May 1909
Encyclopedia
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The following events occurred in May, 1909.
January 1909
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in January 1909.-January 1, 1909 :...
– February
February 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in February 1909.-February 1, 1909 :...
– March
March 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in March, 1909.-March 1, 1909 :...
– April
April 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in April 1909.-April 1, 1909 :...
– May – June
June 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in June 1909.-June 1, 1909 :...
– July
July 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in July 1909.-July 1, 1909 :...
– August
August 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in August 1909.-August 1, 1909 :...
– September
September 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in September 1909.-September 1, 1909 :...
– October
October 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in October 1909:-October 1, 1909 :...
– November
November 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in November 1909:-November 1, 1909 :...
– December
December 1909
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in December 1909:-December 1, 1909 :...
May 1, 1909 (Saturday)
- Tens of thousands of California residents turned out at San Francisco to greet the visiting Japanese ships Aso and Soya, which had been captured from Russia during the Russo-Japanese War of 1905.
- Walter Reed Medical Center opened for treatment of Washington D.C. residents and veterans.
May 2, 1909 (Sunday)
- Mark TwainMark TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
began work on the "Ashcroft-Lyon" manuscript, never published, three weeks after firing his secretary, Isabel LyonIsabel LyonIsabel Van Kleek Lyon was Mark Twain's secretary for most of his final years. While in this position, she gained significant influence over Twain's personal and business affairs. Twain fired her in 1909 for reasons that remain in dispute.-Mark Twain's secretary:Lyon was born in Tarrytown, New...
, who had married Ralph Ashcroft. - Manuel Amador GuerreroManuel Amador GuerreroManuel Amador Guerrero , was the first president of Panama from 20 February 1904 to 1 October 1908. He was a member of the Conservative Party....
, the first President of Panama and founder of the nation, died a few months after the expiration of his term of office. Fort AmadorFort AmadorFort Amador and Fort Grant were former United States Army bases protecting the Pacific end of the Panama Canal at the Panama Bay. Amador was the primary on-land site, lying below the Bridge of the Americas. Grant consisted of a series of islands lying just offshore, some connected to Amador via a...
, which defends the Pacific side of the canal along with Fort Grant, was named in his honor.
May 3, 1909 (Monday)
- Jesús MalverdeJesus MalverdeJesús Malverde, sometimes known as the "generous bandit", "angel of the poor", or the "narco-saint", is a folklore hero in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. He is celebrated as a folk saint by some in Mexico and the United States, particularly among those involved in drug trafficking, but he is not...
, "El Rey de Sinaloa", was killed in Mexico and made his way into local folklore. - Ensign Chester NimitzChester NimitzFleet Admiral Chester William Nimitz, GCB, USN was a five-star admiral in the United States Navy. He held the dual command of Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet , for U.S. naval forces and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas , for U.S...
began a career in submarine warfare, taking command of the USS PlungerUSS Plunger (SS-2)USS Plunger SS-2 was one of the earliest submarines of the United States Navy. She was the lead ship of the her class and was later renamed A-1 when she was designated an A-type submarine.-Early service:... - The Preakness StakesPreakness StakesThe Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
, second jewel of the Triple Crown of American horseracing, returned to Maryland and the Pimlico racetrack, after having been run since 1890 in New York.
May 4, 1909 (Tuesday)
- Tony Malfeti body found; had been kidnapped on March 14
- In Las Cruces, New MexicoLas Cruces, New MexicoLas Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
, Wayne Brazel was acquitted of the February 29, 1908, murder of Pat GarrettPat GarrettPatrick Floyd "Pat" Garrett was an American Old West lawman, bartender, and customs agent who was best known for killing Billy the Kid...
. The trial had begun on April 19, and the jury took 15 minutes to reach the verdict that Brazel, who fired his shot while Garrett was urinating, had acted in self-defense.
May 5, 1909 (Wednesday)
- A change in the electoral law of the GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
free state of SaxonySaxonyThe Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
took effect, providing for four different classes of voters. All taxpaying men, 25 or older, had one vote, and men with higher incomes had two, three or four votes. Men received an additional vote upon turning 50. - Jackson County, ColoradoJackson County, ColoradoJackson County is the fourth-least densely populated of the Colorado 64 counties of the U.S. state of Colorado. The county population was 1,577 at the 2000 Census. The county seat and the only municipality in the county is the Town of Walden.- History :...
