Historical Events
- May 1 Cleveland Indians abandon League Park (venue for weekday games) to play all MLB games at Municipal Stadium
- May 1 Lt General Hoyt S Vandenberg, USA, ends term as 2nd head of CIA
- May 1 Radar for commercial & private planes 1st demonstrated
- May 1 Rear Admiral Roscoe H Hillenkoetter, USN, becomes 3th director of CIA
- May 3 73rd Kentucky Derby: Eric Guerin aboard Jet Pilot wins in 2:06.8
Japanese Constitution
May 7 General MacArthur approves Japanese constitution
- May 7 Paraguayian government unleashes contra revolt
Breadon Talks Down Protest
May 8 A movement among Cardinal players to protest its 1st meeting with Jackie Robinson & the Dodgers is aborted by a talk from owner Sam Breadon
Witold Pilecki Arrested
May 8 Polish resistance fighter Witold Pilecki, who had volunteered to be imprisoned in Auschwitz to gain information about the Holocaust, is arrested by Polish communist police
- May 10 "Chocolate Soldier" closes at Century Theater NYC after 69 performances
- May 10 72nd Preakness: Doug Dodson aboard Faultless wins in 1:59
- May 11 BF Goodrich announced the development of tubeless tire (Akron Ohio)
- May 11 Laos accepts constitution for parliamentary democracy
- May 13 US Senate approves the Taft-Hartley Act limiting the power of unions
Billie Holiday Arrested
May 16 Billie Holiday is arrested in her New York apartment for possession of narcotics
- May 17 "Street Scene" closes at Adelphi Theater NYC after 148 performances
- May 18 MLB Philadelphia A's catcher Warren Rosar catches his 147th game without an error
- May 22 "Truman Doctrine" goes into effect, aiding Turkey and Greece
- May 22 1st US ballistic missile fired
- May 23 PC Hooft prize forms for literature
- May 25 Coal dust explosion rocks Centralia Coal Co's Mine #5 killing 111 in Illinois
31st Indianapolis 500
May 30 31st Indianapolis 500: Mauri Rose leads for final 8 laps after confused pit messages with teammate Bill Holland to take the controversial victory; race marred by a 41st lap crash that claims life of Shorty Cantlon
- May 31 79th Belmont: Ruperto Donoso aboard Phalanx wins in 2:29.6
- May 31 Communists seize power in Hungary
- May 31 Eastern DC-4 crashes between Ft Deposit & Perryville, Maryland, kills 53
- May 31 Italian government of Gasperi forms
Famous Birthdays
- May 1 Carlos Ward, Panamanian-American jazz and funk saxophonist (B.T. Express; Abdullah Ibrahim; Jazz Composer's Orchestra), born in Ancón, Panama
- May 1 Danilo Popivoda, Serbian soccer forward (20 caps Yugoslavia; Olimpija, Eintracht Braunschweig), born in Lovćenac, Serbia (d. 2021)
- May 1 Jacob Bekenstein, American-Israeli theoretical physicist (Bekenstein-Hawking radiation), born in Mexico City (d. 2015)
- May 1 Jerry Heard, American golfer (5 PGA Tour titles), born in Visalia, California
- May 1 Sergio Infante, Chilean poet and writer
- May 2 Bill Lowery, American politician (U.S. House of Representatives from California, 1981-93), born in San Diego, California
- May 2 James Dyson, British inventor, industrial designer, and entrepreneur (bagless vacuum cleaner; bladeless fan), born in Cromer, Norfolk, England
- May 2 Philippe Herreweghe, Belgian conductor, choirmaster (La Chapelle Royale; Collegium Vocale Gent), and period instrument advocate, born in Ghent, Belgium
- May 3 Doug Henning, Canadian magician, born in Winnipeg, Manitoba (d. 2000)
Richard Jenkins (76 years old)
May 4 American actor (The Shape of Water, The Visitor), born in DeKalb, Illinois
- May 6 Alan Dale, New Zealand born actor (Neighbours), born in Dunedin, New Zealand
- May 6 Andy Roberts, New Zealand cricket all-rounder (7 Tests, 1 x 50, 4 wickets; Northern Districts, Waikato, Hamilton & Bay of Plenty), born in Te Aroha, New Zealand (d. 1989)
- May 6 Ben Masters, American actor (Vic-Another World, Making Mr Right), born in Corvalis, Oregon
- May 6 Martha Nussbaum, American philosopher, born in New York City
- May 6 Ronald Rivest, American computer scientist (RSA cryptography), born in Schenectady, New York [1]
- May 6 Sandra Fisher, American painter, born in New York City (d. 1994)
- May 7 Gary Herbert, American politician, Governor of Utah (2009-), born in American Fork, Utah
- May 8 Felicity Lott, British lyric and operatic soprano (We Come To The River), born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
- May 8 H. Robert Horvitz, American biologist (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2002 for"genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death"), born in Chicago, Illinois
- May 8 Phil Sawyer, English rocker (Spencer Davis Group), born in London, England
