What Happened In May 1961 In History

Historical Events for May, 1961

• 1st » The Prime Minister of Cuba, Fidel Castro, proclaims Cuba a socialist nation and abolishes elections.
• 4th » American civil rights movement: The "Freedom Riders" begin a bus trip through the Southern United States known as South.
• 5th » Project Mercury called The Mercury program: Mercury-Redstone 3 Alan Shepard becomes the first American to travel into outer space, on a sub-orbital flight.
• 9th » FCC Chairman Newton N. Minow gives his Wasteland Speech.
• 14th » American civil rights movement: The Freedom Riders bus is fire-bombed near Anniston, Alabama, and the civil rights protesters are beaten by an angry mob.
• 19th » Venera program: 'Venera 1' becomes the first man-made object to fly-by another planet by passing Venus (the probe had lost contact with Earth a month earlier and did not send back any data).
• 19th » At Silchar Railway Station, Assam, 11 Bengalis die when police open fire on protesters demanding state recognition of Bengali language in the Bengali Language Movement Legacy e.g Bengali Language Movement.
• 21st » African-American Civil Rights Movement (1954–68) e.g American civil rights movement: Alabama Governor John Malcolm Patterson declares martial law in an attempt to restore order after race riots break out.
• 22nd » An 1961 New South Wales earthquake e.g earthquake rocks New South Wales.
• 24th » American civil rights movement: Freedom Riders are arrested in Jackson, Mississippi, for "disturbing the peace" after disembarking from their bus.
• 24th » Cyprus joins the Council of Europe.
• 25th » Apollo program: The President of the United States named U.S. President John F. Kennedy announces before a special joint session of the United States Congress called Congress his goal to initiate a project to put a "man on the Moon" before the end of the
• 25th » The Bukit Ho Swee Fire, the biggest fire in Singapore history.
• 30th » The long-time Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo is assassinated in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
• 31st » The Union of South Africa becomes the South Africa named Republic of South Africa.
• 31st » In Moscow City Court, the Rokotov–Faibishenko case known as Rokotov–Faibishenko show trial begins, despite the Khrushchev Thaw to reverse Stalinism or Stalinist elements in Soviet society.