, was created from the western section of Larimer CountyLarimer County, ColoradoLarimer County is the seventh most populous and the ninth most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county is located at the northern end of the Front Range, at the edge of the Colorado Eastern Plains along the border with Wyoming...
.
May 6, 1909 (Thursday)
- The U.S. Senate ratified a treatyTreatyA treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
that had been signed in December 1904, between the United States and Russia, providing legal recognition by each nation of the corporations of the other. Prior to the signing of the agreement, American business corporations had had no legal standing in the Russian Empire. - Born: Loyd SigmonLoyd SigmonLoyd C. Sigmon was born in Stigler, Oklahoma to a cattle-ranching family. He soon became interested in radio, earning his amateur radio license at age 14. His broadcasting career began in 1932 at the Boston Short Wave and Television Laboratories...
, inventor of the "Sig AlertSig AlertA Sig Alert is defined by the California Highway Patrol as "any unplanned event that causes the closing of one lane of traffic for 30 minutes or more." Sig Alerts are issued by the CHP and are posted on their website, broadcast on radio and television stations throughout California, and signalled...
", in Stigler, OklahomaStigler, OklahomaStigler is a city in Haskell County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,731 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Haskell County.-Geography:Stigler is located at...
(d. 2004)
May 7, 1909 (Friday)
- The Pontifical Biblical InstitutePontifical Biblical InstituteThe Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Italy is an institution of the Holy See run by the Jesuits that offers instruction at the university level...
was founded in Rome by Pope Pius X. - Albert EinsteinAlbert EinsteinAlbert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
was invited by the University of Zurich to accept the newly created chair in Theoretical Physics. He accepted, giving up his job at the patent office in Bern. - Born: Edwin H. LandEdwin H. LandEdwin Herbert Land was an American scientist and inventor, best known as the co-founder of the Polaroid Corporation. Among other things, he invented inexpensive filters for polarizing light, a practical system of in-camera instant photography, and his retinex theory of color vision...
, American inventor of Polaroid instant cameraInstant cameraThe instant camera is a type of camera that generates a developed film image. The most popular types to use self-developing film were formerly made by Polaroid Corporation....
, in BridgeportBridgeportBridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut.Bridgeport may also refer to:-Places:In Canada:* Bridgeport, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:* Bridgeport, Alabama* Bridgeport, California, in Mono County...
; (d. 1991) - Died: Alexis Toth, 56, leader of the Russian Orthodox in the United States
May 8, 1909 (Saturday)
- Herbert Lang and Jampes P. Chapin set off on the SS Zeeland on the first project to catalog the plant and animal species of Central Africa. The Congo Expedition of the American Museum of Natural HistoryAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryThe American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
yielded thousands of specimens. - The town of Concrete, WashingtonConcrete, WashingtonConcrete is a town in north-central Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 705 at the 2010 census. The town of Concrete is included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Early history:...
, was incorporated as a merger of the communities of Baker (which had the Superior Portland Cement Company) and Cement City (which Washington Portland Cement Company). The town was featured in the 1993 Robert DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio film This Boy's LifeThis Boy's Life (film)This Boy's Life is a 1993 film adaptation of the memoir of the same name by Tobias Wolff. It is directed by Michael Caton-Jones and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Tobias Wolff, Robert De Niro as stepfather Dwight Hansen, and Ellen Barkin as Toby's mother, Caroline...
. - The famous Indian "Bhawal Sanyasi "died(?) on this day – at about at Darjeeling at "Step aside" building. His body was taken to Cremation ground – when ? – here the controversy starts and three marathon legal battles start. Ultimately the Privy Council – London upheld the theory that Kumar Ramendranath roy – alias Bhawal Sanyasi – did not die actually – but his comatose body was brought to Cremation ground – ultimately the effort was abandoned due to a whirlwind in which the corpse was stolen by some sadhus and later revived).
May 9, 1909 (Sunday)
- Japanese sugar plantation workers in HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
walked out on strike, after five months of trying to get wages comparable to those paid to Portuguese and Puerto Rican laborers for the same work. By June, 7000 had walked off the job. After five months, the plantation owners relented and brought the Asian workers' pay up to par.
May 10, 1909 (Monday)
- The American Society for Clinical InvestigationAmerican Society for Clinical InvestigationThe American Society for Clinical Investigation, or ASCI, established in 1908, is one of the nation's oldest and most respected medical honor societies.-Organization and Purpose:...
