Historical Events
- May 1 The Puerto Rican government closes the Department of Education and 42 other government agencies due to significant shortages in cash flow.
- May 3 Armavia Flight 967 crashes into the Black Sea, killing 113 people on board, with no survivors
- May 3 Zacarias Moussaoui is sentenced to life in prison in Alexandria, Virginia
Sports History
May 7 On the final day of the Premier League season, Thierry Henry scores a hat-trick against Wigan Athletic in the last match played at Highbury
- May 9 Estonia ratifies the European Constitution.
- May 9 George Preca is canonized as the first Maltese saint in history
Surprise
May 9 Warner Bros. Records releases "Surprise", the eleventh solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon
- May 10 Giogio Napolitano is elected President of Italy, first former communist to become President
- May 12 A major rebellion occurs in São Paulo as members of criminal organization Primeiro Comando da Capital attack police officers and stations, eventually escalating to several prisons in Brazil leaving around 130 dead
- May 13 English FA Cup Final, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (71,140): Liverpool beats West Ham United, 3-1 on penalties after 3–3 (a.e.t.); Reds 7th title
Event of Interest
May 14 René Préval sworn in as President of Haiti for the second time
- May 16 A large earthquake (7.4 on the Richter scale) occurs near New Zealand
- May 17 14th UEFA Champions League Final: Barcelona beats Arsenal 2-1 at Saint-Denis
- May 17 The aircraft carrier USS Oriskany is sunk in the Gulf of Mexico to be an artificial reef
- May 18 The post Loktantra Andolan government passes a landmark bill curtailing the power of the monarchy and making Nepal a secular country
Music Concert
May 19 Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held at Carnegie Hall, NYC; performers include: Sting, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow, and Lenny Kravitz
- May 20 131st Preakness: Javier Castellano aboard Bernardini wins in 1:54.65
- May 20 51st Eurovision Song Contest: Lordi for Finland wins singing "Hard Rock Hallelujah" in Athens
- May 21 The Republic of Montenegro holds a referendum proposing independence from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. The Montenegrin people choose independence with a majority of 55%.
- May 21 The Swedish ice hockey team Tre Kronor takes gold in the World Championship, becoming the first nation to hold both the World and Olympic titles separately in the same year.
Laureus Awards
May 22 Laureus World Sports Awards, Parque del Fórum, Barcelona, Spain: Sportsman: Roger Federer; Sportswoman: Janica Kostelić; Team: Renault F1 team
- May 22 Results from the Montenegrin independence referendum, 2006 are announced. 55.4% of voters vote to become independent from the Serbia and Montenegro Union.
Academy of Country Music Awards
May 23 41st Academy of Country Music Awards: Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans and Keith Urban win
- May 26 The May 2006 Java earthquake kills over 5,700 people, leaves 200,000 homeless.
Cannes Film Festival
May 27 "Pan's Labyrinth" fantasy film on the Spanish Civil War written and directed by Guillermo del Toro debuts at Cannes
- May 27 Earthquake strikes Java, Indonesia at 5:53:58 AM local time (22:53:58 UTC May 26) devastating Bantul and the city of Yogyakarta, killing over 6,600 people
- May 27 NHL Western Conference Final: Edmonton Oilers beat Anaheim Ducks, 4 games to 1
Sports History
May 27 Super Rugby Final, Christchurch: Canterbury Crusaders retain title with a 19-12 win over the Wellington Hurricanes; Dan Carter kicks 4 penalties & a conversion for the winners
- May 27 WLAF World Bowl 14, LTU arena, Düsseldorf: Frankfurt Galaxy beats Amsterdam Admirals, 22-7
- May 28 59th Cannes Film Festival: "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" directed by Ken Loach wins the Palme d'Or
Baseball Record
May 28 Barry Bonds hits his 715th career home run, passing Babe Ruth on the MLB all-time list
- May 28 Indianapolis 500: Sam Hornish Jr. wins from the pole position; record 14th Indy victory for Penske Racing; 0.0635 second margin from runner-up Marco Andretti second-closest finish in history at the time
- May 28 Senior PGA Championship, Oak Tree GC: Jay Haas wins his first of 3 Champions Tour major titles with a birdie on the third playoff hole against Brad Bryant
Music Concert
May 29 Singer David Bowie joins guitarist David Gilmour as special guest during encore at Royal Albert Hall, London concert; they perform "Arnold Layne" and "Comfortably Numb" in what becomes Bowie's final UK appearance
