. Stoker based his character on old Romanian tales and superstitions. And though the idea of vampires was nothing new when Stoker wrote Dracula, it is his novel that is given the credit for creating the modern-day vampire as we know it today.
A Month of Celebrations
While May 1st is most celebrated as May Day, it also has the distinction of being Loyalty Day. During the 1920’s the idea of communism became more widespread among Americans. To combat this, a new holiday known as Loyalty Day was suggested in hopes that Americas would reaffirm their love for their country. In 1958, Congress made Loyalty Day official and in 1959, President Eisenhower gave his hearty approval by making the holiday a formal one.
Each year on the second Sunday in May many Americans honor their mother on Mother’s Day. The idea of Mother’s Day was first introduced by Anna Jarvis in West Virginia in 1908. Although the holiday soon spread throughout the country, Jarvis pushed for government to make it an official observance. She finally succeeded in 1914, when Congress set aside the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day. Soon after, 40 other countries adopted the day, as well. But Mother’s Day soon turned into a commercialized holiday like many others have. Jarvis despised the fact that greeting card companies, florists and candy-makers were profiting from it and she spent the rest of her life (and her money) trying to get the holiday banned from the country. Sadly, she died penniless.
Aside from the more well-known holidays in May, there are also the very obscure ones. Some of these include “Hug Your Cat Day” (May 3rd), Clean Up Your Room Day” (May 10th), “National Lost Sock Memorial Day” (May 9th), “No Socks Day” (May 8th), “Eat What You Want Day” (May 11th), Twilight Zone Day” (May 11th) and “Dance Like a Chicken Day” (May 14th).
A Month of Firsts
On May 4th, 1494, during his second journey of exploration of the new world, Christopher Columbus became the first European to reach Jamaica.
Though not the first man in space, Alan Shepard became the first American in space on May 5th, 1961. Just a month before, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin beat America to the punch with an orbit around the entire earth. With the Great Space Race underway, JFK announced the plans for a comprehensive space program on May 25th with plans to put man on the moon and weather satellites into space.
The first automobile accident occurred in May of 1896 when a New York City man, Henry Wells, hit a pedestrian on his bicycle.
On May 15, 1940, nylon stockings went on sale for the first time.
The premier of Mickey Mouse’s first cartoon, Plane Crazy, was shown on May 15, 1928.
Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly Solo across the Atlantic on May 20, 1932.
The first execution for witchcraft in the American colonies occurred on May 26th, 1647. It is believed that the so-called witch, Alse Young, was accused because she attempted to use herbal remedies to help some ailing neighbors. Unfortunately, all it took to be found guilty of witchcraft was one individuals accusation.
And Lasts
Famous duo Bonnie and Clyde ended their crime spree when they were killed in a shootout with Texas rangers on May 23, 1934. The posse unloaded more than 130 rounds of ammunition into their vehicle. Clyde was killed instantly with a shot to the head while Bonnie sustained at least 26 (though some accounts say 50) shots to her body.
On May 7th, 1945, the German army surrendered to the Allies. The news however, took some time to travel so while the war was officially over, battles were still being fought among those who hadn’t gotten the memo. In what is now Czechoslovakia, the 803rd Tank Destroyer Battalion was ambushed by a German panzer unit. As a result, American Private First Class Charles Havlat was shot and killed. By most records, it made him the last Allied soldier to be killed in WWII.
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