(ASCI) was founded by fifteen physicians who gathered at the New Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., to identify and honor outstanding physicians engaged in biomedical research. - Born: Maybelle CarterMaybelle Carter"Mother" Maybelle Carter was an American country musician. She is best known as a member of the historic Carter Family act in the 1920s and 1930s and also as a member of Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters.-Biography:...
, American country musician, in Scott County, VirginiaScott County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 23,403 people, 9,795 households, and 7,023 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile . There were 11,355 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
(d. 1978) - Died: Futabatei ShimeiFutabatei Shimeiwas a Japanese author, translator, and literary critic. Born Hasegawa Tatsunosuke in Edo , Futabatei's works are in the realist style popular in the mid- to late-19th century...
, 45, Japanese novelist (The Drifting CloudThe Drifting CloudThe Drifting Cloud, known as Ukigumo in Japanese, was a novel written in 1887 by Futabatei Shimei, often called the first modern Japanese novel. The novel was published in two sections in 1887 and 1888. The novel only contains four characters, prioritising the development of characters over plot...
)
May 11, 1909 (Tuesday)
- U.S. Design PatentDesign patentIn the United States, a design patent is a patent granted on the ornamental design of a functional item. Design patents are a type of industrial design right. Ornamental designs of jewelry, furniture, beverage containers and computer icons are examples of objects that are covered by design...
No. 39,984 was awarded to Harrison D. McFaddin for the "banker desk lamp" http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=active&rlz=1T4GWYE_enUS256US257&q=banker%20desk%20lamp&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi
May 12, 1909 (Wednesday)
- Leopold StokowskiLeopold StokowskiLeopold Anthony Stokowski was a British-born, naturalised American orchestral conductor, well known for his free-hand performing style that spurned the traditional baton and for obtaining a characteristically sumptuous sound from many of the great orchestras he conducted.In America, Stokowski...
made his debut as a conductor, for the Colonne Orchestra in Paris. - In South Bethlehem, PennsylvaniaSouth Bethlehem, PennsylvaniaSouth Bethlehem is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 444 at the 2000 census.South Bethlehem is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 444 at the 2000 census.South Bethlehem is a borough in Armstrong County,...
, at least twenty employees of the Callanan Road Improvement Company were killed by the premature explosion of 1,000 pounds of dynamite as they were preparing to shoot inside a quarry, including the vice-president.
May 13, 1909 (Thursday)
- The first Giro d'ItaliaGiro d'ItaliaThe Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
, Italy's premiere bicycle race, began at 2:53 in the morning in Milan with 127 starters. On May 30, Luigi GannaLuigi GannaLuigi Ganna was an Italian professional road racing cyclist. The highlight of his career was his overall win in the first Giro d'Italia, held in 1909.He was born in Induno Olona, near Varese, in Lombardy....
was the first of the 49 remaining riders to return to Milan for the win. - The British platinumPlatinumPlatinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
producer LonminLonminLonmin plc , formerly Lonrho plc, is a producer of platinum group metals operating in the Bushveld Complex of South Africa. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
was incorporated as the London and Rhodesian Mining and Land Co., Ltd.
May 14, 1909 (Friday)
- The "Milwaukee Road" railroad (C M & S) became the sixth transcontinental railroadTranscontinental railroadA transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...
in the United States, with the completion of $60,000,000 five year Pacific Extension project to take the line to Seattle. With the driving of the final spike near Garrison, MontanaGarrison, MontanaGarrison is a census-designated place in Powell County, Montana, United States. The population was 112 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Garrison is located at ....
, the official name of the Milwaukee Road became the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific RailroadChicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific RailroadThe Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...
.
May 15, 1909 (Saturday)
- Saint Paulinus of NolaPaulinus of NolaSaint Paulinus of Nola, also known as Pontificus Meropius Anicius Paulinus was a Roman senator who converted to a severe monasticism in 394...
(354–431 AD) returned to his home in NolaNolaNola is a city and comune of Campania, southern Italy, in the province of Naples, situated in the plain between Mount Vesuvius and the Apennines...