Famous Weddings
- May 6 "Coronation Street" actress Julia Haworth (26) weds Jon Wormald at St. Stephen's CE Church in Burnley, Lancashire
- May 6 "Scooter" techno rocker lead singer H.P. Baxxter (40) weds model Simone Mustert at Tremsbuttel Castle near Hamburg
- May 6 Duchess of Cornwall's daughter Laura Parker-Bowles (28) weds former Calvin Klein model Harry Lopes (28) at Church of Saint Cyriac in Lacock, Wiltshire
Brock Lesnar
May 6 Former WWF Women's Champion Sable (38) weds IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar (28) in Medina, Minnesota
- May 6 Race car driver "Champ Car World Series" two time winner Sebastien Bourdais (27) weds Claire Bagot at Cathedral Saint-Julien in Le Mans, France
- May 7 Actress Tori Spelling (32) weds actor Dean McDermott (39) at Wakaya Club in Wakaya Island, Fiji
- May 13 American actress Sara Bakker (32) weds Sloan Alexander at the United Church on the Green in New Haven, Connecticut
- May 13 British football star player Gary O'Neil (22) weds Donna Guerin in Highclere Castle, Hampshire
- May 16 "Korn" bassist Fieldy (36) weds Deena Beber at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, California
- May 19 "Liverpool" goalkeeper Pepe Reina (23) weds Yolanda Ruiz in Cordoba, Spain
- May 20 "Dog the Bounty Hunter" TV personality Duane Dog Chapman (53) weds Beth Smith at the Hilton Waikoloa Village in Hawaii
- May 20 Comedian-actress Mo'Nique (38) weds actor Sidney Hicks in an idyllic island ceremony
- May 20 Race car driver Jacques Villeneuve (35) weds Johanna Martinez at a civil ceremony in Switzerland
- May 26 Soccer star player Joshua Kennedy (23) weds Australian Opals player Jacinta Hamilton at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Port Melbourne
- May 27 "The Lineup" anchor Kimberly Guilfoyle (37) weds "Idesign" host Eric Villency at the 5-star Sandy Lane Resort in St. James, Barbados
- May 28 "Average Joe" actor Adam Mesh (30) weds Jessica Malca in Miami, Florida
- May 29 "America's Next Top Model" first winner Adrianne Curry (23) weds "The Brady Bunch" actor Christopher Knight (48) in Joliet, Illinois; divorce in 2012
Famous Divorces
- May 6 "Dallas" actress Victoria Principal (56) divorces plastic surgeon Harry Glassman (63) due to irreconcilable differences after nearly 21 years of marriage
Famous Deaths
- May 1 Big Hawk, American rapper (b.1969)
- May 1 George Haines, American swimming coach (7 x US Olympic teams), dies of a stroke at 82
- May 1 Johnny Paris, American saxophonist (Johnny and the Hurricanes) (b. 1940)
- May 1 Rob Lacey, Christian Author. (b. 1962)
- May 2 Louis Rukeyser, American columnist (b. 1933)
- May 3 Earl Woods, American author (father of Tiger Woods; 2 x books about upbringing and coaching), dies of prostate cancer at 74
- May 3 Karel Appel, Dutch painter (Vragende Children), dies at 85
- May 3 Pramod Mahajan, Indian politician (b. 1949)
- May 5 Joep de Boer, Dutch naval officer and politician (CDA), dies at 81
- May 5 Naushad Ali, Indian composer, and Hindi film music director, dies at 86
- May 6 Grant McLennan, co-founder of Australian band The Go-Betweens (b. 1958)
- May 6 Lillian Asplund, last American RMS Titanic survivor (b. 1906)
- May 6 Lorne Saxberg, Canadian television journalist (b. 1958)
- May 6 Shigeru Kayano, Japanese Ainu activist (b. 1926)
- May 7 Joan C. Edwards, American philanthropist (b. 1918)
- May 7 Machiko Soga, Japanese actress, singer, and tokusatsu legend, dies of pancreatic cancer at 67
- May 7 Richard Carleton, Australian television news journalist, dies of a heart attack, while covering press conference of Beaconsfield Mine collapse, at 62
- May 8 Iain Macmillan, Abbey Road photographer (b. 1938)
- May 8 Viola Mae Wilkerson, American pop singer ("Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now"), dies of cancer at 69
- May 10 A. M. Rosenthal, American journalist and newspaper editor (NY Times), dies at 84
- May 10 Raizo Matsuno, Japanese politician (b. 1917)
- May 10 Soraya [Lamilla], Colombian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, arranger and record producer ("Amor En Tus Ojos / Love In Your Eyes"'; "Casi"), dies of breast cancer at 37
- May 10 Val Guest, British film director (b. 1911)
Floyd Patterson (1935-2006)
May 11 American boxer (world heavyweight champion 1956-59, 1960-62, Olympic gold 1952), dies of prostate cancer at 71
- May 11 Frankie Thomas, American actor and author (Tom Corbett Space Cadet), dies of a stroke at 85
