Historical Events
Pro Wrestling
May 1 "The Smashing Punpkins" singer Billy Corgan agrees to purchase the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)
- May 1 World Snooker Championship, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield: Englishman Mark Selby defends title beating John Higgins of Scotland, 18-15; his third world crown
Knighthood
May 5 Anna Wintour, the editor of US Vogue, is made a dame by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace
- May 6 143rd Kentucky Derby: Puerto Rican jockey John Velasquez wins his second Derby aboard 5-1 shot Always Dreaming
- May 6 84 abducted schoolgirls released in exchange for Boko Haram suspects in Nigeria
- May 6 Bus crash in Arusha region, Tanzania kills 35
- May 6 France bans too thin fashion models and makes labeling of digitally enhanced photos mandatory
Macron Defeats Le Pen
May 7 Emmanuel Macron wins France's presidential election, defeating Marine Le Pen
MTV Movie & TV Awards
May 7 MTV becomes 1st major awards show to adopt gender-neutral categories - Emma Watson best film actor, Millie Bobby Brown best TV actor
- May 7 “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” becomes the highest grossing Indian box office film ever earning $120 million
- May 9 Fossil of Chinese feathered baby dinosaur formally identified as Beibeilong sinensis (baby dragon in Chinese)
- May 9 Jakarta’s Christian governor Ahok jailed for 2 years for blasphemy
South Korean Election
May 9 Moon Jae-in elected President of South Korea after a snap election to replace Park Geun-hye
Trump Dismisses Comey
May 9 US President Donald Trump dismisses FBI Director James Comey
- May 10 Apple becomes the first company to be worth more than $800 billion
- May 10 US President Donald Trump shares classified information about ISIS plot with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the Oval Office
Boulder Glacier Melting
May 10 USGS releases a report saying that some glaciers in Montana have receded by 85% in the last 50 years
- May 12 Brazil declares end to Zika national emergency as cases decrease
Harry Styles
May 12 Former One Direction singer Harry Styles releases his self-titled debut solo album
- May 13 22-year-old UK blogger halts spread of global ransomware cyber-attack by accidentally identifying "kill switch"
- May 13 62nd Eurovision Song Contest: Portugal's Salvador Sobral wins singing "Amar Pelos Dois"
- May 13 Bus plunges off cliff near Marmaris, Turkey, killing at least 23, injuring 11
Canonization
May 13 Portuguese children Francisco and Jacinta Marto (died 1919 & 1920 aged 10 & 9 in flu epidemic) canonized by Pope Francis at Fátima - the youngest Catholic saints not to die as martyrs
PGA Players Championship
May 14 PGA Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass: 21-year-old South Korean Kim Si-woo shoots final round 69 to win by 3 strokes ahead of Louis Oosthuizen and Ian Poulter
- May 15 1st US prosecution under federal Hate Crimes Act of violence against transgender person, murder of Mercedes Williamson
- May 15 State of Emergency declared in Sanaa, Yemen after outbreak of cholera kills 115
- May 15 UN Security Council condemns North Korea missile test
- May 16 10-year-old girl granted special 20 week abortion request in Rohtak, India in land-mark case
- May 20 142nd Preakness Stakes: Javier Castellano aboard Cloud Computing wins in 1 minute 55.98 seconds
- May 20 US President Donald Trump begins his 1st foreign trip arriving in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Billboard Music Awards
May 21 24th Billboard Music Awards: Drake wins 13; Beyoncé and Twenty One Pilots win 5 each; Justin Timberlake wins 2
Event of Interest
May 21 Barnum & Bailey Circus performs for the last time at the Nassau Coliseum in NYC after 146 years [1]
- May 21 IPL Cricket Final, Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad: Mumbai Indians beat Rising Pune Supergiant by 1 run; Krunal Pandya 47 (38)
- May 21 The Tradition Senior Men's Golf, Greystone G&CC: Defending champion Berhard Langer wins by 5 strokes from Scott Parel & Scott McCarron
- May 22 Japanese researchers from University of Yamanashi report birth of mice from freeze-dried sperm stored on the International Space Station
- May 22 South Africa's Western Cape province declares a drought disaster - worst for 113 years
Music Concert
May 22 Suicide bombing at Manchester Arena, England, after Ariana Grande concert kills 22 and injures 59
Film & TV History
May 23 Michael Bay is honored with a hand-and-footprint ceremony at The TCL Chinese Theatre
- May 23 UK raises terror threat level to critical following Manchester bombing