, in Southern Italy, after nearly a millennium. His body had been at the Tiber IslandTiber IslandThe Tiber Island , is a boat-shaped island which has long been associated with healing. It is an ait, and is one of the two islands in the Tiber river, which runs through Rome; the other one, much larger, is near the mouth. The island is located in the southern bend of the Tiber. It is...
in Rome since the 11th century. Paulinus was reinterred at the cathedral that had been dedicated there a week earlier. - Born: James MasonJames MasonJames Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
, English-born film actor, in HuddersfieldHuddersfieldHuddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
(d. 1984)
May 16, 1909 (Sunday)
- Harper B. Lee, the first gringoGringoGringo is a slang Spanish and Portuguese word used in Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking countries in Latin America, to denote foreigners, often from the United States. The term can be applied to someone who is actually a foreigner, or it can denote a strong association or assimilation into...
(American-born) bullfighter, made his first appearance in Mexico City's Plaza el ToreoPlaza MéxicoThe Plaza México, situated in Mexico City, is the world's largest bullring. This 48,000-seat facility is usually dedicated to bullfighting, but many boxing fights have been held there as well, including Julio César Chávez's third bout with Frankie Randall...
. - A hail storm in Uvalde County, TexasUvalde County, TexasUvalde County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 25,926. Its county seat is Uvalde. The county is named for Juan de Ugalde, the Spanish governor of Coahuila. Uvalde County was founded by Reading Wood Black who also founded the city of Uvalde,...
, caused major damage, but not as seriously as reported in some papers. The hailstones, some weighing as six pounds, were heavy enough to kill several cows. A San Antonio paper reported that "Damage in the amount of at least $10,000 was done in Uvalde and five or six head of stock were killed," and added "The report that several Mexicans had been killed by hail stones is not correct.". Dispatches from Galveston greatly exaggerated the damage in the rest of the nation. The New York Times reported that the hailstones "are said to have measured nearly a foot and a half in circumference and ranged in weight from seven to ten pounds", and that "eight lives are reported lost, while the number of live stock killed is reported anywhere from 500 to 2,000 dead ... loss to crops and farm property will aggregate between $200,000 and $300,000. The hailstones piled up in some places four feet high.". The New York Herald said that the hailstones killed rancher James Carpenter "and seven Mexican hired men".
May 17, 1909 (Monday)
- First LadyFirst LadyFirst Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
Nellie Taft, wife of U.S. President William Taft, suffered a stroke while at the White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, impairing her speech abilities. She recovered after one year. - The United States Supreme Court ruled in the case of Welch v. SwaseyWelch v. SwaseyWelch v. Swasey, 214 U.S. 91 , was a decision by the United States Supreme Court, which held that the statutes of Massachusetts, chap. 333 of the Acts of 1904, and chap. 383 of the Acts of 1905, limit the height of buildings in a certain quarter of a city, do not violate the Constitution of the...
, 214 U.S. 191 (1909), that it upheld the right of governments to set limits on the height of buildings. - Born: Julius Sumner MillerJulius Sumner MillerJulius Sumner Miller was an American physicist and television personality. He is best known for his work on children's television programs in North America and Australia.-Off-screen:...
, pioneer of the television science program, in Billerica, MassachusettsBillerica, MassachusettsBillerica is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,243 at the 2010 census. It is the only town named Billerica in the United States and borrows its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England.- History :...
(d. 1987)
May 18, 1909 (Tuesday)
- In Germany, patent No. 226,239 was awarded to Heinrich Hoerlein of the BayerBayerBayer AG is a chemical and pharmaceutical company founded in Barmen , Germany in 1863. It is headquartered in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and well known for its original brand of aspirin.-History:...
company for a sulfanilamide, the first synthesized sulfonamideSulfonamideSulfonamide or sulphonamide may refer to:*Sulfonamide – the sulfonamide functional group. *Sulfonamide – the group of sulfonamide antibacterial drugs....
. It was not until 1935 that the antibiotic properties of sulfonamides were realized, and the first sulfa drugs created. - Menelik II, Emperor of EthiopiaEmperor of EthiopiaThe Emperor of Ethiopia was the hereditary ruler of Ethiopia until the abolition of the monarchy in 1974. The Emperor was the head of state and head of government, with ultimate executive, judicial and legislative power in that country...
, resolved the question of who would succeed him, selecting his 14 year old grandson Lij Iyasu as the heir apparent. Iyasu V reigned from 1913 to 1916, but was deposed in favor of Menelik's daughter Zauditu. - Born: Fred PerryFred PerryFrederick John Perry was a championship-winning English tennis and table tennis player who won 10 Majors including eight Grand Slams and two Pro Slams. Perry won three consecutive Wimbledon Championships between 1934 and 1936 and was World No. 1 four years in a row...
