1751 ~ CRiCKET was played in a match for the first time in America on the 1st May 1751.
1753 ~ SPECiES PLANTARUM by Linnaeus was published on the 1st May 1753, becoming the formal start date of plant taxonomy adopted by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature.
1759 ~ The WEDGWOOD pottery company in Great Britain was founded by Josiah Wedgwood on the 1st May 1759.
1764 ~ Benjamin Henry Latrobe the English-American architect who designed the United States Capitol was born on the 1st May 1764 (died 1820).
1776 ~ The iLLUMiNATi was established in Ingolstadt, Upper Bavaria by Jesuit taught Adam Weishaupt.
1786 ~ The MARRiAGE OF FiGARO composed opera by Mozart was performed for the first time on the 1st May 1786, In Vienna, Austria.
1825 ~ George Inness the American painter was born on the 1st May 1825 (died 1894).
1827 ~ Jules Breton the French painter was born on the 1st May 1827 (died 1906).
1829 ~ Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys the English painter was born on the 1st May 1829 (died 1904).
1848 ~ Adelsteen Normann the Norwegian painter was born on the 1st May 1848 (died 1919).
1840 ~ The PENNY BLACK, the World’s first official adhesive postage stamp, was issued in the United Kingdom on the 1st day of May in 1840.
5 years prior to the introduction of the world’s 1st stamps in Great Britain, an Austrian civil servant named Lovrenc Koširhe, said to be the inventor of the postage stamp, suggested the introduction of adhesive tax postmarks (aufklebbare Brieftaxstempel) to the Department of Commerce in Vienna, which was responsible for the postal system. These postmarks were to be used for the pre-payment of postage. He called them gepresste Papieroblate (pressed paper wafers), which are known today as stamps. His suggestion was looked at in detail, but rejected for the time being.
1844 ~ The HONG KONG POLiCE FORCE was established on the 1st May 1844, becoming Asia‘s first modern police force, and the World’s second modern police force.
1851 ~ The GREAT EXHiBiTiON was opened by Queen Victoria in London on the 1st May 1851.
1852 ~ The PHiLLiPPiNE PESO was introduced into circulation on the 1st May 1852.
1855 ~ Cecilia Beaux the American painter was born on the 1st May 1855 (died 1942).
1857 ~ Theo Van Gogh the Dutch art dealer and brother of Vincent Van Gogh was born on the 1st May 1857 (died 1891).
1864 ~ Anna Jarvis the American founder of Mother’s Day was born on the 1st May 1864 (died 1948).
1869 ~ The FOLiES BERGèRE opened in Paris on the 1st May 1869.
1874 ~ Romaine Brooks the American painter was born on the 1st May 1874 (died 1970).
1875 ~ ALEXANDRA PALACE reopened on the 1st May 1875 after being burned down in a fire in 1873.
1884 ~ MOSES FLEETWOOD WALKER became the first black person to play in a professional baseball game in the United States on the 1st May 1884.
1885 ~ The Original CHiCAGO BOARD Of TRADE BUiLDiNG opened for business on the 1st May 1885.
1893 ~ The WORLD’S COLUMBiAN EXPOSiTiON opened in Chicago on the 1st May 1893.
1901 ~ The PAN-AMERiCAN EXPOSiTiON opened in Buffalo, New York on the 1st May 1901.
1910 ~ J. Allen Hynek the American astronomer, professor, and ufologist was born on the 1st May 1910 (died 1986).
1925 ~ Scott Carpenter the American astronaut was born on the 1st May 1925.
1927 ~ The 1st AiRLiNE MEALS in-flight were introduced on an Imperial Airways flight from London to Paris on the 1st day of May in 1927.
1930 ~ PLUTO the dwarf planet was officially named on the 1st day of May in 1930. “Images are courtesy of Marc W. Buie, Southwest Research Institute”
*Pluto images are courtesy of Marc W. Buie, at the Southwest Research Institute
1931 ~ The EMPiRE STATE BUiLDiNG was dedicated in New York City on the 1st May 1931.
1940 ~ The 1940 SUMMER OLYMPiCS were cancelled on the 1st May 1940 due to war.
1941 ~ TOBRUK was attacked on the 1st May 1941 when German forces launched a major attack.
1945 ~ RiTA COOLiDGE the American singer was born on the 1st day of May in 1945.
1946 ~ The 3 Year PILBARA STRiKE of Indigenous Australians started on the 1st May 1946.
1950 ~ GUAM was organized as a United States commonwealth on the 1st May 1950.
1951 ~ Sally Mann the American photographer was born on the 1st May 1951.
1953 ~ Glen Ballard the American songwriter and producer was born on the 1st May 1953.
1954 ~ RAY PARKER Jr. the American singer and songwriter was born on the 1st May 1954
1955 ~ NiCK FELDMAN the English musician in WANG CHUNG was born on the 1st May 1955. Wang Chung had a few Top 40 hits between 1983 and 1987, including “Let’s Go!” (No. 9 in 1987), “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” (No. 2 in 1986) and “Dance Hall Days” (No. 16 in 1984)…
1956 ~ The POLiO VACCiNE developed by Jonas Salk was made available to the public on the 1st May 1956.
1967 ~ Tim McGraw the American singer and actor was born on the 1st May 1967.
1968 ~ D’arcy Wretzky the American musician from The Smashing Pumpkins was born on the 1st May 1968.
1974 ~ KELLiE CRAWFORD the Australian singer from Hi-5 was born on the 1st day of May in 1974.
1978 ~ Naomi Uemura the Japanese adventurer became the first person to reach the North Pole solo on the 1st May 1978, travelling by dog sled.
1989 ~ Disney-MGM Studios opened at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, United States on the 1st May 1989.
1990 ~ Caitlin Stasey the Australian actress from Melbourne best known for her role as Rachel Kinski in Neighbours was born on the 1st May 1990.
1994 ~ Ayrton Senna the 3 time Formula One world champion was killed in an accident during the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola.
2003 ~ The Mission Accomplished speech speech by U.S.President George W. Bush on board the USS Abraham Lincoln was on the 1st May 2003, with him declaring that “major combat operations in Iraq have ended” regarding the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
2009 ~ Same-sex marriage was legalized in Sweden on the 1st May 2009.
2011 ~ Pope John Paul II was beatified by his successor Pope Benedict XVI on the 1st May 2011.
2011 ~ Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden was killed by United States special forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan on the 1st May 2011 (Due to the time difference between USA and Pakistan, Bin Laden was actually killed on May 2). Bin Laden was the suspected mastermind behind the September 11 attacks
2013 ~ Kriss Kross duo member Chris Kelly aka Mac Daddy died on the 1st May 2013, aged 34. Kriss Kross were best known for their 1992 hit song Jump which was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 8 weeks.
MAY DAY is on the 1st May
iNTERNATiONAL WORKERS’ DAY is on the 1st May