16 May

May 16 is the 136th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 229 days remain until the end of the year.

We have some interesting facts & historic events all about May 16^th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.

Keep reading for more interesting facts about May 16^th in history!

Table of Contents

1. Global Celebrations
2. Historic Events
3. Famous Birthdays
4. Heartbreaking Deaths

Global Celebrations

• Buddha Jayanti
• International Day Of Light
• National Drawing Day
• National Biographer’s Day
• International Day of Living Together in Peace
• National Sea Monkey Day

Historic Events

What Happened On This Day – May 16

1991: Queen Elizabeth II addresses the U.S. Congress becoming the first British Monarch to address Congress in 1991.

1975: Junko Tabei becomes the first woman to conquer Mount Everest

The ascent by the Japanese adventurer came 22 years after Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first to reach the summit.

1966: In China, the Cultural Revolution begins

The publication of the May 16 notification marks the beginning of the political campaign, which was initiated by Mao Zedong and lasted ten years. Its objective was to strengthen communism by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society.

1960: Theodore Maiman fires the first functional laser

The American physicist’s invention, an advancement of earlier research by scientists in the U.S. and the Soviet Union, was patented in 1967.

1929: The Oscars are awarded for the first time

The first Academy Awards were presented at a private dinner with about 270 attendees. Today, it is the world’s most important entertainment awards ceremony.

1919: Albert Cushing Read takes off on the first transatlantic flight in history

The crossing from New York State, USA to Lisbon, Portugal on a Curtiss NC-4 flying boat took 19 days.

1971: Statue of The Little Mermaid in a gas mask during protests against environmental pollution in Copenhagen, Denmark – Copenhagen, 1971

1961: Chimp holding newspaper about himself 1961

1929: The Oscars are awarded for the first time in 1929. On 16th May 1929, German actor Emil Jannings became the first ever person to win an Oscar award on the first ever Oscar ever held! He won Oscar for his role in the movie ‘The Last Command’.

1918: Indian Police motorcycle with a mounted sidecar machine gun. New York City, May 16 1918

1918: People paying tribute to the millions of donkeys, mules, and horses lost during WW1 1918

1914: Giuseppe Garibaldi’s grandsons – Bruno, Ricciotti, Giuseppe “Peppino”, Sante, Costante and Ezio Garibaldi – in France in 1914, as officers of the “Garibaldi Legion” fighting in the Argonne

218: Elagabalus becomes the emperor of Rome. (16 May 218)

Famous Birthdays

Births On This Day, May 16

1966: Janet Jackson, American singer-songwriter, producer, dancer, actress

1953: Pierce Brosnan, Irish/American actor, singer, producer

1919: Liberace, American singer, pianist, actor

1905: Henry Fonda, American actor, singer, producer

1831: David Edward Hughes, Welsh/American scientist, co-invented the microphone

Pierce Brosnan was born.

Megan Fox was born.

Janet Jackson was born.

Heartbreaking Deaths

Deaths On This Day, May 16

2012: Maria Bieşu, Moldovan opera singer

1990: Jim Henson, American puppeteer, director, producer, founded The Company

1990: Sammy Davis, Jr., American actor, singer, dancer

1977: Modibo Keïta, Malian politician, 1st President of Mali

1953: Django Reinhardt, Belgian guitarist, composer

Jim Hanson died.

Ronnie James Dio died.

Andy Kaufmann died.