, English tennis player (No. 1 ranked 1934–38), in StockportStockportStockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
(d. 1995) - Died: Isaac AlbénizIsaac AlbénizIsaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz y Pascual was a Spanish Catalan pianist and composer best known for his piano works based on folk music idioms .-Life:Born in Camprodon, province of Girona, to Ángel Albéniz and his wife Dolors Pascual, Albéniz...
, 48, Spanish composer
May 19, 1909 (Wednesday)
- With 55 dancers, including Vaslav NijinskyVaslav NijinskyVaslav Nijinsky was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer of Polish descent, cited as the greatest male dancer of the 20th century. He grew to be celebrated for his virtuosity and for the depth and intensity of his characterizations...
, the Ballets RussesBallets RussesThe Ballets Russes was an itinerant ballet company from Russia which performed between 1909 and 1929 in many countries. Directed by Sergei Diaghilev, it is regarded as the greatest ballet company of the 20th century. Many of its dancers originated from the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg...
opened a new era in ballet dancing, bringing the Russian ballet to the Western world. Produced by Sergei DiaghilevSergei DiaghilevSergei Pavlovich Diaghilev , usually referred to outside of Russia as Serge, was a Russian art critic, patron, ballet impresario and founder of the Ballets Russes, from which many famous dancers and choreographers would arise.-Early life and career:...
, the tour opened at the Théâtre du ChâteletThéâtre du ChâteletThe Théâtre du Châtelet is a theatre and opera house, located in the place du Châtelet in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France.One of two theatres built on the site of a châtelet, a small castle or fortress, it was designed by Gabriel Davioud at the request of Baron Haussmann between 1860 and...
in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. - A. Lawrence Lowell succeeded Charles William EliotCharles William EliotCharles William Eliot was an American academic who was selected as Harvard's president in 1869. He transformed the provincial college into the preeminent American research university...
as President of Harvard UniversityPresident of Harvard UniversityThe President of Harvard University is the chief administrator of the university. Ex officio the chairman of the Harvard Corporation, he or she is appointed by and is responsible to the other members of that body, who delegate to him or her the day-to-day running of the university...
. In his 24 years, Lowell reformed the degree requirements to introduce the concept of selecting an academic majorAcademic majorIn the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
as a primary field of study, saying "The best type of liberal education in our complex modern world aims at producing men who know a little of everything and something well." - Born: Sir Nicholas WintonNicholas WintonSir Nicholas George Winton, MBE is a British humanitarian who organised the rescue of 669 mostly Jewish children from German-occupied Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War in an operation later known as the Czech Kindertransport. Winton found homes for them and arranged for their safe...
, British who rescued more than 600 Czechoslovakian children in World War II (age 102 in 2011)
May 20, 1909 (Thursday)
- Saint Clement Hofbauer (1751–1820), a prominent leader of the Redemptionist movement, was canonized. He is now considered the Patron SaintPatron saintA patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre... - Born: Sir Matt BusbyMatt BusbySir Alexander Matthew "Matt" Busby, CBE, KCSG was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Manchester United between 1945 and 1969 and again for the second half of the 1970–1971 season...
, Scottish football manager (Manchester United), in BellshillBellshillBellshill is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, 10 miles south east of Glasgow city centre and 37 miles west of Edinburgh. Other nearby towns are Motherwell , Hamilton and Coatbridge . Since 1996, it has been situated in the Greater Glasgow metropolitan area...
(d. 1994)
May 21, 1909 (Friday)
- St. Cloud, FloridaSt. Cloud, FloridaSt. Cloud is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. The population was 35,183 at the 2010 census. St. Cloud is closely associated with the adjacent city of Kissimmee and its proximity to Orlando area theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and Seaworld.St...
, created as a community for retired Union veterans of the American Civil War, received its first resident, Albert Hantsch of Chicago. By 2009, the population of St. Cloud passed 25,000. - Born: Guy de RothschildGuy de RothschildBaron Guy Édouard Alphonse Paul de Rothschild was a French banker and member of the Rothschild family. He chaired the bank Rothschild Frères from 1967 to 1979, when it was nationalized by the French government, and maintained possessions in other French and foreign companies including Imerys...
