Tukuk-OS📅 May 17
19 events · 12 births · 12 deaths
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What happened on May 17? Below are the notable events chosen by Wikipedia’s editors for this date, followed by celebrated births, deaths and the observances recognised around the world.
Events
- 2014 — A military plane crash killed 17 people and left one survivor in northern Laos.
- 2004 — Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.
- 2000 — Following the killing of two English football fans by Galatasaray supporters in the previous month, British and Turkish hooligans rioted on the day of the UEFA Cup Final in Copenhagen, Denmark.
2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violenceGalatasaray S.K. (football)Football hooliganism
- 1997 — The First Congo War came to an end when Laurent-Désiré Kabila proclaimed himself president of Zaire, which was also renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- 1995 — Six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama selected by the 14th Dalai Lama, was kidnapped by the Chinese government, who advocated a proxy.
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima11th Panchen Lama controversy14th Dalai Lama
- 1987 — An Iraqi jet fired two Exocet missiles at the American frigate USS Stark, killing 37 personnel and injuring 21 others.
- 1974 — The Troubles: The Ulster Volunteer Force detonated a series of car bombs in Dublin and Monaghan, Ireland, killing 34 people and injuring almost 300 others.
The TroublesUlster Volunteer ForceDublin and Monaghan bombings
- 1954 — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, outlawing racial segregation in public schools because "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal" and therefore unconstitutional.
Supreme Court of the United StatesBrown v. Board of EducationRacial segregation in the United States
- 1947 — After renegotiating a contract with the makers of her signature perfume Chanel No. 5, Coco Chanel (pictured) received a share of wartime profits from its sale, making her one of the richest women in the world.
- 1914 — Under the Protocol of Corfu, the Principality of Albania officially recognized Northern Epirus as an autonomous self-governing region.
- 1902 — The Antikythera mechanism, the oldest known surviving geared mechanism, was discovered among artifacts retrieved from a shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera.
- 1900 — The first copies of the children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum were printed.
- 1900 — Second Boer War: The Siege of Mafeking in South Africa was lifted after 217 days, a decisive victory for the British against the Boers.
- 1890 — The opera Cavalleria rusticana by Pietro Mascagni, premieres at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome, beginning the verismo period in Italian opera.
Cavalleria rusticanaPietro MascagniTeatro dell'Opera di Roma
- 1865 — The International Telecommunication Union, which standardizes and regulates international radio and telecommunications, was founded as the International Telegraph Union in Paris.
International Telecommunication UnionRadioTelecommunications
- 1863 — American Civil War: At the Battle of Big Black River Bridge in Mississippi, Union forces under John A. McClernand defeated a Confederate rearguard and captured around 1,700 men.
American Civil WarBattle of Big Black River BridgeUnion (American Civil War)
- 1590 — Anne of Denmark (pictured) was crowned the queen consort of Scotland in a ceremony at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh.
Anne of DenmarkList of Scottish royal consortsEntry and coronation of Anne of Denmark
- 1521 — Edward Stafford (pictured), whose father had been beheaded for rebelling against King Richard III of England, was himself executed for treason against King Henry VIII.
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of BuckinghamRichard III of EnglandHenry VIII
- 1395 — An outnumbered Wallachian army repulsed invading Ottoman forces at the Battle of Rovine.
Births
- 1994 — Julie Anne San Jose, Filipina singer-songwriter
- 1991 — Johanna Konta, Australian-English tennis player
- 1991 — Adil Omar, Pakistani rapper and music producer
- 1991 — Abigail Raye, Canadian field hockey player
- 1990 — Will Clyburn, American basketball player
- 1990 — Fabian Giefer, German footballer
- 1990 — Charlie Gubb, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1990 — Katrina Hart, English runner
- 1990 — Guido Pella, Argentine tennis player
- 1989 — Mose Masoe, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1989 — Rain Raadik, Estonian basketball player
- 1989 — Tessa Virtue, Canadian ice dancer
Deaths
- 2026 — M. J. K. Smith, English cricketer and rugby union player (born 1933)
- 2024 — Bud Anderson, American World War II flying ace (born 1922)
- 2024 — Sid Going, New Zealand rugby union footballer (born 1943)
- 2022 — Vangelis, Greek musician, composer (born 1943)
- 2020 — Lucky Peterson, American blues singer, keyboardist and guitarist (born 1964)
- 2019 — Herman Wouk, American author (born 1915)
- 2017 — Todor Veselinović, Serbian football player and manager (born 1930)
- 2015 — Lionel Pickens, American rapper (born 1983)
- 2014 — Gerald Edelman, American biologist and immunologist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1929)
- 2014 — C. P. Krishnan Nair, Indian businessman, founded The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts (born 1922)
- 2014 — Douangchay Phichit, Laotian politician (born 1944)
- 2014 — Thongbanh Sengaphone, Laotian politician (born 1953)
Observances & holidays
- Birthday of the Raja (Perlis)
- Christian feast day: Giulia Salzano
- Christian feast day: Blessed Ivan Ziatyk
- Christian feast day: Paschal Baylon
- Christian feast day: Peter Lieou
- Christian feast day: William Hobart Hare (Episcopal Church (USA))
- Christian feast day: Restituta
- Christian feast day: May 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Children's Day (Norway)
- Constitution Day (Nauru)
- Constitution Day (Norway)
- Feast of ‘Aẓamat (Baháʼí Faith, day shifts with March Equinox, see List of observances set by the Baháʼí calendar)
- Galician Literature Day or Día das Letras Galegas (Galicia)
- International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
- Liberation Day (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- Navy Day (Argentina)
- World Hypertension Day
- World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (International)
World Telecommunication and Information Society DayLists of holidays
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