🗞️Today’s Headlines

Everything important that’s ever happened on May 1:

1999 — Climbers discovered the body of British mountaineer George Mallory on Mount Everest, 75 years after his disappearance during a summit attempt in 1924.

1961 — A gunman hijacked a commercial airliner flying from Miami to Key West and forced the crew to divert to Cuba, making it the first major airplane hijacking in the United States.

1960 — A Soviet missile shot down a US U-2 spy plane over Soviet airspace, leading to the capture of pilot Francis Gary Powers and escalating Cold War tensions.

1931 — The Empire State Building officially opened in New York City, becoming the tallest building in the world at the time.

1924 — Iodized salt went on sale for the first time in the United States to combat widespread iodine deficiency and prevent goiter.

1889 — May Day became an international workers’ holiday in the United Kingdom, commemorating the labor movement’s fight for fair wages and an eight-hour workday.

🎂 Today’s Birthdays

On May 1, we’re singing to:

Calamity Jane (1852) — American frontierswoman and sharpshooter known for her tough persona and involvement in the American Old West, especially in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Judy Collins (1939) — American singer and songwriter celebrated for her contributions to the folk music scene and her iconic renditions of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.”

 🪦Who Died Today?

On May 1, we’re saying goodbye to:

Arcadius (408) — Roman emperor remembered for his reign during a period of decline in the Western Roman Empire, which he ruled alongside his brother Honorius.

David Livingstone (1873) — Scottish explorer and missionary renowned for his exploration of Africa and his efforts to end the slave trade.

Joseph Goebbels (1945) — German propaganda minister under the Nazi regime, notorious for his role in spreading anti-Semitic rhetoric and supporting Adolf Hitler until the end of World War II.

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