, French billionaire and banker, in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(d. 2007)
May 22, 1909 (Saturday)
- Nearly 700000 acres (2,832.8 km²) of federally owned land in Washington, MontanaMontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
were opened for settlement by executive order of U.S. President William Howard TaftWilliam Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
.
May 23, 1909 (Sunday)
- The Daily Bioscope theatre opened, introducing the British public to newsreelNewsreelA newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
s, the first showing of filmed news stories. - The equestrian statue of Tsar Alexander III astride a horse, sculpted by Paolo Troubetskoy, was unveiled in St. Petersburg at Znamenskaya Square. After St. Petersburg was renamed LeningradLeningradLeningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
in 1924, the unpopular memorial was moved in 1937 to the backyard of the city museum. In 1994, with the city again called St. Petersburg, the statue was again moved, and placed in front of one of the Marble PalaceMarble PalaceMarble Palace is one of the first Neoclassical palaces in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is situated between the Field of Mars and Palace Quay, slightly to the east from New Michael Palace....
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May 24, 1909 (Monday)
- SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
became the first European nation to set aside land for national parkNational parkA national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s. The first nine established under jurisdiction of the Naturvårdsverket were AbiskoAbiskoAbisko is a village in northern Sweden, near the Abisko National Park located 4 km west of the village. It had 85 inhabitants as of 2005.-Transportation:...
, ÄngsöÄngsöÄngsö is a Swedish National Park. It lies in Stockholm's skärgård, between Norrtälje and Stockholm. The park can only be reached by water.-External links:* from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency...
, GarphyttanGarphyttanGarphyttan is a locality situated in Örebro Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with 1,557 inhabitants in 2005. It lies 16 km northwest of Örebro, near Garphyttan National Park....
, Gotska Sandön, Hamra, PieljekaisePieljekaisePieljekaise is a Swedish National Park. It lies about 10 km south of Jäkkvik in Lappland. The park consists to a large part of a large birch woods.The park is traversed by the Kungsleden trail.-External links:...
, SarekSarek National ParkSarek National Park is a national park in Jokkmokk Municipality, in the province Lapland in northern Sweden. Sarek borders the national parks Stora Sjöfallet and Padjelanta...
, Stora SjöfalletStora SjöfalletStora Sjöfallet is a national park in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden, in Gällivare Municipality. It is situated by the Norwegian border. It was declared a national park in 1909. The national park is part of the Laponian area which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
, and Sonfjället. May 24 is now annually commemorated as the European Day of Parks. - Born: Wilbur MillsWilbur MillsWilbur Daigh Mills , was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Arkansas...
, controversial Arkansas Congressman 1939–1977, in Kensett, ArkansasKensett, ArkansasKensett is a city in White County, Arkansas, United States. Located adjacent to the east side of Searcy, the city is the hometown of noted legislator Wilbur D. Mills, who was influential throughout the 1960s in the United States House of Representatives. Max McDonald is the current mayor...
(d. 1992)
May 25, 1909 (Tuesday)
- The Indian Councils ActIndian Councils Act 1861The Indian Councils Act 1861 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that transformed the Viceroy of India's executive council into a cabinet run on the portfolio system. This cabinet had six "ordinary members" who each took charge of a separate department in Calcutta's government: home,...
of 1909 (9 Edw. VII, c.4) was given royal assent after passing the British parliament. For the first time, the legislative councils for the various provinces of British India would include members elected by the Indians themselves. Formerly, all members had been appointed by the Crown. Additional seats on the provincial executive councils were created, opening the way for more Indian officeholders. The Reforms of 1909 were the first step toward self-government in India. - Israel Greene, who had led the United States Marines in the capture of abolitionist John BrownJohn Brown (abolitionist)John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, on October 18, 1859, died at the age of 85 at his farm near Mitchell, South DakotaMitchell, South Dakota-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,558 people, 6,121 households, and 3,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,475.7 people per square mile . There were 6,555 housing units at an average density of 664.4 per square mile...
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May 26, 1909 (Wednesday)
- In the Epsom DerbyEpsom DerbyThe Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
in Britain, Minoru, the horse owned by King Edward VII won after the betting favorite, American-bred Sir Martin, threw his jockey. - Born: Adolfo López MateosAdolfo López MateosAdolfo López Mateos was a Mexican politician affiliated to the Institutional Revolutionary Party who served as President of Mexico from 1958 to 1964...
