All Events

Historical Events on May 20

  • Abraham Lincoln

    1862

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

  • Kinetoscope

    1891

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

  • Tomás Estrada Palma

    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.

  • Auschwitz

    1940

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

  • Chiang Kai-shek

    1948

    Chiang Kai-shek is elected as the first President of the Republic of China.

  • National Security Agency

    1949

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

  • Tiananmen Square massacre

    1989

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

  • Romania

    1990

    The first post-Communist presidential and parliamentary elections are held in Romania.

All Births

Famous Birthdays on May 20

All Deaths

Famous Deaths on May 20

19. May

21. May