What Happened on May 4

Algonquin Indians sell Island of Manhattan to Dutch colonist Peter Minuit for Sixty Guilders

The area that is now Manhattan was long inhabited by the Lenape. In 1524, Lenape in canoes met Giovanni da Verrazzano, the first European explorer... Read more

Battle of Chancellorsville (May 4-6)

On the evening of May 3 and all day May 4, Hooker remained in his defenses while Lee and Early battled Sedgwick. Sedgwick, after breaking Early's... Read more

First Bird Day

On May 4, 1894, Bird Day was first observed at the initiative of Charles Almanzo Babcock, superintendent of schools in Oil City, Pennsylvania. By... Read more

Games of the VIII Olympiad Held in Paris, France

The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924... Read more

John Robinson Is Born

John Robinson (4 May 1935 - 6 April 2007) was a British sculptor and co-founder of the Bradshaw Foundation. Accounts of his work may be seen at the... Read more

Battle of the Coral Sea

The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought during May 4–8, 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial... Read more

"Gaslight" Is Released

Gaslight is a 1944 mystery-thriller film adapted from Patrick Hamilton's play Angel Street. It was the second version to be filmed; the first,... Read more

British Soldiers Liberate Neuengamme Concentration Camp

Due to the demolition of the Neuengamme camp and its records by the SS in 1945 and the transportation of inmates to other subcamps or other working... Read more

"Hamlet" Is Released

Hamlet is a 1948 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. Hamlet was Olivier's... Read more

Superga Air Disaster

The plane was taking home the Turin soccer team after a match in Lisbon. The Fiat plane took off at 09:52 and made a refueling stop at Barcelona at... Read more

Ernest Hemingway Wins the Pulitzer Prize for Literature

Ernest Hemingway completes his short novel The Old Man and the Sea. He wrote his publisher the same day, saying he had finished the book and that... Read more

"The 400 Blows" Is Released

The 400 Blows (French: Les Quatre Cents Coups) is a 1959 French film directed by François Truffaut. One of the defining films of the French New... Read more

Stevie Wonder Releases Up-Tight

Up-Tight is a 1966 album by US singer Stevie Wonder. It was his sixth release. Up-Tight was the breakthrough album for Stevie Wonder, released... Read more

Montreal Canadiens win Stanley Cup

The 1969 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series played from April 27 to May 4, 1969, between the defending champions Montreal Canadiens and... Read more

Kent State Shootings

The Kent State shootings, also known as the May 4 massacre or Kent-State massacre, occurred at Kent State University in the city of Kent, Ohio, and... Read more

"Seven Beauties" Is Released

Pasqualino Settebellezze (English title Seven Beauties) is a 1975 Italian language film written and directed by Lina Wertmüller starring Giancarlo... Read more

"Orchestral Favorites" by Frank Zappa Is Released

Orchestral Favorites is an album by Frank Zappa first released in May, 1979 on his own DiscReet Records label. The album is instrumental and... Read more

1980 NBA Finals - Lakers Defeat 76ers

The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1979–80 NBA season. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP. But in a... Read more

Stevie Wonder Releases Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium

Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I is a compilation album of R&B/soul musician Stevie Wonder's greatest hits from his 1970s albums, released on... Read more

Sixteen Candles is released

Sixteen Candles is a 1984 coming-of-age film starring Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling and Anthony Michael Hall. The film was written and... Read more

"The Diplomat's Club" - Season 6 Episode 22 of Seinfeld First Airs

"The Diplomat's Club" is the 108th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 22nd episode for the 6th season. It aired on May 4, 1995. Plot... Read more

Radiohead releases "7 Television Commercials"

7 Television Commercials is a collection of music videos from English alternative rock band Radiohead, covering the period from their The Bends... Read more

The Bouncing Souls release Hopeless Romantic

Hopeless Romantic is the fourth full length album by New Jersey punk band The Bouncing Souls. This 1999 release finds the band experimenting with... Read more

Gladiator (movie) released

Gladiator is a 2000 epic film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, Derek... Read more

UFC 31: Locked and Loaded

UFC 31: Locked and Loaded was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New... Read more