- May 11 Yossi Banai, Israeli pop and cabaret singer, and actor dies of cancer at 74
- May 12 Sonny Montgomery, American politician (Rep-D-Mississippi 1967-97), dies at 85
- May 13 Jaroslav Pelikan, American historian (b. 1923)
- May 13 Johnnie Wilder, Jr., American singer (Heatwave), dies at 56
- May 14 Eva Norvind, Norwegian-Mexican actress, dies from drowning at 62
- May 14 James Botten, South African cricketer (all-rounder in 1965 South African series v England), dies at 67
- May 14 Lewis "Lew" Anderson, American actor and musician (The Howdy Doody Show), dies of prostate cancer at 84
- May 14 Stanley Kunitz, American poet (b. 1905)
- May 17 Captain Nichola Goddard, Canadian soldier (b. 1980)
- May 17 Cy Feuer, American playwright (b. 1911)
- May 17 Eric Forth, British Member of Parliament (b. 1944)
- May 17 John Marsden, Australian lawyer, and gay rights activist, dies of stomach cancer at 64
- May 17 Laurence Shurtliff [Ram Rod], American music executive and roadie (the Grateful Dead), dies at 61
- May 18 Andrew Martinez, American activist (U.C. Berkeley's "Naked Guy"), dies at 33
- May 19 Freddie Garrity, English pop singer (Freddie and the Dreamers - "I'm Telling You Now"), dies at 69
- May 21 Billy Walker, American country music singer and guitarist ("Charlie's Shoes"), dies, along with his wife and two band members, in a single vehicle car accident, at 77
- May 21 Cherd Songsri, Thai film director (Plae Kao), dies at 74
- May 21 Katherine Dunham, American dancer (Casbah; Stormy Weather), choreographer (Metroplitan opera, 1963; Joplin's Treemonisha, 1972), and social activist, dies at 96
- May 22 Heather Crowe, Canadian activist (b. 1945)
- May 22 Jack Fallon, Canadian-British jazz double and electric bass player, fiddler (The Beatles - "Don't Pass Me By"), and concert promoter, dies at 90
- May 22 Lee Jong-wook, Korean Director-General of the World Health Organization, dies of stroke at 61
- May 23 Clifford Antone, American businessman, dies at 56
- May 23 Frits Bernard, American clinical psychologist and pedophile activist, dies at 85
- May 23 Kazimierz Górski, Polish footballer (b. 1921)
- May 23 Lloyd Bentsen, American politician (Senator-D-Texas, 1971-93, 1989 Democrat VP nominee), dies at 85
- May 24 Henry Bumstead, American art director (b. 1915)
- May 24 Michał Życzkowski, Polish technician (b. 1930)
- May 25 Desmond Dekker [Dacres], Jamaican reggae pioneer (The Aces - "007 (Shanty Town)"; "Israelites"), dies of a heart attack at 64
- May 25 Otto Zykan, Austrian pianist and composer, dies at 71
- May 26 Édouard Michelin, CEO of tire manufacturer Michelin (b. 1963)
- May 26 Johann von Kielmansegg, German general (Commander-in-Chief of NATOs forces), dies at 99
- May 26 Kevin O'Flanagan, Irish rugby union winger (1 Test; London Irish RFC), soccer striker (FAI 10 caps; Ireland 3 caps) and administrator (International Olympic Committee 1976-94), dies at 86
- May 26 Ted Schroeder, American tennis player (US Nat C'ship 1942, Wimbledon 1949), dies of cancer at 84
- May 27 Alex Toth, American cartoonist (b. 1928)
- May 27 Craig Heyward, American NFL fullback (Pro Bowl 1995; New Orleans Saints), dies from brain cancer at 39
- May 27 Dieter Acker, German composer and pedagogue, dies at 65
- May 27 Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Indian actor (b. 1944)
- May 27 Paul Gleason, American actor (Breakfast Club, Die Hard), dies of lung cancer at 67
- May 27 Rob Borsellino, American columnist (b. 1949)
- May 28 Thorleif Schjelderup, Norwegian author and ski jumper (b. 1920)
- May 29 Jacques Bouchard, Canadian French language advertising executive, dies of cancer at 75
- May 29 Steve Mizerak, American pool player, dies of complications from gall bladder surgery at 61
- May 30 David Lloyd, New Zealand biologist (b. 1938)
- May 30 Marius van Amelsvoort, Dutch politician (CDA), dies at 75
- May 30 Robert Sterling, American actor (George Kirby-Adv of Topper), dies at 88
- May 30 Shohei Imamura, Japanese film director (b. 1926)
- May 31 Lula Mae Hardaway, American songwriter ("I Was Made to Love Her"; "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours"), and mother of singer Stevie Wonder, dies at 76
- May 31 Miguel Ortiz Berrocal, Spanish abstract and figurative sculptor, dies at 72
- May 31 Raymond Davis Jr., American chemist and physicist (2002 Nobel Prize for Physics - detection of neutrinos), dies at 91
- May 31 Ryan Bennett, American sports journalist (MMA), dies after a car crash at 36