- May 9 Anthony Higgins, British actor (A Walk with Love and Death, Something for Everyone), born in East Northamptonshire, England
- May 10 Caroline Cooney, American author
- May 10 Jay Ferguson, American rocker (Spirit - "Thunder Island";"I Got A Line on You") and composer (theme for The Office), born in Burbank, California
- May 10 Meg Foster, American actress (Sunshine, Cagney & Lacey), born in Reading, Pennsylvania
- May 10 Paul Nicholas Young, architect
- May 10 Thomas Tessier, American author
- May 11 Butch Trucks, American drummer (The Allman Brothers - "Whipping Post"), born in Jacksonville, Florida (d. 2017)
- May 12 Catherine "Cat" Yronwode, American writer and editor-in-chief (Eclipse Comics), born in San Francisco, California
- May 12 Michael Ignatieff, Canadian politician (Leader of the Liberal Party), born in Toronto, Ontario
- May 12 Micheline Lanctôt, American film actor, director and screenwriter, born in Frelighsburg, Quebec
- May 13 Edgar Burcksen, Dutch film editor
- May 13 Pete Overend Watts, English rock bassist (Mott The Hoople - "All Young Dudes"), born in Yardley, Birmingham, England (d. 2017)
- May 13 Robert "Rab" Noakes, Scottish folk-country singer-songwriter ("Turn A Deaf Ear"), born in St Andrews, Fife
- May 13 Stephen R. Donaldson, American sci-fi author (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Lord Foul's Bane), born in Cleveland, Ohio
- May 14 Al Ciner, American rock guitarist (American Breed - "Bend Me, Shape Me"; Three Dog Night - "Joy To The World"), born in Chicago, Illinois
- May 14 Dick "Dirt" Tidrow, American MLB pitcher, 1972-84 (Cleveland Indians; New York Yankees and 3 other teams), and executive (Asst GM, San Francisco Giants), born in San Francisco, California
- May 14 Jon Landau, American music writer, artist manager, and record producer (Bruce Springsteen; Train; Shania Twain), born in New York City
- May 14 Karin Struck, German feminist writer, born in Groß Kiesow
- May 14 Tamara Dobson, American actress (Amazons; Cleopatra Jones), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2006)
- May 15 Graeham Goble, Australian rock guitarist (Little River Band - Reminiscing), born in Adelaide, Australia
- May 16 Barbara Lee, American singer (Chiffons - "He's So Fine"), born in The Bronx, New York (d. 1992)
- May 16 Bill Smitrovich, American character actor (Crime Story; Miami Vice; Life Goes On), born in Bridgeport, Connecticut
- May 16 Bob Edwards, American Peabody Award-winning broadcast journalist (NPR - "Morning Edition", 1979-2004; Sirius XM - "The Bob Edwards Show", 2004-15), born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 2024)
- May 16 Bob Wagner, American college football coach (University of Hawaiʻi 1988-95), born in Newark, Ohio (d. 2023)
- May 16 Darrell Sweet, British hard rock drummer (Nazareth - "Love Hurts"), born in Bournemouth, England (d. 1999)
- May 16 Ewald Krolis, Suriname Dutch percussionist and kaseko singer (Caribbean Combo - Mi Kanto Ma Mi De Ete (Fallen But Not Defeated), born in Paramaribo, Suriname (d. 2006)
- May 17 John Traicos, cricketer (in Egypt South Africa 1970, Zimbabwe 1992-93)
- May 18 Candice Azzara, American actress (Fatso), born in Brooklyn, New York
- May 18 John Bruton, Irish politician, Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland (1994-97), born in Dunboyle, Ireland
- May 19 Jerry Hyman, American rock trombonist (Blood Sweat & Tears, 1968-70), and chiropractor, born in Brooklyn, New York
- May 19 Steve Currie, British rock bassist (T. Rex; Marc Bolan), born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England (d. 1981)
- May 21 Bill Champlin, American Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and producer (Chicago, 1981-2009; Sons of Champlin), born in Oakland, California
- May 21 Dorothy Germain Porter, American golfer (US Curtis Cup winning captain 1966), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2012)
- May 21 Jiggs Kalra, Indian food writer "Czar of Indian cuisine", born in Punjab region, India (d. 2019)
- May 21 Jonathan Hyde, Australian-born actor (Titanic), born in Brisbane, Australia
- May 23 Ann Hui, director (Boat People)
- May 23 Bernard Comrie, English linguist
- May 23 Jane Kenyon, American poet (d. 1995)
- May 24 (Robert) "Waddy" Wachtel, American session guitarist, composer and record producer (Warren Zevon; Stevie Nicks; James Taylor; Linda Ronstadt; Jackson Browne), born in New York City
- May 24 Albert Bouchard, American musician, singer and songwriter (Blue Öyster Cult - "Don't Fear The Reaper"), born in Watertown, New York