, President of MexicoPresident of MexicoThe President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces...
1958–1964, in Atizapán de Zaragoza (now called Ciudad López MateosCiudad López MateosCiudad López Mateos is a city in the State of México, México, and the seat of the municipality called Atizapán de Zaragoza. The municipality takes its name from the nahuatl word Ātīzapan, which is formed by three words: "ā-tl", which means "water", "tīza-tl", which means "white clay" and "īpan",...
; (d. 1969)
May 27, 1909 (Thursday)
- A meteor crashed through the roof of a house in Shepard, Texas.
- Born: Rachel CarsonRachel CarsonRachel Louise Carson was an American marine biologist and conservationist whose writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement....
, American environmentalist whose work led to the banning of DDT, in Springdale, PA (d. 1964); and W.W. Hansen, physicist and pioneer in microwave electronics, in FresnoFresnoFresno is the fifth largest city in California.Fresno may also refer to:-Places:Colombia* Fresno, TolimaSpain* Fresno, a ghost village in Nidáliga, Valle de Sedano, Burgos* Aldea del Fresno, Madrid* Fresno de la Vega, Ribera del Esla, León...
(d. 1949)
May 28, 1909 (Friday)
- The 1912 Summer Olympics1912 Summer OlympicsThe 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
games were awarded to StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, in an election by acclamation at the IOC meeting in Berlin.
May 29, 1909 (Saturday)
- Augusto B. LeguíaAugusto B. LeguíaAugusto Bernardino Leguía y Salcedo was a Peruvian politician who twice occupied the Presidency of Peru, from 1908 to 1912 and from 1919 to 1930.-Early life:...
, the President of Peru, was briefly taken hostage during an attempted coup, but rescued by loyal troops. The uprising had begun four days earlier when an anti-Chinese rally of the Workers' Party degenerated into a riot in Lima. As a concession to the rioters, President Leguia halted Chinese immigration to Peru, admitting only those immigrants who had at least 500 pounds sterling in resources. - The first sale of an airplane to a non-military buyer took place when the G.H. Curtiss Manufacturing Co.Curtiss-WrightThe Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
delivered its Curtiss No. 1Curtiss No. 1-References:* * * The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft , 1985Orbis Publishing...
, nicknamed the Golden Flyer, to the New York Aeronautical Society to complete a $5,000 purchase.
May 30, 1909 (Sunday)
- For the first time, an airshipAirshipAn airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
remained aloft for more than 24 hours. Zeppelin II, with ten on board, flew 400 miles (643.7 km) from FriedrichshafenFriedrichshafenThis article is about a German town. For the Danish town, see Frederikshavn, and for the Finnish town, see Fredrikshamn .Friedrichshafen is a university city on the northern side of Lake Constance in Southern Germany, near the borders with Switzerland and Austria.It is the district capital of the...
to BitterfeldBitterfeldBitterfeld is a town in the district Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2007 it has been part of the town Bitterfeld-Wolfen. It is situated approx. 25 km south of Dessau, and 30 km northeast of Halle...
. - Sri AurobindoSri AurobindoSri Aurobindo , born Aurobindo Ghosh or Ghose , was an Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, philosopher, yogi, guru, and poet. He joined the Indian movement for freedom from British rule and for a duration became one of its most important leaders, before developing his own vision of human progress...
delivered what is now called by his followers as the "UttarparaUttarparaUttarpara is a small town of Hooghly District, West Bengal, India. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority.It is a town of historical importance. Uttarpara is home to some of the biggest industrial setups in the state...
Speech", in the West Bengal city of that name. - Born: Benny GoodmanBenny GoodmanBenjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
, American musician and 1940s pop star known as "The King of Swing", in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
(d. 1986)
May 31, 1909 (Monday)
- The National Negro Conference, chaired by Charles Edward RussellCharles Edward RussellCharles Edward Russell was an American journalist, politician, and a co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People...
and attended by 300 people, convened in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
at the United Charities building, then moved for an afternoon session to Cooper Union with 1,500 attending. From the meeting emerged the National Negro CommitteeNational Negro CommitteeThe National Negro Committee was composed of a group of activists, in order to address the social, economic, and political rights of African-Americans...
, which would be renamed the following year as the NAACP. As one historian would later note, "The events at the conference set the tone for future race relations within the [NAACP] movement for decades to come."