What are the important events that happened on May 31? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
May 31: Facts & Myths About This Day
May 31 is the 152nd day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 214 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Friday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is May 18, 2024 – a Friday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 28,618,560 minutes has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘hectapentacontadigon’ day.
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Gemini is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Emerald is the modern birthstone for this month. Sapphire is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 243 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,179 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
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May 31 Historical Events
- 1790 –Alferez Manuel Quimper explores the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
- 1854 –The civil death procedure is abolished in France.
- 1859 –The clock tower at the Houses of Parliament, which houses Big Ben, starts keeping time.
- 1864 –American Civil War Overland Campaign: Battle of Cold Harbor – The Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee engages the Army of the Potomac under Ulysses S. Grant & George G. Meade.
- 1929 –The first talking cartoon of Mickey Mouse, “The Karnival Kid”, is released.
- 1941 –A Luftwaffe air raid in Dublin, Ireland, claims 38 lives.
- 1961 –The Union of South Africa becomes the Republic of South Africa.
- 1962 –The West Indies Federation dissolves.
- 1970 –The Ancash earthquake causes a landslide that buries the town of Yungay, Peru; more than 47,000 people are killed.
- 2009 –Anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder shoots and kills physician George Tiller during church services in Wichita, Kansas.
Who were born on May 31?
- 1908 –Nils Poppe, Swedish actor (d. 2000)
- 1922 –Denholm Elliott, English actor (d. 1992)
- 1943 –Sharon Gless, American actress
- 1945 –Bernard Goldberg, American journalist
- 1963 –Viktor Orbán, Hungarian politician
- 1964 –Darryl McDaniels, American musician (Run-D.M.C.)
- 1974 –Zsolt Erdei, Hungarian light heavyweight boxer
- 1975 –Yiasoumis Yiasoumi, Greek-Cypriot footballer
- 1977 –Joachim Olsen, Danish athlete
- 1984 –Jason Smith, Australian actor
Who died on May 31?
- 1594 –Tintoretto, Italian painter (b. 1518)
- 1740 –King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia (b. 1688)
- 1960 –Willem Elsschot, Flemish writer (b. 1882)
- 1961 –Walter Little, Canadian politician (b. 1877)
- 1977 –William Castle, American film director (b. 1914)
- 1998 –Charles Van Acker, Belgian racing driver (b. 1912)
- 2000 –Johnnie Taylor, American singer (b. 1938)
- 2000 –Tito Puente, American musician (b. 1923)
- 2006 –Miguel Berrocal, Spanish sculptor (b. 1933)
- 2006 –Ryan Bennett, American sportscaster (b. 1970)
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