- May 23 US President Donald Trump meets Pope Francis at the Vatican
- May 24 UEFA Europa League won by Manchester United 2-0 against Ajax in Stockholm
Zuckerberg's Honorary Degree
May 25 Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg receives an honorary degree from Harvard University, after dropping out in 2004
- May 25 Pitched battles between Islamic State-linked militants and Philippine government troops in and around Marawi, leave 43 dead, with thousands fleeing
- May 26 Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche and Ricky John Best killed, Micah David-Cole Fletcher injured defending Muslim teenager in Portland, Oregon
- May 27 English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London: Arsenal beats Chelsea, 2-1; Aaron Ramsey scores 79' winner as Arsène Wenger becomes most successful manager in FA Cup history, winning his 7th title
- May 27 In Bangalore, India, white puffy toxic foam begins spilling out of Varthur Lake onto city streets
- May 28 70th Cannes Film Festival: Swedish film "The Square" directed by Ruben Ostlund wins the Palme d'Or
- May 28 Floods and landslides in Sri Lanka kill at least 151
- May 28 Indianapolis 500: Japanese ex-Formula 1 driver Takuma Sato of Andretti Autosport becomes first Asian to win the race; Brazilian Hélio Castroneves finishes just 0.2011 seconds behind
Senior PGA Championship
May 28 Senior PGA Championship, Trump National GC: A week after winning The Tradition, Bernhard Langer of Germany triumphs by 1 stroke from Vijay Singh
- May 28 Tom Dumoulin wins the 100th Giro d’Italia in Milan; first Dutchman to win
Sports History
May 29 Tiger Woods is arrested and charged with driving under the influence in Jupiter, Florida
- May 29 Violent storm and high winds in Moscow, Russia leaves 13 dead
- May 30 Bomb outside government pension office in Baghdad kills 14, injures 34, Islamic State claim respnsibility
- May 30 Car bomb outside ice cream shop in Baghdad kills 17, Islamic State claim responsibility
- May 30 Large suicide bomb in the diplomatic quarter of Kabul, Afghanistan kills more than 150 and injures 400
Music History
May 30 Singer and actress Olivia Newton-John reveals her breast cancer has returned after 25 years
South Korean History
May 30 South Korean President Moon Jae-in orders a probe into additional launchers for the U.S. THAAD anti-missile system
Famous Photo
May 31 Comedienne Kathy Griffin fired from CNN after photo of her holding bloody head resembling Donald Trump by Tyler Shields posted
Madaraka Express
May 31 Kenya's Madaraka Express, a Chinese-built high speed railway from Mombasa to Nairobi is opened by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta
Famous Weddings
- May 6 Country music singer Josh Gracin (36) weds partner Katie Weir in Nashville, Tennessee
- May 6 Olympic diver Tom Daley (23) weds Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black at Bovey Castle in Devon, England
Jim Parsons
May 13 American "Big Bang Theory" actor Jim Parsons (44) weds American graphic designer Todd Spiewak (40) at the Rainbow Room in New York City
- May 13 Country music vocalist Dan Smyers (29) weds longtime love Abby Law in Nashville, Tennessee
Diana Taurasi
May 13 Former WNBA player Diana Taurasi (34) weds teammate Penny Taylor (36) in Phoenix, Arizona
Abby Wambach
May 14 Retired soccer player Abby Wambach (37) weds best-selling author Glennon Doyle Melton
Miranda Kerr
May 27 Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel (27) weds Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr (34) in Los Angeles, California
- May 28 Actress Maggie Grace (33) weds entrepreneur Brent Bushnell in La Jolla, California
- May 28 Mr. Robot screenwriter Sam Esmail (39) weds actress Emmy Rossum (30) at the East 55th Street Synagogue in New York City
Famous Deaths
- May 1 Janet Pilgrim, American early playmate model for Playboy (July 1955, Dec 1955, Oct 1956), dies at 82
- May 1 Mike Lowry, American politician (Rep-D-WA, 1979-89, Governor of Washington 1993-97), dies at 78
- May 1 Sam Mele, American MLB outfielder/manager (Minnesota Twins record 102 wins 1965), dies at 95
- May 1 Stan Weston, American toy licensing agent, had concept for G.I. Joe, dies at 84
- May 2 (Mary) Norma Procter, British contralto singer, dies of Parkinson's Disease at 89
- May 2 Abelardo Castillo, Argentine writer and novelist, dies at 82
- May 2 Grigori Zhislin, Russian concert violinist, and viola player, dies at 71
- May 2 Leo Thorsness, American Vietnam War pilot (Medal of Honor), dies at 85
- May 2 Vincent Baggetta, American actor (Lou-Chicago Story), dies at 72
- May 3 Daliah Lavi [Levinbuck], Israeli actress (Casino Royale: Lord Jim), and singer, dies at 74