Famous Birthdays on May in 1961

• 1st » Clint Malarchuk, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
• 1st » Marilyn Milian, American judge
• 1st » Vasiliy Sidorenko, Russian hammer thrower
• 2nd » Steve James (snooker player) e.g Steve James, English snooker player
• 2nd » Sophie Thibault, Canadian journalist
• 2nd » Phil Vickery (chef) called Phil Vickery, English chef and author
• 3rd » Steve McClaren, English footballer and manager
• 3rd » Joe Murray (animator) or Joe Murray, American animator, producer, and screenwriter
• 3rd » David Vitter, American lawyer and politician
• 3rd » Leyla Zana, Kurdish activist and politician
• 4th » Jay Aston, English singer-songwriter and dancer (Bucks Fizz (band) or Bucks Fizz)
• 4th » Luis Herrera, Colombian cyclist
• 4th » Chris Packham, English television host
• 5th » Hiroshi Hase, Japanese wrestler and politician
• 5th » Rob Williams (basketball) named Rob Williams, American basketball player (d. 2014)
• 6th » Aleksandr Apaychev, Ukrainian decathlete
• 6th » George Clooney, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
• 6th » Tom Hunter, Scottish businessman and philanthropist
• 6th » Gina Riley, Australian actress, singer, producer, and screenwriter
• 7th » Hans-Peter Bartels, German politician
• 7th » Sue Black (forensic anthropologist) or Sue Black, Scottish anthropologist and academic
• 7th » Phil Campbell (musician) named Phil Campbell, Welsh guitarist and songwriter (Motörhead and Persian Risk)
• 7th » Ivar Must, Estonian composer and producer
• 8th » Bill de Blasio, American politician, 109th Mayor of New York City
• 8th » Vallo Reimaa, Estonian politician
• 8th » Akira Taue, Japanese wrestler
• 8th » David Winning, Canadian-American director, producer, and screenwriter
• 9th » Sean Altman, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Rockapella)
• 10th » Danny Carey, American drummer and songwriter (Tool (band) called Tool, Pigmy Love Circus, Green Jellÿ, and Zaum (band) named Zaum)
• 10th » Randy Cunneyworth, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
• 10th » Candi Kubeck, American captain and pilot (d. 1996)
• 10th » Blyth Tait, New Zealand horse rider
• 10th » Johanna ter Steege, Dutch actress
• 11th » Luis Felipe (murderer) e.g Luis Felipe, Cuban gang leader, founded the Latin Kings (gang) or Latin Kings
• 11th » Kimberly McCarthy, American murderer (d. 2013)
• 12th » Jennifer Armstrong, American author
• 12th » Paul Begala, American political adviser and television host
• 12th » Thomas Dooley, German-American soccer player and manager
• 12th » Billy Duffy, English guitarist and songwriter (The Cult, Theatre of Hate, and The Nosebleeds)
• 12th » Lar Park Lincoln, American actress
• 12th » Bruce McCulloch, Canadian actor, director, and producer
• 13th » Dennis Rodman, American basketball player, wrestler, and actor
• 14th » Ulrike Folkerts, German actress
• 14th » Jean Leloup, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 14th » David Quantick, English journalist and critic
• 14th » Tim Roth, English actor and director
• 14th » Alain Vigneault, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
• 15th » Katrin Cartlidge, English actress (d. 2002)
• 15th » Melle Mel, American rapper (Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five)
• 16th » Kevin McDonald, Canadian actor and screenwriter
• 16th » Charles Wright (wrestler) named Charles Wright, American wrestler
• 17th » Enya, Irish singer-songwriter and producer (Clannad)
• 17th » Jamil Azzaoui, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 17th » Justin King (businessman) e.g Justin King, English businessman
• 18th » Jim Bowden, American sportscaster
• 19th » Gregory Poirier, American director, producer, and screenwriter
• 19th » Wayne Van Dorp, Canadian ice hockey player
• 20th » Clive Allen, English footballer and manager
• 22nd » Mike Breen, American sportscaster
• 22nd » Ann Cusack, American actress
• 23rd » Karen Duffy, American model and actress
• 24th » Lorella Cedroni, Italian philosopher and theorist (d. 2013)
• 24th » Alain Lemieux, Canadian-American ice hockey player
• 26th » Tarsem Singh, Indian-American director, producer, and screenwriter
• 27th » José Luíz Barbosa, Brazilian runner
• 27th » Peri Gilpin, American actress
• 28th » Michelle Collins, English actress
• 28th » Roland Gift, English singer-songwriter and actor (Fine Young Cannibals and Akrylykz)
• 29th » Melissa Etheridge, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist
• 29th » John Miceli, American drummer (Neverland Express)
• 30th » Ralph Carter, American actor and singer
• 30th » Harry Enfield, English actor, director, and screenwriter
• 30th » Bob Yari, Iranian-American director and producer
• 31st » Ray Cote, Canadian ice hockey player
• 31st » Justin Madden, Australian footballer and politician
• 31st » Lea Thompson, American actress, director, and producer

Famous Deaths for May 1961

• 4th » Johannes Hengeveld, Dutch tug of war competitor (b. 1894)
• 4th » Anita Stewart, American actress and producer (b. 1895)
• 6th » Lucian Blaga, Romanian poet, playwright, and philosopher (b. 1895)
• 13th » Gary Cooper, American actor and singer (b. 1901)
• 16th » George A. Malcolm, American lawyer and jurist (b. 1881)
• 20th » Josef Priller, German pilot (b. 1915)
• 30th » Rafael Trujillo, Dominican politician, 36th List of Presidents of the Dominican Republic known as President of the Dominican Republic (b. 1891)
• 31st » Walter Little (politician) e.g Walter Little, Canadian politician (b. 1877)

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