- May 24 Cynthia Plaster Caster [Cynthia Albritton], American artist who made plaster casts of celebrity penises and breasts, born in Chicago, Illinois
- May 24 Luke Rittner, British art administrator (Arts Council), born in Bath, Somerset, England
- May 24 Martin Winterkorn, German automotive executive, born in Leonberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- May 24 Mike Reid, American country singer ("Walk On Faith"), born in Altoona, Pennsylvania
- May 25 Karen Valentine, American actress (Love American Style, Room 222), born in Santa Rosa, California
- May 25 Mitch Margo, American rocker (The Tokens, The Lion Sleeps Tonight), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2017)
- May 26 Darrell Evans, American baseball infielder (MLB All-Star 1973, 83; World Series 1984; AL HR leader 1985; Atlanta Braves, SF Giants, Detroit Tigers), born in Pasadena, California
- May 26 Glenn Turner, New Zealand cricket batsman (41 Tests, 2,991 runs @ 44.64; top score 259; chairman national selection panel), born in Dunedin, New Zealand
- May 26 Piers Gray, critic/writer
- May 26 Sherry Bain, California, actress (Pipe Dreams)
- May 27 Branko Oblak, Slovenian soccer midfielder (46 caps Yugoslavia; NK Olimpija, Hajduk Split, Schalke 04, Bayern Munich) and manager (Slovenia 2004-06), born in Ljubljana, Slovenia
- May 27 Felix Dennis, English publisher and poet (Dennis Publishing), born in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England (d. 2014)
- May 27 Henry McMaster, American politician, Governor of South Carolina (2017-), born in Columbia, South Carolina
- May 27 Liana Alexandra, Romanian pianist and composer, born in Bucharest, Romania (d. 2011)
- May 27 Marty Kristian [Vernang] British pop singer, guitarist, and banjo player (The New Seekers - "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing"; Peter, Paul & Marty), born in Leipzig, Germany
- May 27 Peter DeFazio, American politician, Rep-D-Oregon (1987-), born in Needham, Massachusetts
- May 27 Peter Knight, British folk musician, fiddler, and mandolin player (Steeleye Span; The Wombles), born in London, England
- May 28 Leland Sklar, American bass guitarist and session musician (James Taylor; Crosby, Stills & Nash), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- May 28 Lynn Johnston, Canadian cartoonist
- May 28 Zahi Hawass, Egyptian Egyptologist
- May 29 Anthony Geary, American actor (Luke/Bill-General Hospital), born in Coalville, Utah
- May 29 Gene Robinson, American Episcopal Bishop and 1st openly gay priest of any Christian denomination, born in Lexington, Kentucky
- May 29 Mark Nelson, American crew member of Biosphere 2, born in Brooklyn, New York
- May 30 Jocelyne Bourassa, Canadian golfer (LPGA Rookie of the Year 1972; Canadian Open 1973), born in Shawinigan, Quebec (d. 2021)
- May 30 Krishna Das [Jeffrey Kagel], American new age and kirtan vocalist, and record producer (All One), born in Long Island, New York
- May 31 (William) "Junior" Campbell, Scottish singer and guitarist (Marmalade - "I See The Rain"), born in Glasgow, Scotland
Famous Weddings
George Mikan
May 17 NBA center George Mikan (22) weds college sweetheart Patricia Lu Daveny
Famous Deaths
- May 1 Sanner, leader of Norger blood bath, executed
- May 2 Dorothea Binz, German Nazi war criminal (Ravensbrück concentration camp), executed by hanging for her crimes at 27
- May 2 William Moulton Marston, American psychologist (inventor of an early prototype of the lie detector) and writer (co-creator, Wonder Woman), dies at 53
- May 5 Ty LaForest, Canadian baseball player, dies at 30
- May 8 Harry Gordon Selfridge, American-born department store founder (b. 1858)
- May 11 Ture Rangström, Swedish composer, dies at 62
- May 14 John Ray Sinnock, US chief engraver (1925-47), dies at 59
- May 16 Frederick Gowland Hopkins, British biochemist (Nobel Prize, 1929), dies at 85
- May 17 George William Forbes, Prime Minister of New Zealand (b. 1869)
- May 18 Hal Chase, American MLB baseball player and manager, dies at 64
- May 20 Philipp Lenard, Austrian physicist (Nobel 1905), dies at 84
- May 23 Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz, Swiss writer (Le Petit Village), dies at 68
- May 27 Ed Konetchy, American MLB player, dies at 61
- May 28 August Eigruber, Austrian war criminal, dies at 40
- May 30 Georg von Trapp, Austrian WWI submarine commander and inspiration for "The Sound of Music" character, dies at 67
- May 30 Sidney Nicholson, English composer, dies at 72
- May 31 Adrienne Ames [McClure], American actress (Black Sheep; 24 Hours), dies of cancer at 39
- May 31 Henri Casadesus, French violist and composer (Preludes for Viola d'amour), dies at 67