This Day In History May 9

What Happened Today in History: May 9th

Historical Events

On May 9th, various significant events have occurred throughout history:

1671: Attempted Theft of British Crown Jewels

Anglo-Irish thief Thomas Blood, disguised as a parson, attempted to steal the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London.

1865: Confederate General Robert E. Lee Surrenders to Union General Ulysses S. Grant

This event marked the end of the American Civil War's major fighting, with Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia surrendering to Grant's Union Army.

1926: Admiral Richard E. Byrd Conducts First Flight Over North Pole

American naval officer and explorer Richard E. Byrd led the first successful airplane flight over the North Pole.

1945: Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day)

This day commemorates the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, effectively ending World War II in Europe.

1960: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approves First Birth Control Pill

The FDA approved the first oral contraceptive, Enovid, revolutionizing reproductive health and family planning.

1994: Nelson Mandela Inaugurated as First Black President of South Africa

This historic event marked the end of apartheid and the beginning of a new era of democracy and reconciliation in South Africa.

Notable Births

May 9th has also witnessed the birth of several notable individuals:

• 1860: Sir James Matthew Barrie, Scottish novelist and playwright (Peter Pan)
• 1883: Joseph Stalin, Soviet dictator
• 1936: Albert Finney, English actor
• 1968: Marisa Tomei, American actress
• 1993: Robert Lewandowski, Polish footballer

Famous Anniversaries

May 9th also marks anniversaries of significant events:

• 1502: Christopher Columbus sets sail on his fourth and final voyage to the Americas.
• 1789: The Estates General in France is convened, marking the beginning of the French Revolution.
• 1877: The United States officially annexes the Kingdom of Hawaii.
• 1954: The Brown v. Board of Education decision outlaws racial segregation in public schools in the United States.
• 2004: The Chechen Republic holds a referendum on its constitution, granting it greater autonomy from Russia.

By providing a comprehensive overview of historical events, notable births, and famous anniversaries that occurred on May 9th, this blog post aims to satisfy the common query of "What happened today in history?"