May 1 - The Day in History

May 1 : General Interest 1931: Empire State Building dedicated On this day in 1931, President Herbert Hoover officially dedicates New York City's Empire State Building, pressing a button from the White House that turns on the building's lights... read more American Revolution 1958 : President Eisenhower proclaims Law Day http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-eisenhower-proclaims-law-day Automotive 1926 : Ford factory workers get 40-hour week http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ford-factory-workers-get-40-hour-week Civil War 1863 : Battle of Chancellorsville begins http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-chancellorsville-begins Cold War 1960 : American U-2 spy plane shot down http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-u-2-spy-plane-shot-down Crime 2002 : Former NBA All-Star indicted http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/former-nba-all-star-indicted Disaster 2003 : Record-breaking tornado wave begins http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/record-breaking-tornado-wave-begins General Interest 1851 : Great Exhibition opens http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/great-exhibition-opens 1898 : The Battle of Manila Bay http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-battle-of-manila-bay 1963 : An American tops Everest http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/an-american-tops-everest 1997 : Labour party returns to power in Britain http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/labour-party-returns-to-power-in-britain Hollywood 1941 : Citizen Kane released http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/citizen-kane-released Literary 1923 : Joseph Heller is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/joseph-heller-is-born Music 1786 : Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro premieres in Vienna http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mozarts-le-nozze-di-figaro-premieres-in-vienna Old West 1852 : Calamity Jane is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/calamity-jane-is-born Presidential 1931 : Herbert Hoover dedicates Empire State Building http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/herbert-hoover-dedicates-empire-state-building Sports 1991 : Rickey Henderson breaks stolen base record http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/rickey-henderson-breaks-stolen-base-record Vietnam War 1969 : Senator criticizes Nixon's handling of the war http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/senator-criticizes-nixons-handling-of-the-war 1972 : North Vietnamese troops capture Quang Tri http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/north-vietnamese-troops-capture-quang-tri World War I 1915 : International Congress of Women adopts resolutions http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/international-congress-of-women-adopts-resolutions World War II 1887 : Alan G. Cunningham, British liberator of Ethiopia, is born http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/alan-g-cunningham-british-liberator-of-ethiopia-is-born

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