✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 124th day of the year

May 4

A look at May 4 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Cesc Fàbregas and Wang Jingwei, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

♉ZodiacTaurus ◈BirthstoneEmerald ❀Birth flowerLily of the Valley
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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2000

    Ken Livingstone

    Ken Livingstone becomes the first Mayor of London (an office separate from that of the Lord Mayor of London).

    English politician (born 1945)
  2. 1990

    Latvia

    Latvia declares independence from the Soviet Union.

    Country in Northern Europe
  3. 1979

    Margaret Thatcher

    Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

    Prime Minister of the
  4. 1970

    Vietnam War

    Vietnam War: Kent State shootings: The Ohio National Guard, sent to Kent State University after disturbances in the city of Kent the weekend before, opens fire killing four unarmed students and wounding nine others. The students were protesting the Cambodian Campaign of the United States and South Vietnam.

    1955–1975 war in Southeast
  5. 1949

    Torino FC

    The entire Torino football team (except for two players who did not take the trip: Sauro Tomà, due to an injury and Renato Gandolfi, because of coach request) is killed in a plane crash.

    Association football club in
  6. 1942

    World War II

    World War II: The Battle of the Coral Sea begins with an attack by aircraft from the United States aircraft carrier USS Yorktown on Japanese naval forces at Tulagi Island in the Solomon Islands. The Japanese forces had invaded Tulagi the day before.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  7. 1926

    United Kingdom

    The United Kingdom general strike begins.

    Country in northwestern Europe
  8. 1919

    May Fourth Movement

    May Fourth Movement: Student demonstrations take place in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, protesting the Treaty of Versailles, which transferred Chinese territory to Japan.

    1919 Chinese cultural political
  9. 1904

    Panama Canal

    The United States begins construction of the Panama Canal.

    Shipping route across Central
  10. 1814

    Napoleon

    Emperor Napoleon arrives at Portoferraio on the island of Elba to begin his exile.

    French general and emperor
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Famous birthday twins

Born on May 4

Cesc Fàbregas

b. 1987

Spanish footballer and manager

Wang Jingwei

b. 1883

Chinese politician

James van Riemsdyk

b. 1989

American ice hockey player

Brad Maddox

b. 1984

American wrestler and referee

Hosni Mubarak

b. 1928

Egyptian air marshal and politician, 4th President of Egypt

Audrey Hepburn

b. 1929

Belgian-British actress and humanitarian

Jackie Jackson

b. 1951

American singer-songwriter and dancer

Werner Faymann

b. 1960

Austrian politician, 28th Chancellor of Austria

Deaths

  • 2014Jean-Paul Ngoupandé, Central African politician, Prime Minister of the Central African Republic
  • 1980Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslav field marshal and politician, 1st President of Yugoslavia
  • 1923Ralph McKittrick, American golfer and tennis player
  • 1799Tipu Sultan, ruler of Mysore
  • 1774Duke Anthony Ulrich of Brunswick, Prussian nobleman
  • 1038Gotthard of Hildesheim, German bishop

Holidays & observances

  • —Anti-Bullying Day (United Nations)
  • —Bird Day (United States)
  • —Cassinga Day (Namibia)
  • —Christian feast day: Blessed Ceferino Giménez Malla
  • —Christian feast day: Blessed Michał Giedroyć
  • —Christian feast day: English Saints and Martyrs of the Reformation Era (Church of England)
  • —Christian feast day: F. C. D. Wyneken (Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod)
  • —Christian feast day: Florian

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