MAY 16 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1770 ~ Marie Antoinette aged 14 married Louis-Auguste aged 15 on the 16th May 1770. Louis-Auguste later became the king of France.

1827 ~ Pierre Cuypers the Dutch architect that designed the Rijksmuseum was born on the 16th May 1827 (died 1921).

1831 ~ David E. Hughes the English co-inventor of the microphone was born on the 16th May 1831 (died 1900).

1845 ~ Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov the Russian microbiologist and Nobel Prize laureate was born on the 16th May 1845 (died 1916).

1866 ~ The HALF DiME coin was eliminated by the U.S. Congress on the 16th May 1866, when it was replaced with the five cent piece, or nickel.

1888 ~ Royal Rife the American inventor was born on the 16th May 1888 (died 1971).

1891 ~ The International Electro-Technical Exhibition opened in Frankfurt, Germany on the 16th May 1891, and featured the world’s first long distance transmission of high-power, known as three-phase electrical current.

1898 ~ Tamara de Lempicka the Polish painter was born on the 16th May 1898 (died 1980).

1905 ~ Henry Fonda the American actor was born on the 16th May 1905 (died 1982).

1919 ~ Liberace the American singer and pianist was born on the 16th May 1919 (died 1987).

1920 ~ Pope Benedict XV canonized Joan of Arc on the 16th May 1920, in Rome.

1929 ~ The 1st ACADEMY AWARDS were handed out on the 16th day of May in 1929.

1947 ~ Barbara Lee the American singer  from The Chiffons was born on the 16th May 1947 (died 1992).

1951 ~ The first regularly scheduled transatlantic flights began between Idlewild Airport (now John F Kennedy International Airport) in New York City and Heathrow Airport in London on the 16th May 1951, operated by El Al Israel Airlines.

1953 ~ Pierce Brosnan the Irish actor was born on the 16th May 1953.

1955Debra Winger the American actress was born on the 16th May 1955.

1960 ~ THEODORE MAiMAN operated the 1st optical laser on the 16th day of May in 1960, at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California. 

1966 ~ BOB DYLAN released the first ever double album in popular music history on the 16th May 1966.

1966 ~ The Communist Party of China issued the May 16 Notice on the 16th May 1966, marking the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.

1966 ~ Janet Jackson the American singer was born on the 16th May 1966.

1969Tracey Gold the American actress best known as Carol Seaver on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains was born on the 16th May 1969. Tracey Gold’s official website: www.TheTraceyGold.com | Tracey Gold’s Twitter: www.Twitter.com/TheTraceyGold | Tracey Gold’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheTraceyGold | YouTube video: Growing Pains Intro…

1970Danielle Spencer the Australian singer-songwriter and actress was born on the 16th May 1970.

1973Tori Spelling the American actress and author was born on the 16th May 1973.

1969 VENERA 5 the Soviet spaceprobe landed on Venus on the 16th day of May in 1969.

1975 ~ JUNKO TABEi became the 1st woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest on the 16th day of May in 1975.

1986 ~ Megan Fox the American actress was born on the 16th May 1986.

1988 ~ United States’ SURGEON GENERAL C. EVERETT KOOP stated that the addictive properties of nicotine are similar to those of heroin and cocaine, on the 16th day of May in 1988.

1990 ~ Sammy Davis, Jr. the American singer, dancer, and actor died on the 16th May 1990 aged 64 (born 8th December 1925). YouTube video: Sammy Davis Jnr performing Mr Bojangles in Germany in 1985…

1990Jim Henson the American puppeteer and creator of The Muppets died on the 16th May 1990 (born 1936).

2002 ~ Alec Campbell the Australian soldier died on the 16th May 2002 (born 1899). Alec Campbell was the final surviving Australian participant of the Gallipoli campaign during the First World War.

2007 ~ Nicolas Sarkozy took office as President of France on the 16th May 2007.

2011 ~ STS-134 (ISS assembly flight ULF6) launched from the Kennedy Space Center on the 25th and final flight for Space Shuttle Endeavour, on the 16th day of May in 2011.

Today in History for May 16th ~ video presented by the Associated Press 

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