All Events

Historical Events on May 20

  • American Civil War

    1861

    American Civil War: The state of Kentucky proclaims its neutrality, which will last until September 3 when Confederate forces enter the state. Meanwhile, the State of North Carolina secedes from the Union.

  • Abraham Lincoln

    1862

    U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signs the Homestead Act into law.

  • History of film

    1891

    History of cinema: The first public display of Thomas Edison's prototype kinetoscope.

  • Cuba

    1902

    Cuba gains independence from the United States. Tomás Estrada Palma becomes the country's first President.

  • Amelia Earhart

    1932

    Amelia Earhart takes off from Newfoundland to begin the world's first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean by a female pilot, landing in Ireland the next day.

  • The Holocaust

    1940

    The Holocaust: The first prisoners arrive at a new concentration camp at Auschwitz.

  • National Security Agency

    1949

    In the United States, the Armed Forces Security Agency, the predecessor to the National Security Agency, is established.

  • Democracy

    1989

    The Chinese authorities declare martial law in the face of pro-democracy demonstrations, setting the scene for the Tiananmen Square massacre.

  • LGBT rights in the United States

    1996

    Civil rights: The Supreme Court of the United States rules in Romer v. Evans against a law that would have prevented any city, town or county in the state of Colorado from taking any legislative, executive, or judicial action to protect the rights of gays and lesbians.

All Births

Famous Birthdays on May 20

All Deaths

Famous Deaths on May 20

19. May

21. May