Birth of Joe Louis
On May 13, 1914, Joe Louis Barrow was born near Lafayette, Alabama. He would become Joe Louis, the “Brown Bomber,” a heavyweight champion whose calm power in the ring carried meaning far beyond boxing.
American History
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Minnesota Becomes 32nd State
On May 11, 1858, Minnesota entered the Union as the 32nd state. Known today as the “North Star State,” Minnesota grew from fur-trade outposts, river forts, farms, forests, and iron mines into one of the Upper Midwest’s most diverse economies.
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Victory in Europe Day
On May 8, 1945, Americans celebrated Germany’s defeat with the first Victory in Europe Day.
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Alan Shepard Becomes First American in Space
On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American to travel into space when he launched aboard Freedom 7. The brief suborbital flight lasted just over 15 minutes, but it marked a turning point in the United States’ early space efforts.
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Battle of the Coral Sea Begins
On May 4, 1942, the World War II Battle of the Coral Sea began. It became the first naval battle fought mainly by aircraft carriers, with opposing fleets striking each other by air while their ships never came into direct sight.
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World’s Columbian Exposition
On May 1, 1893, the World’s Columbian Exposition opened in Chicago, Illinois. For six months, it transformed the city into a global showcase of architecture, invention, culture, and ambition, drawing millions of visitors to one of the largest fairs ever held.
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America’s First Presidential Inauguration
On April 30, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as America’s first president. The ceremony in New York City marked the formal beginning of the new federal government created by the Constitution and placed the Revolutionary War hero at the head of a nation still finding its footing.
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Workers’ Memorial Day
On April 28, 1971, a major new federal law took effect that changed how workplace safety was enforced in the United States. That date is now observed as Workers’ Memorial Day, a time to remember those lost at work and to renew the effort to prevent future tragedies.
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Holocaust Memorial Museum Dedicated
On April 22, 1993, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opened in Washington, DC — a building so deliberately unsettling in its design that its…