- May 3 Lukas Ammann, Swiss actor (Graf Yoster; Day of Anger; Class Reunion; Palace Hotel), dies of complications from surgery at 104
- May 4 William J. Baumol, American economist (Baumol’s cost disease), dies at 95
- May 5 Adolph Kiefer, American swimmer (Olympic gold 100m backstroke 1936), dies at 98
- May 6 Steven Holcomb, American Bobsledder (Olympic gold, 2010), dies in his sleep, with mix of alcohol and prescription medication found in his blood, at 37
- May 7 David Pell, American big band jazz saxophonist, bandleader (Dave Pell Octet), and record producer, dies at 92
- May 8 Robert Gutter, American conductor and teacher (founded International Institute for Conductors, 1996), dies at 78
- May 9 Michael Parks, American actor (Tusk, Then Came Bronson), dies at 77
- May 9 Qian Qichen, Chinese diplomat and vice premier, dies at 89
- May 9 Robert Miles [Roberto Concina], Swiss musician, record producer, and composer of trance and ambient music ("Children"), dies of pancreatic cancer at 47
- May 10 Geoffrey Bayldon, British stage and screen actor (Catweazle; Worzel Gummidge - "Crowman"), dies at 93
- May 11 Jur Mellema, Dutch politician (CHU), dies at 93
- May 11 Yale Lary, American NFL safety Hall of Famer (Detroit Lions), dies at 86
- May 12 Bill Dowdy, American jazz drummer (The Three Sounds), dies at 84
- May 12 Mauno Koivisto, President of Finland (1982-94), dies at 93
- May 12 Michael Jackson, American NFL wide receiver (NFL receiving TD leader 1996; Baltimore Ravens), dies in a motorcycle accident at 48
- May 14 Brad Grey, American film and TV producer (Sopranos), Chairman of Paramount Pictures, dies of cancer at 59
- May 14 Elske ter Veld, Dutch politician (State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment), dies at 72
- May 14 Frank Brian, American basketball guard (NBA All-Star 1951, 52; Fort Wayne Pistons), dies at 94
- May 14 Powers Boothe, American Actor (Sin City, Deadwood), dies at 68
- May 15 Ian Brady [Ian Duncan Stewart], British serial killer (Moors Murders), dies in prison at 79
- May 18 Chris Cornell, American musician (Soundgarden, Audioslave), commits suicide at 52
- May 18 Frankie Paul [Paul Blake], Jamaican reggae musician, dies of kidney disease at 51
- May 18 Jacque Fresco, American industrial designer and founder of the Venus Project, dies at 101
- May 18 Jim McElreath, American auto racer (California 500, 1970), dies at 89
- May 18 Jimmy "Bro" Hayes, American doo-wop bass singer (Persuasions - "Under the Boardwalk"), dies at 74
- May 18 Roger Ailes, American TV executive and CEO of Fox News (1996-2016), dies at 77
- May 20 Jimmy Dale, British-Canadian pianist and orchestra leader (The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour), dies at 81
- May 22 (Granville) "Mickey" Roker, American jazz drummer (Art Farmer; Milt Jackson; Dizzy Gillespie), dies suffering from diabetes and lung cancer at 84
- May 22 Barbara Smith Conrad, American operatic mezzo-soprano singer, and educator (Wagner Theater), dies at 79
- May 22 Dina Merrill, American actress (Operation Petticoat, Butterfield 8), dies at 93
- May 22 Nicky Hayden, American motorcycle racer (MotoGP Champion 2006), dies after being hit by a car at 35
- May 23 Alexander Burdonsky, Russian theater director and Joseph Stalin's grandson, dies at 75
- May 23 Cortez Kennedy, American NFL defensive tackle (Seattle Seahawks)dies at 48
- May 25 Sir Alistair Horne, British historian and journalist (A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954–1962), dies at 91
Jim Bunning (1931-2017)
May 26 American Baseball HOF pitcher (9 x MLB All-Star; perfect game 1964; no-hitter 1958; Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies) and politician (US Senator Kentucky 1999-2011; US Representative 1987-99), dies of a stroke at 85
- May 26 John Severson, founder of 'Surfer' magazine and artist (known for his depictions of surf culture), dies of cancer at 83
- May 26 Zbigniew Brzezinski, Polish-American national security advisor to President Carter (1977-1981), dies at 89
Gregg Allman (1947-2017)
May 27 American Hammond organist, guitarist and vocalist (The Allman Brothers Band - "Whipping Post"), dies of cancer at 69
Manuel Noriega (1934-2017)
May 29 Panamanian general and dictator (1983-89), dies at 83
- May 30 Elena Verdugo, American actress (Little Giant, Cavalier of the West), dies at 92
- May 30 Wendell Burton, American actor (New Dick Van Dyke Show - "Lucas"; The Sterile Cuckoo), dies of brain cancer at 69
- May 31 Jiří Bělohlávek, Czech conductor (Czech Philharmonic, 1990-92 & 2012-17; Prague Philharmonia, 1993-2005; BBC Symphony, 2006-12), dies of cancer at 71
